We are in this together - a reflection on Community Wellbeing
Dear Lead with Love Friends,
MAY CHECK-IN
Many parts of the world are still reeling with the continued spread of the pandemic, particularly our friends in India. Our hearts are with all of the people facing catastrophic loss and grief even as back here in the states, we are starting to see the slow return of our day to day activities and an unlocking of our towns and cities as Americans head into the late Spring months.
It is this contrast in our respective situations that personally brings me unease. When the coronavirus outbreak began, it seemed we were all in it together. And now, as often happens in our global community, the chasms between the wealthier countries and the less developed come into undeniable view. Most every non profit org (including Lead With Love) is motivated by a desire for a more equitable world. It can feel daunting to get up each day still confronting the humanitarian crises that are fueled by inequity. Yet, we must continue to lead and to take any actions we can to co-create a more just place for all humans to live.
In acknowledgment of our shared challenges, this month’s newsletter will focus on community wellbeing.
According to Gallup, the fifth element of wellbeing “is about the sense of engagement you have with the area where you live: your Community Well-Being”. With respect to the current events of the pandemic, we will consider the “area where you live” to be this shared human experience on planet Earth — our global community.
So, let’s explore the concept of being in it together at an international level. Empathy and compassion are more required than ever in these times. As always, reach out to share your questions and your own insights.
Community Wellbeing
FROM CARL SAGAN’S PALE BLUE DOT, 1994: “Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”
I remember watching the original TV series, The Cosmos, hosted by Carl Sagan. It aired in 1980 but I didn’t see it until I was in college in the mid-90s. The show was meant to take the viewer on a journey through the universe and to explain extremely complex, scientific theories and concepts in a way that almost anyone could understand. Ultimately though, at the end of the series, he offered a genuine and sobering reflection on human nature and our relationship to the planet and to each other. Sagan’s above quote about our planet was inspired by a photo taken by Voyager in 1990 as it was looking back at Earth before continuing on its exploration deeper into space. The sheer vulnerability of our planet and the people on it was summarized in Sagan’s words and have been the catalyst for many philosophical and ethics-centered conversations.
Earth as seen from Voyager
It seems appropriate to revisit that piece of writing today as we continue to find ourselves in a world divided amongst those who value individualism above all else and those who yearn for a more empathetic and collective approach to solving our biggest challenges. The Dalai Lama often refers to “interdependence” which is the state of being dependent upon one another. The reality of interdependency is not congruous with individualism and we are seeing that disharmony play out on a local, national and global scale in every sector from defense to healthcare to education to the most basic human rights and needs.
The idea that community wellbeing is crucial to the overall wellbeing of a single person is founded in the concept of interdependence. We do not exist in a vacuum and my own, individual good fortune or even suffering cannot be untangled from that of my fellow humans. I may wish to remain unaffected or detached from the fate of others but we are ultimately in this together. And when we choose to acknowledge that reality, we begin to make choices that are more beneficial for the common good and thus for our families and ourselves.
If you search the Internet for articles on interdependence you will find volumes of writing on globalization and even pro-Ayn Rand websites that decry societal interdependence as a myth. There too, the conflicting opinions and divisions are on full display. But, I think that a more introspective and radically honest exploration of yourself and your choices is what is really needed.
It is not easy to look that far inward with an unflinching eye. I am typing this newsletter on an Apple MacBook Pro. I do 99% of my work on this machine. It functions very well and from my past experience with their products, I am confident that it will reliably serve me for a long time. But that doesn’t divorce me, as a consumer, from my role in enabling the company’s continued ethical issues.
It’s true that I personally did not create the policies and procedures that define Apple’s supply chain but when I choose to purchase from them, I am now complicit in their web of decision-making. And that reasoning goes for any consumer choice that I make from flying internationally to purchasing a particular pair of shoes or even taking advantage of an opportunity that is only afforded to someone of my class or geographic location.
As humans, we all make these little choices every day but we rarely give serious thought to the implications of what we are choosing. I can already hear the rugged individualists saying that these companies are solely responsible for their behaviors and that consumers should not feel any accountability for legally purchasing a product with their own, heard-earned money. Anyone who has taken a philosophy or ethics class will quickly point out that there is not a meaningful connection between what is legal and what is moral.
And I freely admit that examining personal choice as it relates to the chainlink connections of other humans can feel like a self-driven guilt trip meant only to make the examined person feel badly. But, to not perform this inquiry is just to turn a blind eye or shrug ones shoulders at problems and injustices that feel too large to overcome. And, where does that get us, ultimately?
It is an age-old statement that the first step toward solving a problem is to acknowledge its existence. I think that is all that is really being asked here. To own your part of a systemic issue is not to say that it is up to you alone to remedy it. In fact, the exact opposite. By seeing your role in a larger dilemma, you can also see your role in a collective movement or solution. And the sense of community that comes from working with others to solve a crisis can be an emotional salve for the trauma of the situation itself. It certainly feels better than giving up.
At Lead With Love, we know that the community that reads our newsletters and attends our programs shares our mission to shift culture from fear to love by nurturing heart-centered leaders. We know the truth of interdependence and seek to do the work within ourselves to manifest a more equitable world. Thank you for being on this journey with us and for being willing to perform the self-inquiry that may one day lead to a measurable benefit for the wellbeing of all humanity.
in gratitude and service,
Jess
Jess Ewart has been teaching yoga and meditation for 15 years. She completed her 500AWC at Kerala Ayurveda Academy in 2011 and she's been a proud member of the Lead With Love family for almost 6 years.
Never stop loving! We agree! But that can sometimes be harder than it might seem. What are situations that make it most difficult for you to remain in a loving space? Is it when you feel jealous? Unseen? Stressed out? Exhausted? We talk a lot about the importance of love and loving but we’re only human and sometimes we need to dig deep for it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
For those more challenging moments we recommend a R.A.I.N. approach, coined by Michelle McDonald. ⠀⠀⠀⠀
R: Recognition. First recognize what’s happening. Locate the challenge. Identify the trigger. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A: Allow. Let it be. Don’t fight it or criticize it. Simply accept it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I: Investigate. Scan your body. Where is this feeling coming up? What are the sensations? Ask yourself why the feelings are coming up? Ask yourself again.
N: Non identification. Release the idea that you are attached to this emotion. Your identity is not looped into this emotion, you are the awareness. You are freedom. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Take your time. Use the tools. Never stop loving.