The Value in Community

Over the past few months, I’ve really come to appreciate the value in community and shared experiences. 

Each individual truely does have something unique to offer to the world. We have been sitting in the same lectures, learning the same Vedic knowledge, and yet each new teacher understands and embodies the wisdom in a slightly different way. And so it has been incredible to share experiences and perspectives. To learn from, and to inspire each other.

When living in community, we also get the opportunity to practise giving and receiving unconditionally. Whether you are sharing wisdom, your support, or something more tangible like chocolate (chocolate and cacao are invaluable resources when living in an ashram) the simple act of giving enlivens the flow of compassion, abundance and of course, love. Even when your intention is to solely help or support someone else, you receive so much. The opportunity to give is a gift in itself.

Contrastingly, another invaluable aspect of living in community, is feeling challenged or essentially ‘triggered’ by others; although I don’t really love that word for some reason. We reflect, reveal and enliven each other’s karma in weird and wonderful ways. Throughout the training, there have been moments where another has acted as a mirror, reflecting and revealing an unhealed aspect of myself. And also many moments where I have been the mirror for someone else.

How does that saying go? ‘You’ve got to reveal it, to feel it, to heal it.’ Something like that. And so although uncomfortable, these relationships and experiences enable you reach new depths of self discovery and healing that you simply could not reach on your own. At the end of the day, we really are just “walking each other home” — Ram Dass.

Over the past few months we have grown and evolved so much. Together. I feel incredibly lucky to have shared this experience with such loving, kind and compassionate human beings. I don’t think I have ever felt so safe, free, inspired and seen. And even though we have all gone our separate ways for now, I have no doubt that we will continue to love and support each other from afar.