“Somewhere, there are people to whom we can speak with passion
without having the words catch in our throats.
Somewhere a circle of hands will open to receive us,
eyes will light up as we enter, voices will celebrate with us
whenever we come into our own power.
Community means strength that joins our strength
to do the work that needs to be done.
Arms to hold us when we falter.
A circle of healing. A circle of friends.
Someplace where we can be free.”
~ Starhawk, Dreaming in the Dark

Are You Ready for Community?

Have you ever been in a community you loved? I’ve learned over the years that community is one of the most powerful ways to create, affect and support change. It can be a way people come together, share ideas, let someone know they’re not alone and foster new ways of thinking. Through community we can get out of our stuckness, see things in a new way, co-create magic. We find kindred spirits, renew old acquaintances and make new friends. Do you have such a community?

The quote above was in my April, 2003 newsletter. At that time we had had a discussion group that had between 15 and 70 participants the third Thursday of each month for over 5 years at Barnes & Noble in Willow Grove, PA. We were individuals who came together hungry to share community. Hungry to hear and be heard, we laughed and cried, were touched and touched each other in tender places we had forgotten were still there. We spoke of our barely born dreams, our loves, our fears. We shared intimate parts of ourselves that some of us hadn’t even shared with those we were intimate with. What we learned was that we were not alone, that we had more in common than not, and that where we thought we were the only one – we had legions of company; it was comforting somehow.

I’ve been thinking about community. It’s been so much fun connecting with so many of you on Facebook. For years I’ve written this newsletter and had the opportunity to meet or get to know only a few of you who got to know me through this newsletter. I have found you to be beautiful, intelligent, and talented; coming from a place of heart, soul and beauty. On Facebook I get to see who you are and you get to see me. I get to know a bit about your life, what you love, where you passion lies. It’s fun.

I began coaching, mentoring, writing, speaking, doing workshops because I was endlessly curious about people. It was the people I met who inspired what I wrote and what I spoke on. I loved workshops and groups most because of the interaction both ways. Too often when you’re in front of a group or writing you miss the interactions that enrich and grow you. Some who stand at the front too long even begin to believe they have more answers than questions…

I always thought it would be fun to get all of you together. I’d get the opportunity to know you better and you’d get to meet each other – I so wanted you to meet each other and share the richness of who you are! At first I thought of a blog where you could comment, but that wasn’t the level of interaction I was looking for. Then I played with the idea of a fan club. Fans of conscious living. Fans of living the life we want. Fans of supporting each other in community.

So now there is one; the newly created Conscious Living. I started several discussions to learn more about you, who you are and what’s important to you. I know you’ll have ideas on how to enrich what’s here. This isn’t my community, it’s a place I want to share and grow with you. I see it as a place where we can share who we are, our dreams, what we find beautiful and the journey we are on. Hope you’ll join me.