I was at the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Temple in the Palisades yesterday, a sort of Los Angeles cultural institution of sorts. This beautiful piece of property was donated to Paramahansa Yogananda by some very generous and very wealth California residents, many, many years ago.
It's an extraordinary place, with a lake with swans and beautiful paths and reading benches, and many statues devoted to the unity of all religions, and to the idea of peace for all nations. A lovely, enchanted piece of perfect peace.
it felt very good to be there, and was actually my very first time visiting there. It got me thinking about where we feel most at home, and how many of us have had to venture outside of our birth families to find a real community, that sanctioned feeling one can call "home." If you were not born so lucky, it can often times not be an easy thing to thing, or to sustain, even.
I think one can establish a real community by looking inwards towards one's values first. What is TRULY important to you? Is it making the world a better place? Join a political activist group, there are many right now, believe me, no matter where you live. And if you live somewhere rural, you can participate in many of these groups online- phone-banking for your local representatives, and sharing your progress this way. If you are more creative, and feel stuck, you can find a Meet-Up group for just about any artistic endeavor. Classes are also a great way of finding your creative tribe, if you can afford them. Or. consider hosting a one-a-month "salon" at your place, and have a few of your like-minded friends invite others. This is a great way to only feel good, find new creative energy and grab some free inspiration, it will pretty much force you to clean your apartment (#YAY!) Your people are out there, trust me...And I know it can be hard, especially if the walls of your apartment have been becoming awfully damn familiar to you lately...But give it a try, with something that feels good and right and maybe something you've always wanted to connect to, but have always felt too scared/ashamed/silly to try.
I am also starting to read Seth Godin's Tribes, and you should, too... (Link below :) Have a great week!
