I wanted to write something about my current spiritual life. Annie had written about how she feels alone on her otherwise rich spiritual journey. Rebecca has written about her aloneness too. I love my spiritual life, but I yearn for others to connect with in real life. Annie wrote that the only people she connects with spiritually are in her virtual community online and those people she pays to see, like her naturopath. Exactly. How. I. Feel.
I have been praying for a while about finding spiritual community after reading “Trust Your Vibes” in which Sonia Choquette discusses the importance of what she calls “soul support”. Oh, how I long for soul support! This online community is rich, rich, rich with soul support and is my lifeline to positivity, encouragement, and edification. But there are times when I want to go to, say, a lecture (which Annie wrote about) or when I want to discuss something with someone using my voice, that I feel impatient to meet people in the flesh.
Rebecca wrote about how thinking about going to a church leaves her cold. I feel the same way. I can never again even go somewhere where I feel the people around me want to take my spirit hostage. I spent years as a younger person looking for a church to interpret and define my beliefs and will never do that again…still…I wish that I could lasso up all of the people whose blogs I read and put them physically in one place with tables and good food and soft couches and blankets and pillows and fresh flowers and actually talk with them, hug them, and feel one with them.
I do feel one with different people in my daily life, but it’s a difference feeling one with like-minded people.
Does anyone else feel this way?
~Picture by LoveHubbie Mark
10 comments:
Oh, yes, most certainly there are others who feel this way. I've just started corresponding with Dove, who feels that way. In my last place of residence, I finally found the kind of friend I could pop in on anytime I needed a cup of tea or a hug. We had one year of precious friendship before I moved.
Now here I am again...wondering about joining clubs or taking classes or going to church or a support group. When/where/how will I find friends?
My online community is amazing, but there is no substitute for a flesh on flesh, long, warm hug. Or eye contact. Or just sitting together in silence, both appreciating the same rain falling on the same roof.
i do know what you mean. i haven't found a spiritual community in the flesh that would work for me. it's tricky isn't it? the closest i ever felt to that was when i had an in person artist's way group and then after it ended i met once a week with one of the group members to continue talking about our process and goals and dreams. it was wonderful.
Yes, yes, yes. My first contact EVER with people who felt the same way about spirituality as I do was when I began my blog. "In-the-flesh" people around me don't seem comfortable speaking about it. Perhaps it's the nature of blogging that we can express ourselves more succinctly on-line. Churches/religion leave me cold also, and I think your comment about your spirit being taken hostage rings very true. My soul likes to soar freely! Great to meet a kindred spirit!
Wow, look at all these kindred spirits. Wouldn't that be GREAT for us all to get together! That would be so wonderful. In the meantime, I'm glad that we have this avenue to have ever met in the first place and can be here for each other in this virtual world.
Kiki - if you come back and read this, I ditto your comment too. I can so relate!
Much love,
Annie
xxx
Kelly, Leah, Patty, Annie,
I'm so glad to hear you identify.
Kelly, wow, I'd love to have the kind of friend I could pop in on or even...who would just understand me and not think my ideas were strange. As you said, just sit in silence together. I really want to allow space in my mind for the possibility that I could find someone like this.
Leah, yes, yes. It seems like so many types of people can find spiritual community---why not our kind?
Patti, great to meet you, too. I'm looking forward to exploring your blog as it's new to me :)
Annie, YES, much love back at you. Your writing inspired me to this post in the first place.
Love to you all,
Olivia
YES!!!
I don't know if I have been to your blog before. I came through a comment you made on jessie's blog (Diary of a Self-Portrait)
Yes. I only have connected spiritually wth people on blog. I tell my beliefs to my sister and husband and a few other poeple, but I don't feel like we are sharing. I say my beliefs and sometimes they tell me theirs but there is no sense of spiritual community like I have in my cyber world.
I use to long for more in the flesh connections. But now I am so happy and grateful that I have my blog connections. The world is so big and diverse. I guess it makes sense that everyone who believes the same would not live next door to each other...but somedays it would be nice!
XO,
Melba
Hi, Melba,
I don't know if you've been to my blog before, but I've been to yours because of Finding Water earlier this year. I'm glad you visited!
I guess it does make sense to be grateful for what we have here online, as it is truly rich. You do make a good point, why should we just live next door to each other?
I am going to keep praying to attract that soul support, too :) I, too, love Abraham-Hicks and the Law of Attraction, so it will be interesting to see what happens. It has been good just to talk about it with you folks here and see that I'm not alone...
Blessings,
Olivia
I feel the same as well. As with most liberals in the south, I've become a little turned off by religion in general. I admit that I haven't made much effort in finding a Unitarian church, but the mere thought of going to the churches of my youth makes my skin crawl.
I'm loving this new blog community I've found, but would love to find a group here in Atlanta of women who want to talk about spiritual things. I'd also love to find a book club.
You've put into words, what I've been feeling as well. Thank you for articulating it. I've also been a student of A Course In Miracles as well as other spiritual teachings, for many year and have usually found it a rather solitary path. Sometimes I'm fine with that and at other times I yearn for others to connect with, in person.
I'm glad I found your blog, and will be back.
Julie and Kate,
Welcome...it is so exciting to me that so many of us feel the same way. This is an exciting project that Carla has started, and hopefully will be the impetus for us all finding community in ways we probably can't imagine now.
Julie, I would LOVE to find a book club, too. Spiritual people who love books.
And Kate, thank you, I look forward to getting to know you here and on your blog...
Blessings to you both and to all who have commented here.
I love that we are connecting in this way!
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