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JOY AND VALUE OF MEANINGFUL COMMUNITIES, BUILT ONLINE

The time of Covid has extended beyond what any of us could have imagined. Alone in our homes, we watch the world through news headlines that scare us and push us psychologically apart. As social beings, we miss the experience of community. Many of us feel alone and lonely, even when we are living with […]

The time of Covid has extended beyond what any of us could have imagined. Alone in our homes, we watch the world through news headlines that scare us and push us psychologically apart. As social beings, we miss the experience of community. Many of us feel alone and lonely, even when we are living with others. Researchers indicate that meaningful involvement with others reduces burnout associated with the pandemic.

We spend much of our time online for work, school and social encounters because the online environment provides a physically safe way to come together and yet, the call to be in community is stronger than ever. How can we use the online platform to create and sustain meaningful communities?

In community and social conversation, we can support and nurture each other. A sense of belonging is created when a person is seen and heard and able to contribute to others, which builds a foundation for resilience and positive mental health.

Every day we meet with a group of people for a spiritual study session online. Although we are nourished by our practice of meditation alone in the sweet territory of silence, as social beings, there is still a pull to be in community, to feel a sense of belonging and togetherness with others.

We take it in turns to read the spiritual lesson of the day out loud. We then have a few moments of silence, after which each one shares their thoughts and reflections on what they understood. Taking time to listen to each person with caring attention has created a sweet energy and a feeling of belonging. It has given us an appreciation of the uniqueness of each of our classmates. It has also yielded priceless jewels of insights, new and marvellous, as each has come from the deep mines of a different mental terrain.

We take care to share our thoughts with love and respect for their beauty with the best words we can find in an essence-full way, so as not to demand too much of the listeners. Silence after the sharing allows us to digest the rich spiritual food with an inner smile of contentment and appreciation of our fellow learners and our learning community.

Feelings of kinship and a sense of belonging have been nourished in this online platform. Our manners, care and attention to honour each one’s contribution while offering our best input has created a culture of respect and belonging; a model for the world we wish to live in.

Judy Johnson and David Fletcher are members of the Brahma Kumaris community in Halifax, Canada.

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