A Year of Belonging

Humans have a deep-seated, evolutionary desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.  For millennia we needed to be a part of a group to survive. We still do (even us introverts!)  It’s why we join houses of worship, play sports, fly flags.

Belonging is tricky, though. We might think that it refers primarily to our relationship with others, but it doesn’t. 
 

Belonging starts with us.

We can’t fully belong until we accept ourselves - every part of ourselves.  Can we love each cringey moment of our life as well as our highlight reel? Can we welcome our kindness as well as our sometimes short temper?  

It’s only when we work up the courage to look at our whole selves and accept all of it that we can belong.  Otherwise, we’re just fitting in, eternally searching for some external source of validation, believing we’re in need of fixing.  

Meditation is the welcome mat to belonging.  It gives us the skill, courage and compassion to cast a loving gaze at ourselves and to embrace our humanity - quirks, weirdness, gaffes and all.

Once we unlock belonging for ourselves, we can help others find their way.  That’s community.

Join us for our first Community Read-Along of the year, You Belong, by Sebene Selassie, and stay tuned for more ways to build our Belonging muscles throughout the year. 

The read-along is free and open to all on Zoom Jan 18, Feb 15, Mar 14 at 7pm ET.

And of course, our Zoom-based weekend and evening sessions, and our in-person library sessions are always opportunities to practice belonging in community.  

Let’s explore belonging together.  You are welcomed exactly as you are.   We all are.