“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other – that man, that woman, that child is my brother, my sister.” ~ Mother Teresa
This is my favourite quote from Mother Teresa. It has been on my mind as I have watched events unfold in the Ukraine, and considered the many ways that we do not have peace in our world.
The sense of loneliness, isolation and disconnection were causes of concern long before we retreated to our homes during the pandemic. And those concerns have deepened as the world has tried to navigate this time of uncertainty and chaos.
We belong to one another. Our disconnection is a spiritual crisis. It is so important that we find our way back to one another; that we find a way to weave ourselves together as a sacred whole. Indeed, I would say that fostering connection and belonging is a primary role for spiritual communities; that our well-being and our spiritual evolution require the support and the challenge of community.
That’s right. Spiritual communion is sometimes challenging. Diverse ideas and opinions need space to co-mingle in community and that is sometimes unsettling. We might find ourselves triggered by other ideas and desirous of demonstrating the superiority of our own ideas.
Spiritual teachings call us to find ways to support and honour all perspectives and to hold one another in love. When we do this, we discover our deeper oneness and become co-creators of our experience together.
I heard the longing for connection during our What Is Spirit Seeking to Birth? Event. I heard the desire for belonging – and the desire to extend belonging to one another. It is my heart-felt desire and intention to support this as we move forward – both as individuals, as spiritual communities, and as a networked whole across Canada.