Connected Community (Pillar #9)
Communities are pivotal for optimal health and elevated vibrations. Humans are social beings with an innate need for connection that has been provided for by communities for millions of years. Communities are basically a group of people sharing a specific characteristic, such as place, values, goals, religions, or interests. Examples of communities include families, neighborhoods, schools, religious centers, and workplaces. Your path toward self realization is greatly enhanced through connectedness with your communities. Our personal health is intricately connected with the health of your community and the health of our planet. Therefore connecting with your community is the 9th pillar of the Elevate Your Vibrations series.
There is healing energy that communities provide that cannot be achieved alone. The social connection that underlies community plays a significant role in development physically and mentally. Social connection and a sense of belonging improve the quality of life. This allows you to be your true authentic self in a safe and supported environment, furthermore improving mental health. Living and participating in a community offers strength in numbers to find individual and collective solutions, as well as providing sharing and laughter during lighter moments in life. Laughter is always found in healthy communities.
Joys of Laughter
Laughter is an elixir and can and should be practiced everywhere…all the time. The benefits of laughter include the elevation of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Laughter strengthens your immune system, improves your mood, allows you to not overly judge your mistakes, and connects you with other people. Try to laugh and be angry at the same time? See what happens to your anxiety when you have a good laugh. Laughter immediately cuts the tension of almost any situation. Joyful laughter releases endorphins and stimulates organs like the heart and the lungs. It is an amazing stress reliever and stimulates circulation while relaxing muscles. Shared laughter is crucial in relationships and luckily it is contagious. My two boys are always making each other laugh and laugh until they totally forgot why they started laughing. Being able to laugh at yourself allows you to let the universe flow without trying to force or stop it. Some research says that laughter can stimulate healing gamma rays (the same ones produced from meditation). Laughter is a healthy by-product of highly functioning and connected communities. We occasionally laugh alone, but much more often when sharing socially. Be mindful of the next time you laugh and notice your body and vibration. Laughter is a direct link to the elevation of vibrations.
Educated by the Community
Education is enriched through connected communities. Stories are shared, advice is given, mistakes are made, and lessons learned in communities. Communities often share goals and working toward those goals offer optimal opportunities to share and gain knowledge. Healthy communities employ experts in diverse areas, who can teach new members the ways of natural and social law. There is a very fine line between teacher and student as everyone has something to teach and everyone has lessons to learn. I remember before my oldest son was born, I would cruise through mental lists of important life lessons that I was going to teach him. And then when he was born and we took on our roles of father and son, I realized that the real important life lessons, I was actually learning from him. He and his younger brother continue to teach me everyday. Each individual in the community has something to teach and therefore each individual is both a teacher and simultaneously a student.
All life is duality and rhythm. The is positive charge and negative charge, near and far, hot and cold, and give and take. Communities are where you learn the concept of giving and taking…sharing. Life is an elaborate game of taking and giving, and without learning both, equilibrium evades the seeker. Without a community, there is only taking. With the community, giving becomes necessary. The combination of giving and taking makes us whole.
Communities assist in discovering a sense of purpose both individually and collectively. Acts to alleviate stress and provide greater resilience knowing that you have the community backing you up. Connected, diverse communities provide incredible opportunities both materially and spiritual, social connection and a sense of belonging.
As you continue down the pivoting path of self discovery, remember to nurture your communities and to support them. Give people in your communities extra love and attention. Think about each community you are a part of and cherish those communities that offer you the most help in your process of elevating your vibrations.
