The Importance of Community

The Archangels Encourage Us to Seek Our Own

As of today, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), there have been 312 mass shootings in the United States alone.  Overshadowed by Charlie Kirk’s assassination, there was a school shooting in Colorado the same week Kirk was killed that resulted in three deaths and multiple injuries.  There are all kinds of arguments about the causes behind so many acts of group violence, including lack of gun control legislation, mental illness, a deterioration of the family, the devil’s work, and God’s wrath, among other things, but I believe at least part of the problem is the lack of community practiced in today’s society. 

Traditional sources of community and stability are withering and dying.  As more and more people are leaving church and religion for various reasons, there is a hole left in terms of community.  Families do the best they can, but the one-income family, where at least one parent is readily available whenever needed is no longer widely practiced or practical.  Teachers and schools are more and more limited and discouraged from encouraging a sense of community, because their jobs are literally on the line if they include certain people and cultures or dare to discuss current events or issues. 

The younger generations blame the older generations for their current problems, and the older generations fret about passing the torch on to those they consider to be lacking in so many ways.  Everybody is talking, but nobody is listening.  In order to promote unity, we should all consider the importance of community and remember that it is needed by everyone, and there are fewer and fewer options available to most people.  We’re all living in the same world, facing a lot of the same problems and challenges, we share a lot of the same dreams and hopes, and it’s important to have outlets where we can share both good news and burdens.  I asked the Archangels about building unity through community, and their response follows.

Question:  There is so much polarity in the world.  How can we overcome this and begin to build unity?

Answer: 

The first step is always to find inner peace.  Once you have it or are at least well on the way, the next step is to share that peace with others.  Initially, it is easier to spend time with people you already know who are perhaps like-minded.  From there, it is a good idea to branch out in a welcoming way toward others you may not yet know but with whom you would like to share joy, hope, love, and peace.  This does not require that you agree on everything, only that you wish them well and acknowledge that they are worthy of those things.  This is the best way to build community, and community leads to unity. 

Community is lacking in most places, among the majority of people.  The focus among most these days is on differences, rather than similarities.  In fact, you have much more in common with the vast majority of people on the planet than you have differences.  You all wish to feel safe and secure and able to access and maintain the basic necessities of life.  You all want a better life with more opportunities as you move forward and you want your children and loved ones to remain safe.  The vast majority of people on the planet care about their fellow man.  They do not wish others to be in pain or in danger, whether in regards to survival, natural disasters, war, or disease.  When you are aware of others’ suffering – and you are more aware of this than ever before – it bothers most of you.  People care about other people.  These are the things you can build on. 

When given the opportunity and the right kinds of circumstances, most people are able to see the good in others.  When someone knows that someone else genuinely cares about them, they are usually more willing to share, talk, listen, and find common ground.  It is your human nature to do so.  You are very naturally social.  When building community is the goal, it is smart to avoid controversial topics.  You can revisit them in the future after you establish that there is good in each other and that there are many things you have in common. 

Many of you tend to think that most people with opposing viewpoints are like the extremists you see on media outlets who speak, rather than listen, who purposely antagonize those who disagree with them, who point fingers and cast blame.  You hate being lumped into an all-encompassing, generalized group or labeled unfairly, yet you do the same thing to those who you identify as being on the opposite side.  In reality, while there are differences in opinions on how to solve today’s problems, the opposing sides are not as opposite as you have been led to believe.  In fact, the problems you all see are mostly the same.  It is the causes and possible solutions that differ. 

This is why we suggest that you table the controversies for a time when you know each other better and recognize the commonalities you share.  Get to know a person in a neutral setting, so you can see their strengths and goodness, so you can get past the defensiveness that abounds.  Look at them as a potential friend, rather than as a perceived enemy.  Learn from each other.  Listen as much as you speak.  Assume the best, rather than the worst.  As you build on this positive kind of relationship, other issues can be breached, and you can hopefully keep an open mind and aim to understand, whether you end up in agreement, or not.  The vast majority of you have been deceived, tricked, and manipulated in the past.  You do not know as much as you think you know, and the opposing view is not completely wrong in terms of facts, as you tend to think.  You can learn from each other if you pursue a dialog, which refers to talking, listening, sharing, and considering, rather than just talking and emphasizing your viewpoints only.

One way to do this is to identify a common goal and work together to accomplish it.  Something that is beneficial to everyone, such as beautification of a common area, organizing a food bank or gathering items that help those in need.  Working together builds trust and identifies common ground.  It is an opportunity to appreciate the gifts, talents, and efforts others offer, and it showcases them.  Everyone feels good when they contribute to something, and everyone is appreciative of such efforts. 

Speaking of contributions, everyone has something to contribute, whether it is an idea, knowledge to share, guidance to offer, skills to apply or teach, or simply a comforting, caring presence.  When people have the opportunity, they are often willing to share their gifts in whatever way works best for them.  Problems arise when people do not feel seen, heard, accepted, or appreciated.  That is when division occurs, and when that happens, there are always those who swoop in to control and manipulate them for their own purposes.  That is what is happening so often in today’s world, which adds to the division.

Start slow and small.  Begin with yourself, then branch out to one or two people, then allow your groups to grow by welcoming and inviting others.  Do not focus on differences or incite controversy.  Stick to topics and projects that benefit everyone.  Get to know people and recognize that they are more like than unlike you in most cases.  If you never broach topics that inspire debate, that is fine.  Instead, seek to understand and support each other in areas you have in common.  If the time comes when a topic emerges that you do not agree on, keep in mind that you know there is goodness and worth in the person you disagree with, whether or not you end up in agreement.  Agree to disagree, and remember the common ground you do share and focus on that.  You must learn to respect other people and their views, regardless of whether or not you agree with them.  Relinquish the old ways of trying to “win” and argument or “control” an outcome.  The only true win in an argument is when both people feel valued and heard afterwards, whether the outcome was what they wanted or not.

Final Thoughts

Great ideas, but I know not everyone has the time to pursue community projects or live in an area where they are viable.  Today, there are other options, and this brings to mind social media, which started out as a virtual way to find community, but is now a source of great controversy that is often misused and can be a means of targeting and persecuting others as much or more than a way to build community.  There are many successful, highly frequented platforms out there, yet many people are choosing to step away from them and seek alternatives where they do not have to be so on guard, worried about what will surface. 

I no longer post on Facebook, X, or similar avenues, because the negative energy became too toxic to continue visiting and interacting on those sites.  Most popular sites are beginning to offer paid tiers that are supposed to screen out the negatives associated with social media, and there are other sites that only offer paid memberships in hopes of regaining some control over who frequents and contributes to the site and what is posted.  Also, it’s becoming more common for individual websites to offer community options.  That’s on my radar for some time in the future – I’ll keep you posted! 

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a safe, positive place to seek community, I’d like to share two of my favorites.  The first is the Portal community on the Lee Harris Energy website.  I’ve written about Lee Harris in previous posts.  He’s a channel for the Z’s and has a popular YouTube channel where he shares monthly energy updates, among other things.  His Portal community is treated to lots of special promotions either free or at a discount, and there are many perks that make the monthly $20+ membership fee well worth it, in my opinion, including interviews with various spiritual contributors, and many private gatherings.  You can find more information at

https://www.leeharrisenergy.com.

The newest community that launched today, as a matter of fact, is run by my dear friend, Kathleen Johnson, well known in the Reiki community for her practice and her articles published on several sites, including Medium and Substack.  She is my partner in the Angelic Activation Practitioner (AAP) program which we both still collaborate on, and she has started a site on the Mighty Network called SOUL (Souls Opening to Universal Love).  There is a private section for the AAP, but she just opened up a public, members only section for anyone who is looking for a peaceful, accepting community, for $11 per month, and it offers some great options for information, learning opportunities and a chance to be heard and accepted for who you are.  She has lots of plans for expansion, including more collaboration with me and others who offer unique gifts and insights during these chaotic times.  Here’s the link: 

https://souls-opening-to-universal-love.mn.co

We all need to have a voice that is heard and to be around people who accept us for who we are, who recognize that we are here, valuable, and worthy of acceptance.  This can be a source of comfort and strength as we navigate the craziness in the world.  It’s nice to know someone cares.  No one should ever feel unseen, unheard, unworthy, or unimportant.  Burdens are easier to carry when they’re shared, and it feels good to support and help other people.  We are naturally social creatures.  We need each other.  Find a community that fulfills these needs or create your own.  There’s no need to remain alone, even if you’re like me and appreciate your own company, content to spend most of your time in your own space.  We’re all in this together, and we need each other to overcome the challenges we face.  Community leads to unity, which leads to change.