One day, not so long ago, I was amazed to hear myself say “I want to write something about Community for the ChoicePoints Newsletter”. Well, I must confess that another part of me wailed in disbelief “What are you doing?!?”
That part of me had a long list of reasons as to why I would not be a good choice to write anything about community. The list begins with my fierce sense of independence and commitment to self-direction. How can you do your “thing” when you have a larger collective to consider? Could I dance to my own beat in a crowd?
Hmmm…I had to wonder about those beliefs as they surfaced. They have been at the root of my lifelong dance to belong and yet still avoid rejection; to be part of a flow and still not lose myself; to participate but not be consumed. Through my WEL-Systems® experiences I have come to a place where I have re-claimed my personal power. “Wouldn’t belonging to Community be counter-intuitive to that?” a part of me mused.
Oh- Hold on! That point of view really is based on a collection of old experiences of what the concept of “Community” represents. You see I come from a long line of “pillars of the community”. I have observed up close the toll that particular identity can take. My father devoted his entire career to policing a small community. His career as an authority figure left my sister, brother and I with a sense of being a part of a community and yet not fully welcomed into it. We had our secrets - they had theirs.
My grandfather was a self-appointed caretaker of a community, choosing often to sacrifice his own family’s financial welfare and his health for the community at large. His generosity was legendary. Only those of us close to him saw how this self-imposed obligation consumed him. We knew it, we saw it and we never spoke of it.
So why on earth did I agree to write about the importance of this WEL-Systems Community? Where did that voice come from? To explain that, let me take you back a few weeks ago when I participated in a Hay House Conference in Toronto. I was quite excited about the prospect of being in the presence of authors I have long admired like Candace Pert, Joan Borysenko, Wayne Dyer and many more of the authors that would be present. My ‘perpetual student’ was thrilled to be exposed to yet another opportunity to learn something.
What I discovered at that Conference had very little to do with any forthcoming books or new ideas. It had everything to do with the recognition that what I had once considered cutting edge – had lost its edge.
Nonetheless, I was struck by the sense of community and connection between many of the authors. As I sat and listened to various authors, I realized that many of them had come of age together. When they began writing about the topics they explore in their books, no one else was doing it. They courageously stood up and announced their new perspective. They found each other. They played together and continue to do so. As all this was occurring, along came Louise Hay who, having written a book that defied the publisher’s established framework, chose to self-publish rather than see her original work altered. (Is this beginning to sound like any other Louise that you and I know?) Hay House Publishing was born and became an attractor for these pioneers.
As I participated in the workshops, I realized with even more impact the power of what we have had access to in WEL-Systems. As a Community, we have been far too modest. Many of us have played our cards very close to our chest. We reach for the brass ring to make our lives better and then walk around keeping the discovery to ourselves assuming that we might be considered odd or be dismissed.
I left the conference feeling somewhat dissatisfied with its message and yet still very excited at awakening to the discovery that I too walk among a group of brilliant minds. I felt the chasm close as I realized the power and potential of a shift to an Autopoietic worldview. It picks up where everything else seems to stop. Rather than re-engineer old ideas, it opens the doors to very different conversations.
After that experience I realized that I too am part of a critical mass that is forming, of individuals, who have new, cutting edge, exciting, life altering information to share. I too - GASP! - am already a part of a Community; and I didn’t even notice it happening! This Community is easy, fluid and supportive. It bears no resemblance to my past experiences. I have no obligation to anyone except to show up when I choose and engage in a way that is meaningful to me. I’m a part of a community that not only celebrates its diverse, independent thinkers – but evolves because of it, as its members stretch and explore!
This discovery followed hard on the heels of my desire to launch “Catalysts Connecting”* as a virtual resource for articles written from a WEL-Systems® Perspective. All of my life I have been a book junkie, and I can tell you that these days, most books just don’t offer the level of conversation and discovery that I’m up for. I no longer desire the “Workbook”, “The 5 Steps To…”, the “Affirmations” – I want more! And I bet you do too.
I want to wander around in the incredible paradigm that Autopoiesis is and to explore the nuances of a WEL-Systems Perspective. I want to dive into conversations about beliefs, values and attitudes. I crave the possibility of conversations that expand my choices, challenge me to consider how I move through the world that I am creating for myself and how those ripples move out into the world at large. If affirmations, love and white light were all that was required to make this world a better place, don’t you think we’d be there by now?
I’m ready to step into Connection and that requires Community. Not Community as I have defined it in the past. Now I’m speaking of one that is a playground of creativity, discovery and support. One that moves us beyond the place where we make incredible discoveries about how marvelous life can be - and then keep it a secret. For me, secrets and community just don’t mix. I’ve lived with their toll and I imagine that you may have too. Life curls in on itself and pretty soon you can feel yourself nodding off rather than living full tilt.
Connection demands that we reveal ourselves. In doing so, we can then find all kinds of ways to play together, to encourage and support each other’s diverse interests, and to expand our own potential. Connecting is an infinite game where the whole point is to remain in play, retain individuality and enjoy an abundance of possibilities. Connection is organic in that it is never fixed - it flows – but then, most of you reading this already know this. Are you ready to live it? I am.
So, here we are – poised at a critical mass of folks who can choose to connect and expand or can chose to move in isolation. Are you ready to take the plunge? Just how much fun, support and life expanding possibility can you handle?! I can’t wait to find out!
Copyright 2006 Anita Allen
Anita Allen BScPT, CODE Model Coach™ is the founder of WELsprings and is a WEL-Systems Catalyst® who loves to play the game of life full tilt! Having made the choice to live her dream as a writer and a speaker, she loves to connect with and ignite others. She can be reached at anita@WELsprings.com or www.WELsprings.com
* Catalysts Connecting was recently inspired as a means to showcase and support those of us who write from a WEL-Systems® Perspective. It is a virtual reference library of written materials from the diverse perspectives offered by Catalysts writing in their fields of expertise. For more information or to make a contribution email anita@WELsprings.com
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