Rooted in Community, Growing Individually

A small grove of trees rooted together offering foundational support amidst soil erosion

The other night I took a stroll at one of my favorite spots to escape the busyness of city life. As I was offering silent meditation on my walk by the creek, I was taking in all of my surroundings with awe and wonder. The sound of the creek flowing over and around the rocks offered my heart rejuvenation. Seeing the birds and squirrels utilizing what nature had to offer reminds me that Divinity provides for everything we need. This was my mood as I came upon a spot above the creek where the bank met solid land. Within this scene, the soil had eroded around the roots of several trees, revealing an amazing sight. The roots were deeply intertwined with one another forming a strong foundation that allowed the individual trees to continue thriving despite the deeper erosion. 

This led me to pondering the ways I have remained rooted in community amidst life’s circumstances. I’m recognizing to a degree that remains beyond my comprehension that I have been deeply rooted in my spirituality for more than half my life without really realizing it. There have been so many times my external world has fallen apart, and yet, I have felt this ever present community surrounding me, whispering encouragement and guidance, and comforting me through it all. Upon finding the depth and breadth of spiritual wisdom coming out of India, I immediately understood who had been surrounding me during my darkest hours with great clarity. Knowing Krishna had a personality and form, it finally clicked. This is who has been in my sphere of protection from a young age. He now had a face, and I knew I was home. 

My communities have all seemed to come and go at just the right times in my life. I have learned so many lessons along the way, even if those lessons have ended in my leaving various communities. I have grown to appreciate that, like these trees, the deepest rooted communities will be those that speak your language and choose to remain close through the core values of love, empowerment, encouragement, compassion, curiosity, and mutual respect. It will be a small tribe, but that tribe sure can be mighty when the storms of life hit. Now that I am becoming more healthy within, I am finding like-minded individuals who are speaking what I have known to be true for as long as I can remember. I am finding a community that reflects the values Krishna has placed on my heart, and I am ever grateful for the ways this small tribe is honoring each other’s uniqueness. 

As I reflect on my internal and external community, I am filled with gratitude for the ways I have chosen to follow my internal community through some of the greatest challenges of religiosity. I credit this deep inner knowing, the clinging to essential spiritual truths, and the finding of fellow mystics from a variety of spiritual traditions, for helping me navigate various community dynamics with love, curiosity, and inner belonging leading the way. I am equally filled with gratitude for the ways more interpersonal connections are being made through cultivating unity in diversity and appreciating the individuality of those around me. 

Energy doesn’t lie, and I am growing in my understanding that energy can be transferred through the sharing of wisdom, artistic talents, and creative pursuits. The energy I pick up from just thinking about those who speak what I have felt deep in my core helps me feel rooted in my core nature and higher calling. Reading books like Henri Nouwen's The Wounded Healer, Richar Rohr’s Falling Upwards, and The Bhagavad Gita from a perspective of individuality and working within our core natures keeps me rooted in my ultimate goals, my core values, and my higher purpose that are being bathed by Krishna’s loving mercy. Yes, I have my human community and my support system that keeps me grounded. I am actively offering community and support to others. This is all rooted in seeing first hand what essential spirituality looks like from a variety of perspectives. I am ever grateful for my tribe that keeps me grounded in reality and honors my uniqueness when I get caught up in self-doubt and voicelessness. This is what allows my unique spirit to shine brightly. 

Rooted in community, growing individually. It is my hope and prayer that I can continue to refine the ways I come alongside others, honoring their individual journeys while offering a safe space for deeper exploration as they so choose. I am recognizing more and more the deeper rootedness of energy, of standing tall in my authenticity and building community with those who are also striving towards greater authenticity. It may be a small grove of trees rooting together, but the energy given off by each individual to the greater collective of humanity and nature at large can be a powerful force. The more each individual comes alive in their own uniqueness, the more permission others have to do the same. This is how unity in diversity is built. This is how walls of shame, insecurity, and fear give way to the nourishment of love, empowerment, and celebration of various gifts and talents.