20/06/2020
3 MINUTE READ
The Heart of True Community
Isolation, loneliness, fear and being separated from loved ones.
This is a time for us to delve deep into our internal resources.
During these challenging times of physical disconnection from our family and friends, building a sense of community in new ways can create a space within which we can find great comfort and understanding.
Though the future, in our lifetimes, has never felt so unsure, there is an invitation for us to learn and grow.
If we can find a way to take up this invitation, the process will strengthen our connection to ourselves and to others.
The Shaman is a figure of folklore and anthropological history and debate.
Often shrouded by mystery and magical powers, the Shaman is the healer, the wise one, working with plant medicines, Earth energies, animal powers and the spirit world.
Traditionally the Shaman of the village lived outside of the village boundaries.
Often isolated, most times alone and without an immediate family of their own.
Their role required a physical distance from the community which they served.
In exchange for their healing the community took care of the Shaman on a practical basis by providing them with food, warmth and shelter.
Isolation was necessary as it maintained a bubble of protection around the Shaman, a meditative existence, reducing the amount of energetic traffic for the Shaman, the kind of traffic we all process as a result of being in groups with others.
The Shaman’s isolation left them clear and open to energetic channels that they needed to connect with in order to meet the physical, psychological and emotional healing needs of the community. These channels enabled a direct line to the spirit world from where they took guidance and strength.
This isolation was a sacrifice, a calling and also a privilege.
The distance and isolation of the Shaman did not take away from their presence in the community. Rather it powered their presence and emphasised the importance of their role, which was deeply respected.
We can still find Shamans living and practising their healing arts in this way all over the world today.
We are all shamans, healers and soothsayers to one degree or another.
We are all birth gifted with the innate ability to sense, witness and contribute to another’s healing, all we need to do is to choose to connect to our inner voice and our compassion, both for ourselves and for others.
These current times of human social distancing and isolation offer us a great learning opportunity within which we can come to understand ourselves better, build our resilience, acknowledge our infinite internal resources, put to rest some of our pain shadows and choose to truly love and accept ourselves.
If we can take something positive from the experience of this pandemic, please may it be in the understanding of our connectedness as a human race.
We are all sisters and brothers. We are all related.
Like a pebble dropped into a pool, our actions and reactions, in some tangible way or another, affect every single other human being on the Earth.
Like a delicately balanced eco system, full of plants, herbs, trees, four legged, two legged, gilled, winged and microbes, we are part of everything and we affect each other, whether near or far.
It’s in the little things we do that we can create positive ripples. A small kind act, a carefully thought out message, giving what we can when we can, noticing another’s needs, or finding new tiny ways to plant seeds of love and hope into another’s life.
Acknowledging our gifts and taking responsibility for our thoughts and actions can assist us in forming our unique space amidst the community of humanity, with this comes a deep sense of true connection, inner resolve and peace.
It’s time to reflect on the footprint we wish to leave behind. It’s time to offer support to another who is struggling to cope. It’s time to create our own unique meditative spaces.
Like the Shaman, alone but connected, we can carefully garden our connections with our fellow humans and with creation.
Through this there is healing opportunity, for ourselves and for the rest of humanity.
This is true community.
Rebecca Kaye – Medicine Woman (May 2020)
