I aim to support the development of individuals through using group structures. My goal is to create and facilitate conditions that allow members of short-term intentional communities to internalize the feelings and positive effects of belonging after the community has dissolved.
I structure my programs based on the idea that a sense of belonging exists on a spectrum, where the more conditions that are met, the more one feels belonging. For example, the ability to be vulnerable and have a shared emotional connection can take place within a group of people through commitment and the belief that members have shared and will share history, common place, time together, and similar experiences. I use these conditions to create communities centered on the shared interest of self and group explorations, instead of a pre-existed shared group identity or passion, such as religion or political views. the basis of our communities is an interest in human connection.
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For as long as I can remember I have coasted past people and places that might have held me Or let me grow In favour of following an internal compass That pointed towards opportunities waiting to be gathered. As I kept moving away My anchor lost its tethering from lack of use, And I feared drifting alone forever. So, I made rafts out of driftwood And welcomed other wary voyagers aboard. As I wrapped them in my skin to shelter them from the wet and cold, They shared their stories of time at sea Easily. I equated staying afloat to helping others, Constantly keeping quiet about how the wind bit at my bones For fear that the heaviness of my burdens Would exceed the capacity of their rickety lifeboats. -- --
An iceberg in my path caused me to Question my course. As I unveiled holes in my craft, I realized I could let the gaze and warmth of others in. They provided a haven for skeleton-me. By lending me their clothes, Until I stepped back into the skin I almost forgot I carried around my waist And finally felt the itch of isolation I had attempted to ignore. I am a hybrid, The Only One Of My Kind on Noah’s Ark, But the more I look the more I realize… Everyone is a black sheep in a flock Of seagulls. But that doesn’t mean we cannot be embraced. I want to use my cold hands And warm heart To build-up the icebergs that are melting, For swimmers To have a place to rest amongst The fellowship of other creatures Also looking for a space to dock their feet, paws, or fins. We are not alone in our search for togetherness And we do not need to tread in loneliness while lost in the currents Of our solo journeys. -Vrindy Spencer April 2016, Keystone: Belonging Within Community |
AuthorVrindy Spencer is constantly seeking inspiration on topics of personal and human development, leadership, community, connection, and intimacy (with self and others). Archives
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