I absolutely love the opportunity to come together as an intentional community, particularly out in nature.
It allows me to deepen my connection to myself, to others and to nature, all of which are very important to me.
It warms my heart to know that we share the purpose of compassionate communication, not only to each other, but also to ourselves.
I am very happy to be part of a social movement that visions a world of self-connected people, living in awareness, able to make heart centred decisions and enjoy authentic expression.
In coming together as a community, to live together for a week, sharing in the daily rhythms of camp life, we naturally deepen relationships.
Partly due to the spaciousness of being away from home and out in nature, and partly due to there being a certain degree of risk that exists when camping collaboratively which lends the opportunity to lean into the community, in our interdependence. We share fire tending, have new neighbours, cook together and exchange general care. We offer a listening heart, companionship and activities. All the ways in which we contribute make a difference to the running of the space.
Together we recreate the village.
In community we collaborate to do the things that are important to us. Like attention to comfort, ease and fun in order to get the best out of our week. Like creating safety so that we may meet our learning edges if we choose to do so. The creation of learning spaces to process and grow, deepening our sense of self-awareness, equipping our tool bag for life and expanding our capacity to hold what is dear to us.
In community we share our experiences when circling in larger or smaller groups, and plenty of 1:1 time. To do this we must feel a sense of safety, of containment, as well as freedom to express ourselves in our truth. To speak and act in alignment with our true essence, and to be valued for doing so.
Within our community our certified NVC trainers work their magic. Gesine, Rik and Shantigarbha are highly skilled facilitators who understand the power of a strong sense of community. Together we recreate the village. Valuing the needs of every member as well as the group as a whole.
Community building, in alignment with NVC principles, works its magic fast within the safe container held by our skilled trainers. A sense of safety comes from a feeling of trust, and trust comes from fostering connections and ongoing shared experience. And there are many creative ways in which they bring us together to connect and build trust.
Such as spaces where we can be seen and valued for our unique contribution without judgement.
And it’s not that we suppress our judgements, (the human mind tends towards it), more that we are invited to become aware of our judgements as they arise and be willing to take responsibility for processing them, to understand their personal meaning, how they relate to important needs of ours rather than to the person who may have seemed to have triggered them.
The creation of regular empathy exchange helps us to feel held enough to express freely, to be heard with compassion and acknowledged in our struggles and celebrations.
And whilst we are being held in our own individual process of learning and growth, healing and transformation, we are also touched by others doing the same, and also the community as a whole.
Community process absolutely fascinates me and I love to see what unfolds as the week goes on, safe in the knowledge that what arises in the community belongs to the community. We have co-ownership. It is our community. We all belong.
We have skilled facilitators which host and hold our group process, within a very clear purpose, (intention), as well as the all-important attention to relationships. AND especially including our relationship to ourselves.
Attention to purpose, relationships, and group process creates a triad of nourishment that leans us towards a life-enriching shared experience.
This is community.
The process has already begun and I look forward to seeing what emerges this summer and over the coming years.
The NVC Community Camp space is so valuable to me in so many ways, and particularly meets my need for connection to myself, to others and to nature.
And from this place, everything else is so much easier!
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