Photo by Dana PhotoZen Nollsch (http://www.photozen.us/, https://www.facebook.com/#!/PhotoZen)

As earth continues her dance of purification and the shaking and moving intensifies, you will be impulsed to cluster together to enhance existing communities or form new communities. Each community will grow and flourish based on its member’s abilities to feel and to create thought-forms together. ~ Barbara Marciniak, Earth

There are times when, as part of the human condition, you feel frightened, betrayed, belittled, rejected. Let there be community to embrace each of you energetically, to let you have your own process, but to feel valued and loved always. Offer that acceptance and support to one other. Embrace every emotion. Flourish. ~ Socha

I believe that the go-it-alone, autonomous, isolated, put-the-garage-door-down-and-hide type of existence breathes its last. Part of our evolution, I believe, is coming into supportive networks, families, and communities where all are honored for their contributions, where all are supported in thriving.

Don’t you feel amazing when you’re in the company of kindreds who really get you? When there’s safety to explore the deeper, shared experiences? Where you feel encouraged to be your best self, even as you feel accepted exactly as you BE now?

I have been pondering community, what it means to me, and how to nurture it. There are some themes emerging for me, deepening, and often over-lapping, around community. It seems that community may emerge as a result of shared values. It’s not about group-think, conformity, or cultivation of sheeple for me. Rather, I think of Barbara Marciniak’s words above, about creating thought-forms that enhance personal and collective experience, that contribute to abundance in every positive sense of the word.

I will share some of my evolving process here, in hopes that this may stimulate some ideas for your conscious conceptualization of how community may grow organically for you. In other words, I have no intention of spoon-feeding you my notions, but rather, I offer them up without attachment for your own contemplation and exploration.

Conscious relating – This is such a powerful intention for me, as I’ve explored for many years the value of authentic relating outside of my social conditioning. I envision strong values around authentic expressions, transparency where everyone feels safe showing up fully, empathy, unconditional love and compassion, emotional awareness and intelligence, integrity, balancing responsibility to self and others, non-possessiveness, and thought-full, honest communication. I also value healthy ideas and behaviors around love, intimacy and sexuality.

Healing – I imagine cooperative contributions for gardening and healthy nutrition. I would love to see connection to and harmony with Earth and nature, including honoring cycles of seasons and moons in ritual. I envision the growth, expansion and abundance of the community strengthening through each member’s personal healing journey. I honor creating higher vibrational frequencies for one and all in conscious ways. Of course, you know I value exploration of natural healing modalities for body/mind/spirit.

Spirituality and Evolution – I value creativity, self-expression, inspiration, love, beauty, and unity-consciousness. I embrace exploration of mysteries, beyond dogma. I thrive in environments of shared wisdom, where all are empowered to channel guidance and intuition. I appreciate ceremony and ritual, holding loving, divine intention for the greater good of all. I enjoy noticing synchronicity as part of living a deeply profound life, incorporating the principles of the law of attraction without letting that be dogma.

Co-housing and/or Coming Together Spaces – I am curious about exploring the role of expanded family, where there is nurturing, love, fun, playfulness, collaboration, coordination, consciousness, cooperation, courtesy, harmony, plus common and uncommon sense. I vision common effort toward common goals. I appreciate honoring all for their unique gifts and contributions, fostering an environment of deep learning from one another.

I welcome you to share your thoughts on this blog post, to continue the conversation, to support community development and thriving.

What does community mean to you?

How does community revolve around geography? How is it broader or more narrow?

What are your intentions around community?

What themes or values are important to you?

Who do you include? Who do you exclude?

What role will technology play, or not?