Together we will create brave space Because there is no such thing as a "safe space" We exist in the real world We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds in this space We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world, We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere, We call each other to more truth and love We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know, We will not be perfect. It will not always be what we wish it to be But It will be our brave space together , and We will work in it side by side...
In our increasingly virtual world, creating community spaces together is becoming increasingly rare. We may connect online in virtual spaces. But we cannot literally or physically be "side by side" when online. We cannot feel the energy of a group of hearts gathering together. There really is palpable energy when a group of people come together and join their hearts. We cannot look into the eyes of the people with us. We can get some visual cues from an online conference on Skype or a visual platform. But we really cannot make fully present eye to eye contact in the moment...and truly share space with one another in the silence that sometimes unfolds from this kind of presence.
We certainly cannot reach out to touch another human being. We cannot give literal hugs in cyberspace. And for all the emojis in the world, there are so many more expressions you can read when a real human being is across from you or beside you. There is a special power of gathering in the real world that is very different than gathering in the virtual world.
As we approach the turn of the new decade I have been reflecting back on how different things are now from the way they were at the turn of the century. In the year 2000, I created so many more "brave spaces" in physical reality. The groups I participated in were real time, in person meetings. People might have been busy and had lots of life commitments, but somehow there was more space for the regular rhythm of in person gatherings. Taking time to be present in person requires a kind of slowing down that is not possible in cyberspace. Being on computers or phones seem to speed everything up. So many texts to answer. So many Facebook posts to view and respond to. So many e-mails to read and write. So much data at our fingertips, always growing, waiting for us. And we can navigate cyberspace so quickly with the touch of a finger, never mind the old school typing of the keyboard.
I honestly found a kind of perfection in the imperfection of gatherings of real human beings in the here and now. Somehow, creating a safer place to share, together, allowed me to be touched by the vulnerability of my friends or colleagues or even initially strangers...who became less foreign with the passing of face to face time.
Today I can have a conversation by e-mail, but still not really know the person I am dialoguing with nearly as well as spending time in conversation in person over time. I loved my pen pals as a child. Receiving their letters from parts far away was magical. But it was not the same as actually going to whatever country they lived in (I DID meet one of my pen pals who lived in Manchester, England when I was in my 20's) or having them come to visit me (as a pen pal from Gambia did when I was a teen).
I suppose we create a kind of brave space together in cyberspace. But, I am sorry, it just does not give me the same peace of heart and mind as gathering together in person. Every time I have the privilege of leading my monthly Community As Healer group, I cherish the continuity of relationship of the long-term group members. I cherish the magical healing that takes place when we join hearts, minds and hands. I cherish hearing each person tell the latest news of their life's journey with their check ins. And I enjoy the physical time ritual of sharing lovely healthy snacks group members bring to share.
More truth and love can be shared real time. And I really DO love working in brave space side by side. Being a hand on someone's shoulder or having someone literally get my back really feeds my heart.
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