What is Community?
Over the last few years, I have wondered how Soul Fire Studios plays a role in our lives and the wider Sheffield community. When speaking to many of the yoga students, teachers, and others who bring their work here, it is stated regularly that this is a place of ‘community’ - but what does that mean?
The dictionary meaning of the word community highlights how the experience of a “common,” “public spirit” (from the etymology) can be both local and regular, momentary, national, global, and even virtual these days. Community experiences range from a broad scope of socially inclusive (or exclusive) situations and locations where people come together to participate in shared activities, often close to the local area in which the members live, and are regenerated by the meeting place, values, cultural customs, and sense of identity developed and received through participation.
A community can be formed in many ways, and it is likely that these ‘social units’ both overlap and provide multiple sources of social connection for individuals who can associate with many different communities. If we imagine that each group that shares regular space here is itself a small community, it becomes apparent that these bubbles of social connection float in the studio space here, and can move, grow, or burst according to the conditions of the group itself, and the studio space becomes more of a ‘community hub’ - a place for community groups to gather.
Sometimes, when it feels that Soul Fire is becoming a bit too particulate, that each person’s class, event, session, or work hours meet in the same space, but the people themselves ‘pass like ships in the night,’ it becomes an opportunity to look into ways of bringing more cohesiveness to the members of this larger community.
I’ll admit, much of the time this is for personal reasons as much as it is for the benefit of all involved. Being the person who ‘holds the space’ and the responsibility for organising events for people to gather can be a lonely role. Thankfully, as my health and sense of self have returned, and for times I’ve been able to participate in other communities, it feels easier and more aligned to set up the gathering space once again to give and receive the community vibe.
One of my favourite ways to do this is to embrace the Canadian/American cultural tradition and celebrate Thanksgiving. This is a beautiful commemoration of what it can look and feel like to be part of a community. While we know that the reality of historical events mars the significance of most holidays, those who celebrate Thanksgiving will continue to call back the sanctity of breaking bread with family, friends, neighbours, and community acquaintances.
To clarify, Thanksgiving isn’t an American Christmas. However, its popularity is strong because this holiday opens the dinner table to recognise the abundance of the harvest season, the gathering of loved ones and familiar faces, and the power of sharing food with everyone - even neighbours.
There is no requirement to be a certain kind of person, to do anything special (other than show up, eat, and maybe express gratitude for something in your life), and best of all - no gifts!
If there is one thing that highlights the nuances of community, which I have only begun to explain, it’s this:
Rather than trying to define our closeness, how active we are in the community environment we share, how ‘well’ we’re doing in work, or life in general, when we enter the space, we are seen and accepted for who we are.
When reading about the many forms a community can take, I felt a spark of interest when reading how a deeply bonded community can be consciously built. In, The Different Drum: Community-Making and Peace (1987) by Scott Peck, the author “believes that conscious community building is a process of deliberate design based on the knowledge and application of certain rules. He states that this process goes through four stages:
Pseudocommunity: When people first come together, they try to be "nice" and present what they feel are their most personable and friendly characteristics.
Chaos: People move beyond the inauthenticity of pseudo-community and feel safe enough to present their "shadow" selves.
Emptiness: Moves beyond the attempts to fix, heal and convert the chaos stage, when all people become capable of acknowledging their own woundedness and brokenness, common to human beings.
True community: Deep respect and true listening for the needs of the other people in this community.”
I love this. If there is one thing I can say over the past 7 years of living, working, and playing in this Soul Fire Studios environment - along with many people who are still here today - as a collective, we have gone through many changes and passed through many stages. I wonder if time and continuation are helpful ingredients for cultivating a True Community.
Please feel free to share your own experience about being part of the Soul Fire Studios community, and whether it feels that way for you.
Get involved! Come to our annual Thanksgiving Dinner, held this year on Saturday 25 November.
