Nothing much comes from the stubborn work of an isolated soul, however enlightened. Joining forces with like-minded (or like-souled!) crowds is how anything memorable gets achieved.
Not everyone can be in the middle, but each one can embrace the vision for their own, the leader for the clearest messenger, and the task at hand for the one they are uniquely equipped to fulfil.
Purpose is not about credit, visibility or legacy, it is about harmony, about giving to the world a touch of better-ness. There, we put our money where our mouth is, we bring something to the table, give what we have, materially, spiritually, emotionally, to advance a collective purpose.
We may have to let go of a personal view or two, bite the bullet time and again, but that is what participating is about, and the only way we can eventually have done it.
Our soul purpose may be personal, it is our contribution to the whole.
As such, we won’t go far if we work in isolation and we need to find those fields and people that serve this purpose. When we finally enter a sacred contract with them and find weight in numbers, we are finally ready to give that purpose some life.
Then it’s on us to not let diverging agendas bring us to a standstill.
Our happiness rests on our usefulness, our sense of purpose and ability to contribute something to this world.
Whether we put a smile on a face, guide someone out a confused situation, or do together something that can’t be done alone, the rewards of living in service are a sense of belonging, a palpable right to exist and enjoy life.
When we are lost and confused, helping others, ie putting someone else first, is how we find the love and compassion we need for ourselves, the strength to face our challenges, and more often than not, the solution to our problem.
Coming together may starts with a wish or a hope, it still is an action.
When a promising encounter shows us a connection point, our next step is to acknowledge and nurture it. An honest gesture is the point, a giving that reflects our sentiment and does not presume anything.
With that sincerity, we weave the relationship, we turn a boundary into a contact point, we enable collective endeavours.
Social dynamics are full of traps, short cuts to connection that give us a false sense of belonging.
Settling for gossip, moaning and directing problems are ways to bond that only bring discontent and disharmony. At best, nothing comes out of the rally.
Soon enough, the negativity and toxicity of it all gets the better of all involved, and each is left disheartened, suffering subtle nausea. If the illusion is strong or lengthy, the ill festers undetected, keeping us alone.
The point, hope and promise of coming together is greater power than individual.
As a group, we can achieve, understand, decide, and travel more, farther, deeper, better.
The potential of the group is tremendous, and all the more real when each member trusts the strength of the alliance and taps into it.
As a potential, it needs to be actualised, acted on, chosen… The force of the collective is not in the mixed bag of individuals, it is in the complementarity, the ability to bring out strength and collaborate.
Clarity is a rare gift, most of us feel wildly misunderstood at the best of times.
The lucky few who get their point across distinguish themselves by daring saying things out loud, tireless repeating, a pinch of translating and a great dose of letting people who agree misunderstand what is happening.
Some are preaching, others imposing, and more or less shamelessly manipulating, all of which are questionable on a one-on-one level... but then the crowd becomes a march and all are going somewhere.
A common enemy rallies better than anything. Grieving only feels real in company. Shared hardship ignites solidarity. Petty conflicts are left aside in crisis. Genuine pain in a repelling being makes us drop our guns…
The coming together of humans under tragic circumstances is almost a law of nature, one that reminds us of our frailty, need of others, and capacity for love.
Once gathered, we can gossip and complain, or we can support each other and figure things out. We can talk endlessly or set ourselves in motion.
Gathering
Gathering together (massing)
Collectedness
Meeting