Community Care

Headspace Studio. Hi, happy Monday and welcome to Radio Headspace. It's Dora here. So, there's much discourse in the wellness world around self-care and its importance. For the record, I personally love having moments of solitude to gather my thoughts, journal, heck, just have a cozy night in and recharge. But for some time now, I've also wanted to address the importance of being with others in times of need Because I think, well, I know it's necessary to highlight the importance of healing in community. Like it or not, we live in relation to others and the roots of our mindfulness practice are developed by being around others, putting the qualities of calm, clarity imbalance to practice when we're out in the world. Now, in the West, we place a lot of emphasis on individuality, healing and isolation, getting in on our own, and this can make us forget that we don't just meditate for our own sake. In fact, oftentimes it's easier to practice when we can think of the benefit it will have on others. Our meditation practice has a ripple effect. It touches the lives of those we interact with. We don't practice compassion just to hoard it and keep it to ourselves. It's in the understanding of our own pain that we can be aware and understand the pain of others. This shows us how we're all interconnected. So, when it comes to community care, this is a vital part of our wellbeing just as much as self-care is. In the book All About Love, author and social activist bell hooks writes about how community sustains life. That sense of togetherness in community is what can contribute to the health of its individuals. I felt these effects firsthand when I was recovering from a personal loss a few years ago and if you've ever lost someone, you know that kind of grief can be extremely overwhelming and all consuming. At that time, it was my community that came to my aid during my grieving. Because this loss was so unexpected, the rest of my world was put on pause for a few weeks. But every day I had friends who would check on me through text or they would come to my house to cook for me, bring candles and flowers. I even had a friend bring over her massage table and provide me with body work, which was so special and something I didn't know I needed then. It was actually during this time that I learned what it meant to be in community, to be a community member, and how community care can save us when we aren't able to take care of ourselves. Community care can take many forms. It may look like lending a hand to a neighbor, supporting local charities and organizations, or allyship and activism. Sometimes it can be as simple as asking someone in your life, how can I support you? And if you're the one in need...