Thirsting for offline community

I was talking to another spiritual leader friend of mine about social media and the time we spend getting the word out, keeping our fingers on the pulse of the community, and sharing. Of course we wonder if we're doing anyone any favors by offering all this spiritual stuff online for free. Is it growing our communities? Are people being served?  

What we came up with is that you can get information about spirituality from the internet, and you can get contacts with people near and far. But spirituality and even more importantly spiritual experiences come through connection with a live community and a living spiritual practice.

The problem is that many people assume because they can get streaming video of an inspirational speaker  or a webinar online, that this can take the place of showing up physically in a group of people. I'm not dissing the Internet by any stretch, but I do think we're all in for a change.

My prediction for the next couple years for growing our peacemaking and spiritual communities....
As being online becomes the norm for social networking, people will thirst for offline community.


Yes, thirst and hunger. I predict that the ready availablilty and vast quantity of free information isn't satisfying the soul's need for acceptance and connection. The mass practice of using the Internet to get something for nothing, especially in the spiritual realm is running the end of its course. The idea of a spirituality that is about collecting information without giving any part of yourself, or changing anything about yourself isn't working out well for a good many folks. My prediction is that it is draining people dry. Just like fast food actually starves the body for real nutrition, point-and-click spirituality is starving the masses for some real spiritual food. I predict that right here in this community, hundreds if not thousands will be forced to put on their coat, find their keys and drive to a brick and mortar location where people just like them are gathered to experience something wonderful and uplifting together. And experience it they will! And it will feel great! 
 
I'm telling you I would never had made any spiritual breakthroughs or progress in life if it wasn't for the groups I committed to along the way. By showing up on a regular basis something began to take shape on the inside of me. As others respected and supported me, I was able to learn to respect myself enough to rid my life of abusive relationships, bad habits, and self sabotaging behavior. In our groups, we practiced our principles and skills with each other, we supported each other, we had an authentic connection with each other. I made friends, I became accountable, I helped others become accountable. I learned about sacred commitment and ovenant. I contributed, I became reliable. I stopped looking for the rock and found it within myself, in my own life. I celebrated with others as they found their rock too.

For those of you who are frequent visitors to sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or Meetup.com, you know how much time it can consume, especially if you are an organizer trying to create some movement out there in the quantum field. These venues aren't going away, as their value for information dissemination can't be beat. As a blogger and site adminsitrator, I find benefit in the expressive outlets these tools offer me. Self expression is good.

Just remember "information" is not where the real action is. The real action is in commiting, joining up, connecting with other people and quenching the thirst that can only be found in community.  

Now start something wonderful for yourself! Close this window, and do whatever it takes to meet with a real live person.