Finding Sacred Community
“When the tendency of two friends is toward spirit, toward the heart,
they go, like wind and flame, upward together.”
~ Rumi
Dear Friends,
Many of us know how good it is to belong to a community where we are spiritually nourished . . . a place that helps us connect to our deeper Self and find friends who encourage and support us on this crazy winding road called life.
I feel so lucky that spiritual communities have been an integral part of my life for decades. My first experience of one was life-changing -- even though it only lasted one long weekend. It was in 1970 at the Strawberry Fields Rock Festival in Ontario. I got a ride there from Virginia with three friends and a dog in a small blue pick-up truck and my ride back home was with other friends in a VW Camper (of course). A three day ticket cost $15.
During the day, I wandered around observing all these beautiful young hippies at their campsites on hillsides and in the woods. One guy with very long blond hair came out of his headstand to tell me about the bliss of Transcendental Meditation. One morning, I found the river where people were bathing and found a secluded spot where I could finally wash off the road-trip debris in the cold Canadian water.
And then, there was the music. Mostly I remember Melanie (sweet ) and Jethro Tull (very freaky when you're in the front row in an altered state) and the Youngbloods. At sunset, they played the forever peace anthem, Get Together, while a small plane flew overhead dropping roses on the crowd. For real! I inhaled every note and believed every word they sang.
But the festival really became a spiritual community for me on the last morning. People had stayed up all night for the music (Sly and the Family Stone had gone on at 5 am), and now groggy-eyed and wrapped in blankets, they trudged up the hill toward the campsites, and my new friend Marcia was ready for them. In the back of the VW, she had set up hot coffee, cups, cream and sugar and I watched her offering coffee to everyone with so much love. So I joined her and we were both rewarded with huge smiles and happy voices. "Oh my god, coffee?! Really?! Thank you!"
It was my introduction to one of the best things about spiritual community -- the chance to serve others. It's such a beautiful and powerful way to know real happiness . . . even in such a simple way.
******
In my work, I often hear people express a need and/or desire for spiritual community. They may have just moved here or maybe they feel they've outgrown what used to feed and inspire them. And yet, there are so many great places and gatherings here -- ashrams, churches, sanghas, synagogues, mosques, interfaith gatherings, full moon beach ceremonies -- and uplfting gatherings -- yoga and meditation classes, book groups, ecstatic dances, sound baths, retreats, live concerts. So if you're looking for a home for your spiritual heart or just want to expand your circle, scroll down to the list of website links. I'm sure this is a tiny fraction of what's available but it's a start.
May all the spiritual beauty and mind-opening truths that nurture you find their way to you.
With love,
Elizabeth
P.S. Read more about the benefits of selfless service in my daughter-in-law's wonderful new book: Your Brain on Altruism: The Power of Connection and Community During Times of Crisis by Nicole Karlis.