In my little world, there’s not much structure or clarity as to the work I’m doing. No one is telling me what I should or need to do, which is both liberating/awesome and at times isolating, as I have no real criterion to compare myself against or gauge if what I’m doing is “right.” This is one reason why it’s so valuable to me to engage with others on this path. One such individual is Lou Redmond. He’s a fellow instructor on the Insight Timer app and he kindly reached out to me to express appreciation for my work. It felt to me that there were no strings attached to his outreach, just an act of letting someone know they have positively impacted you while seeking nothing in return, and I find this kind of act inspiring. I’m reminded of one of the underlying principles of the Bhagavad Gita: act without attachments to the fruits of your actions.

Lou’s message made me excited for the possibility of a new friend who’s also traversing professional uncharted waters guided only by an internal compass of meaning and purpose, so I asked to meet with him, we Zoomed it up, and it was very nourishing, just to be in the presence of another person who’s also simply trying their best to be totally honest and contribute to the world in a positive way. And this encounter reminded me of the value of “spiritual community” in my life, not limited by those pursuing a similar career path but open to anyone who is also attempting to live as authentically as possible despite the inherent challenges and insecurities of this way of being.

I think of the term “spiritual community” as representing an interpersonal space for uninhibited exploration. A space to socially inquire into the questions that have no answers and that you might not even know how to put into words. A space outside of self-consciousness or fear of judgment, or at least in which even these inevitable feelings can be openly talked about. That is what spiritual community means to me, a space to reveal your raw spirit that lives under the polished personality veneer and let it play unabashedly with other raw spirits - spirit play time. I feel very lucky to have several of these spaces (both in group and individual form) in my life and I also take some responsibility for creating them through a commitment to interpersonal honesty and vulnerability.

If you’re reading this, you are part of my spiritual community in some way, and I’m so grateful for your willingness to let your spirit play with mine. When we play like this, the conditioned problems of the personality take a backseat and we reveal together what could be only found Now in the Space Between Us.
Thank you for being only the way you could be,
and thank you for your freeing impact on my life.

What is your spiritual community like? And how might you cultivate this community by going deeper interpersonally and helping others feel safe to do so by taking the risk to dive first (e.g., sharing about an insecurity, a confusion, a fear, a sadness, or a thought that might appear socially unacceptable). Your vulnerability can open the door for others, who can then reciprocate and create this recursive feedback loop of alive, raw, and energizing social engagement, not for any instrumental purpose but just to truly be alive. As Oscar Wilde said in one of my favorite quotes, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” And to Live might require the company of others along the path who are taking this risk to Live along side you, knowing all the while that none of us really know the Answers.

Why speak at all
if what you’re saying
doesn’t represent
the raw Truth inside you?

How could you
take the risk to
let this Truth
breathe?

***On a final note, I’ve added an option at the end of these blog posts for you to make a small contribution if you’d like. Please only do so if you feel moved to, and know that your donation goes directly toward helping me continue to provide affordable individual guidance as well as create new content, such as this blog, in the name of increased well-being and reduced psychological suffering. One particular project I’m currently working on is a book that encapsulates my psychological, philosophical, and spiritual perspective on getting to know oneself deeply and getting out of one’s own way. If you’re so inclined, your contribution would support these efforts and would be greatly appreciated (click the button below to donate). Thank you for being here!