Comments on: Community Vision

By: Dee

Dee — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:21:00 +0000

I have struggled with the question of what I want in a community and how to balance that with my own work, so this vision is a great blessing. It’s so beautiful!

By: Soli

Soli — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:23:00 +0000

We can all be equal, but this means we cannot be equivalentI know someone else quoted this, but I think it sums up everything. If we’re are going to form a REAL community we will need to have people filling diverse roles. Besides, if we all did the same jobs and had the same strengths, that could get boring after a while. *winks*I yearn now to find a local community that could fulfill such needs, and doubt it can be found here in southern New England. Too much in the way of backbiting and grandstanding for my tastes.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:41:00 +0000

Thank you for this, Thorn, and everyone who left comments. We had a running, not-so-funny joke here for a while that when someone comes into personal power a bull’s eye target appears on their back.I have found that squabbles over power develop out of the scarcity mentality so prevalent in the outer culture: There is a limited supply of love, power, talent, etc.When we open our eyes and re-member the incredible abundance of the universe, when we recogngize these qualities are available in unlimited supply, we become more willing to share, celebrate, honor and even (gasp) assist others in finding their own. Love and Power–Karina

By: Christopher Penczak

Christopher Penczak — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:06:00 +0000

Thank you Thorn. It seems like community is the theme of the day in many of my blogs. I see us as a great web, where each point of light is needed to connect to every other. And I treasure you as a part of my web!

By: Hadar

Hadar — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:40:00 +0000

So… why does this happen so rarely? That is, real community, real sharing, without fighting for scraps?(I’m talking about any kind of community, not just spiritual communities).Beautiful writing, Thorn.

By: thorn

thorn — Thu, 29 May 2008 01:16:00 +0000

goiriath, I agree that if I am not being fed, the activity is not sustainable. This goes along with Dionysus Devotee’s vision, as well: we can learn to support each other’s good work and become more interdependent. This is the opposite of what many communities start with, which is trying to force everyone into the same mode of activity and mold of process. This doesn’t make the best of the skills we already possess, nor does it foster us to learn our best skills.Tony, all groups have disagreements, but if we are learning from them, and helping each other grow into our best, rather than playing “whack a mole” as Katrina posted in the other comments section, we won’t all have to leave in disgust or fight for bits of perceived power, which is what I see happen over and over.

By: goiriath

goiriath — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:17:00 +0000

Wow. I think I’ve been struggling with the very concepts poetically expressed in this post…However, where ever we come into our own power, even if it was worked on in the context of a group, it is still own power, individual, from-within, and community is when we come together to share and celebrate that.It feels so selfish to be working on my power-from-within when I ‘should’ be contributing to others, to ‘community’ instead.I’ve been struggling with my involvement in some community events. Ones that served me in the past, & due to the value I received from them, I felt an obligation to continue.I had a realisation recently, that this was not how I could best serve myself, and that in not serving myself, I was not working with my strengths – not offering what I am best to those around me, those on the same path, those I regard my current & potential community.And so, I declared, enough.It was a struggle to establish that boundary for myself, but what happened? Talk, communication, a flourishing, a renewal of community, in a form that suits me better – and appears to suit many others better.In my new enthusiasm I may have overcommitted myself again, *whoops*, but I am more aware now that if something is not a source of personal growth for me, then I’m not able to contribute that growth to the community around me, and there are better ways.I am trying to work on my own personal practice, first and foremost, and come together with others to share, learn, and celebrate our accomplishments, rather than viewing others as the forum by which accomplishments are recognised, or accomplishments as lesser if they aren’t ones recognised by others. Obvious, but hard…