InSpiritry & the Greater Good

Community

What is Community?

The word, Community, actually comes from Latin roots meaning "common," "shared," "together," "to commune with," "to be in unity with" and "to be in service with." Those concepts are the foundation of InSpiritry® and are the essense of four spiritual and relational areas: Spirituality, Self, Humanity and Nature. To develop a passion for the Greater Good, it is important to affirm these vitalconnections that define our lives.

Spirit

For those of us who believe in a Supreme Diety, Greater Power, Spiritual Oneness or Enlightenment, Spirituality begins with an inner sense of being "in unity" with a Power Greater Than Ourselves. That faith experience leads us to seek ways to personally commune with that Power, whether we call it God or Jesus or Buddha or Nirvana or the Spirit of the Earth. We find ourselves empowered by time spent in worship, study, meditation or prayer. Further, any feelings of connectedness to other people and to our world begin with our spiritual beliefs. We come to understand the idea that God has "the whole world in His hands." InSpiritry calls us to affirm and concentrate on our own spiritual development, to see life as a faith journey, to develop and follow meaningful inspirational practices and to encourage others to do the same. InSpiritry is based on the Greater Good and a Greater God.

Self

As we affirm the importance of Spirituality and enjoy the Community of relationships with others, we can also develop a sense of who we are ourselves. In fact, the open-heartedness that allows for faith or friendship begins with a strong, healthy sense of Self. That takes time and effort, so just as we need to Commune with God, we need to also Commune with Self. That can often be done best in solitude, though, by neccesity many of us have to find a kind of emotional solitude even in the midst of crowds. Wherever it takes place, it is important to create sanctuaries of time and place for self reflection. Alone with our thoughts, we can be honest about our strengths and weaknesses. We can begin to see the difference between self-interest and self-development, and our time alone can be used to replenish our heartsprings of goodness rather than affirm our selfish motives. As we learn to deeply Commune with Self, our solitude allows us to develop habits like peace, optimism, honesty, generosity, humility and encouragement that will serve us well in our wider world as work towards the Greater Good.

Humanity

Our connection to other people is the way most of us best understand Community. Community, though, can have wider implications than we might first think. InSpiritry's Greater Good Thinking leads us to see, "It's not just about me!" And rightly so! The world is full of other people, all of whom have needs and desires. We are social creatures -- we live in families and thrive in groups. Given a chance, we organize ourselves in tribes, villages, clubs, parties, companies and nations: Communities. It has been within this framework that we humans have accomplished so much. Even so, it is our very group-ness that causes us so much trouble, when we are tempted to believe in Us-and-Them. InSpiritry® calls us to enjoy having common or shared experiences with those in our circle of friends, but to also see ourselves as members of the ultimate group: Humanity. The Greater Good is actually defined as what best serves the universal Community that includes all of us!

Nature

The final way we are in Community is with our Natural World. This has been the version of belonging that we have perhaps ignored in modern times, but one that is just as valid as Spirituality, Self and Humanity. Greater Good Thinking means we see Nature as more than a set of inanimate resources intended for the enjoyment of man. Plants, Animals, Earth--and our larger environment, Space--are, in fact, the context for all of existence. If we are to survive as a species, it will be because we our concept of Nature is the community we live in. To do that, we must Commune with our natural surroundings and balance the needs of the Earth with our own. Nature with its myriad ecosystems and adaptive behaviors offers us an abundance of lessons on how to thrive in Community!

How can we live then in a sense of Community?

Living in Community with Spirit, Self, Humanity and Nature is not a foreign idea; it is our default state, our natural social tendency. Many traditional societies still keep to this idea. Modern life, however, has distracted us from that healthy way of living. Here are some InSpiritry reminders of the kinds of things we can do to keep us in Community:

Commune with Spirit

Spend time in solitude, listen to your soul, take a Sabbath.

Find a church, temple, synagogue, mosque or faith group that fits you.

Commune spiritually: pray, meditate, share, read, study, share, praise.

Seek Enlightenment. Investigate your faith questions. Follow your heart.

Feed your spirit with places, people, music, words that inspire you.

Commune with Self

Spend your time alone well; solitude is the best place to find yourself.

Reflect on your experiences; examine your life for lessons.

Make personal health a priority; take care of you.

Speak your heart: keep a journal, write songs or poetry, host a blog.

Celebrate who you are; give yourself the gift of acceptance.

Commune with Humanity

Widen your sense of community to take a global God's Eye View.

Embrace diversity as a lesson in God's creative expression.

See yourself as just one of the many; balance others with Self.

Reach out. Enjoy conversation. Love deeply. Laugh together.

Spend time in community; we are meant to share this life with others.

Commune with Nature

Embrace the natural world around you; listen, smell, touch, taste, feel.

Befriend the environment; take care of the earth; celebrate life.

Get outside; the ultimate source of energy and goodness is Sunlight.

See Science as an investigation of God's expression in the natural world.

Balance your own financial needs with the future of the planet.

Wisdom Quotes on Community

Be still and know that I am God. The Bible, Psalms 46:10

We need a new system of values, a system of the organic unity between humankind and nature and the ethic of global responsibility. Mikhail Gorbachev

I am in love with every church and mosque and temple and any kind of shrine because I know it is there than poeple say the different names of God. Hafiz

We need a more peaceful world, growing out of more peaceful families and neighborhoods and communities. To secure and cultivate such peace, we must love others, even our enemies as well as our friends.   Howard W. Hunter

Encourage one another. Find the time. Keep a promise. Forgive a grudge. Listen carefully. Think first of others. Laugh a little. Take pleasure in the earth. Speak your love. Speak it once again.     Isabel McCrady

May you be blessed by your practice of InSpiritry®:

Community Compassion, Creativity,

Collaboration, Consilience, Courage, Celebration

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