I’m writing this from a remote Indigenous community along the pacific coast of Canada, where I’ve been invited to do some therapeutic work with the first people of this area. It’s a place of stark beauty.
And a place where there was a systemic colonial attempt to dismantle First Nations’ connection to culture, spirit, and land. The people here remarkably survived and are resilient, and it’s inspiring to be invited to witness the resurgence of culture that’s happening, and the healing of broken connections that are being made.
The global pandemic has been such a stark reminder of the importance and power of connection for human beings. The public health measures we’ve had to undertake have been difficult to say the least, and have reminded us that we are hard-wired for connection and community. And despite some of the worst human impulses that we’ve seen, we have also seen billions of people taking compassionate action for people who they have never met.
It’s no accident that the Buddha named Sangha (spiritual community) as one of the three refuges that protect us. How incredible that we have technology and a platform like Sangha Live to connect us across time and space. And how sweet it will be to connect in person again.