| Inside This Issue:
Community – Coming Together
A theme within many of your Vision and Mission statements is Community. There’s much to be said about the concept and even more about how we go about creating it.
Part 1: Clarity
“Community” has a multitude of meanings depending on the context and a wide variety of personal definitions.
What do YOU mean by Community? Is it defined geographically like a town or region and have physical boundaries? Does it exist online? Does it center on a philosophy or technique, perhaps a hobby or interest? Is it task-oriented? Is it intentional and involve living with others? Is it a place or structure? Is it inclusive of Nature? Does it develop out of an occupation or trade?
What’s the purpose of the Community? Are there goals associated? Does it solve a problem? Until you have established the definition and purpose, it’s difficult for potential members, or partners, or even resource providers to determine if the community is in alignment with them.
Examples
A Community based on the Technique known as Emotional Freedom Technique or Tapping. (Note: you may want to share Tapping with your own members)
From Nick Ortner of the Tapping Solution: “A powerful new research paper on Tapping was just recently published in a highly esteemed scientific journal. This is the most comprehensive research paper on Tapping to be published to date, and it’s a BIG deal for the Tapping community!”
“The paper was published in Frontiers in Psychology – a top peer-reviewed journal in the field of psychology – and summarized the results from every single high-quality study on Tapping conducted so far. This systematic review paper shows that EFT Tapping is one of the most extensively researched methods in the entire field of psychology (with over 125 peer-reviewed studies and more than 300 total studies now published!). The authors conclude that Tapping is an effective treatment for a variety of psychological and physiological conditions that should be used in primary care settings, hospitals, and clinics.”
Living in an Intentional Community – Findhorn in northeastern Scotland, or on a Kibbutz in Israel. There might be a sharing of living quarters or housing around a square or center, perhaps a central kitchen with communal dining, work assignments, time spent on consciousness development or self-study, a vehicle pool, shared open space.
Task-oriented Community – often is defined by a certain goal or target, delineated timeframe, perhaps levels of confidentiality. Think: the teams cracking the codes in WWII or the Los Alamos projects building secret weapons. Both involved a communal living environment, labs, food and entertainment facilities.
Community built on Revival of Space/Structure — in Las Vegas, NM, 2 women began a crusade to bring life back to a near-empty downtown. They had a passion for books; the town no longer had a bookstore, or a place for children’s theatre or afternoon reading circles in the summer. So they purchased an empty store space and renovated it to house Tome on the Range, then a second-hand bookstore and coffee club (Second Tome Around). It was contagious…the hotel was remodeled, a natural foods store entered the scene and the town began birthing a renewed interest and pride in community. Stores sponsored parade floats, the high school marching band had new energy, and small town America was rejuvenated.
As to Nature and Community, Peter Forbes who worked for 18 years with the Trust for Public Land, argues that “A healthy, whole community begins with people in relationships to one another and to the land…we must focus on what the human heart needs and craves today and has through the ages—a relationship and connection to the larger, more meaningful diversity of life.” (from The Nature Principle).
Part 2 of Community in a future FWCU will discuss some Strategies for Community.
As Above, So Below – Community
During a Summit on Herbalism, an intriguing presentation by Sajah Popham introduced the topic of the synchronicities of astrology and plant medicine…the As Above, So Below concept. As described in this quote from another course, Alchemy and Herbalism – Part Two,
“The alchemists of old had a deep understanding of the interconnectivity of all things. That there is meaning in the patterns in nature, both celestially and terrestrially. The order of our solar system is seen to reflect the larger structure of everything in life. They observed the fundamental Elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether, and how their interactions reveal an underlying pattern of creation that determines the qualities and characteristics of the whole and its parts. From the herbalists perspective, these “parts” are people and plants. Thus we want to learn to see how the pattern of the solar system (the planets), the pattern of the Elements, and their interactive forces— called the Three Philosophical Principles— influence and affect the human and botanical kingdoms.”
When considering “Community” as so many Members’ Mission Statements indicate a commitment to pursuing, Sajah’s ruminations seem to provide foundational knowledge worthy of a deep dive. Having taken several of the courses, I found Sajah’s work compelling, eye-opening, and filled with wisdom.
The Role of Astrology in Holistic Herbalism
Part Two of Sajah’s Alchemy and Herbalism (you can also watch Part 1 as well as many other discussions)
-Iona
The Weakness of the Matrix
The weakness of the Matrix is clear:
The Matrix requires your participation.
For if you “leave,” it will collapse.
The work we do with the FreedomWorks PMA Service, where we help business people take their livelihood OUT of the Matrix, is one step on this journey.
Whether it’s refusing to be controlled by the State via licensure or having the audacity to choose what goes into your body, moving your business into a Private Membership Association is one option for those who choose to STOP POWERING THE VERY SYSTEM THAT WANTS TO CONTROL EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE.
The Matrix requires your energy to continue. That’s because the Matrix produces nothing of value and only serves to direct and concentrate the power it is offered.
It does not create power, it co-opts it from others who offer it by their consent.
If you are tired of offering that power, then stop.
You were trained to believe that’s not possible.
Given the source of that training, it should come as no surprise that was a lie.
Sincerely,
The FreedomWorks Team
FreedomWorks |
