Our primary activity is sitting around the Fire, since fire in its primal expression helps us connect to our own heart energy and heart voice. Fire is central to all spiritual paths if you look hard enough, it’s the element that brings people together and creating that deep interpersonal bond.

The drive down to the retreat centre owned by the SFC in the Catskill mountains of NY state is beautiful, and I always choose to take the longer route through the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks rather than the freeways. Besides the training I was involved in, it was so nourishing to eat meals together with friends old and new, do KP (kitchen clean-up in groups with music blaring over the dishwasher and pots and pans banging in the sink), and sit around the fire at night joking and sharing our stories. I got to have a “roomie” again for a few days and loved our chat times before bed about “girls stuff.”

I also had time to immerse myself in relationship with the much beloved land the centre rests on, including the very special and sacred river that flows behind the property. Her voice was a welcome sound to sit and contemplate by. She is part of my community of heart too.

Have you spent time with your community since Pride? Why not put out the invitation for a gathering to warm up your connections again?

The post Spending Time with your Community. appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

Once-a-year near the Summer Solstice, I venture across the sea to join in a similar community event with a project called the Sacred Fire Community (you can check them out at www.sacredfirecommunity.org). All the folks in the UK who are participating in the SFC come together for a weekend shindig, of a rather more humble scale. We sit around the fire and allow the primal energy of fire to help us connect with heart energy. No wonder I have ended up being the columnist of From the Heart!

One of the big values of the SFC is community building, recognizing that humans have always lived in community and in connection with each other–this was the way all of society formed close relationships…until rather recently, that is.

After our big weekend of time around the fire, camping, eating together, playing music, having serious chats, children running around playing, moms nursing, washing up, a smaller group of us continued onward to the borders of Wales, to a town called Church Stretton.

So here I am cozied up in a country home, hugged by the impressive hills called the Long Mynd, with seven other people of diverse character, but similar values.

We are having a lot of fun. Sometimes we are stepping on one another’s toes. It can be tricky to find time to oneself when the time together is so precious. I often feel when I need to withdraw to gather myself I am missing out on the fun, or being a bummer. There are moments, frequently, as we try to organize something like meals, or shopping, or what to do for the day, that chaos reigns as we talk over one another, and wrestle to reconcile a lot of suggestions, needs, desires, and those of us who are more in need of control step to the fore to mould it all into some semblance of a plan.

As one of the elders of the SFC community says: “community, it’s messy.” But definitely worth it. Relationships expand us, melt our defenses, mirror our blind spots back to us, give us an opportunity to risk, feel a whole range of emotions, and ultimately to cultivate courage of heart.

Enjoy your community. Build your community. Make some international friends and you just might find yourself on a similar adventure to mine next summer! Be open to some messiness, and keep allowing your heart to expand.

Blessings from the UK,

Shelley

The post The Dance of Community appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

I consider myself an ally to the community because *gasp* in case you hadn’t figured me out, I’m straight. My brother is my best friend and I’ve always been his fan. (Ok, except when he used to pick on me when we were kids). I consider it such an honour to write for the community and would love your feedback on what I share in the column. Please continue to educate me on what is close to your heart.
As a healer, I see souls with the eyes of spirit, and all are equal to me on this level. I love watching the powerful emergence of the LGBTQ+ community as an affirmation of spirit speaking equality and diversity of Life Purpose into our world.

Return regularly so we can create a conversation.

The post Like a Virgin appeared first on PinkPlayMags.