Of course there was another side to the community. Everyone knew each other's business and people were careful not to do anything that the community disapproved of. I remember my father wanted to eat sausages during lent, and my granny closed all the windows and doors, so no one would know we were breaking the rules. This restrictive side was there because of the level of consciousness – it prevented people growing beyond the clear boundary of the community's beliefs and dogmas.

 

Growing up, life took me to different places and I longed to find myself and my individuality. I felt the strength of the community I came from, it was part of me and in my DNA. At the same time I could feel its restrictions, so I took the good bits, the love, generosity and kindness, and

left the dogma. 

 

I have also lived in places where there was no sense of community. In my university days in Paris I was astounded by the competition between students and the overriding belief of 'each for themselves'. I saw people who were desperate for love and community but had never experienced it, and were too afraid and rigid to open up to it. 

 

In my spiritual path I have come across sacred communities. These communities were there for as long as each person felt to be a member. Sometimes sacred communities only last a short time. When I did my vision quest training in the Inyo Mountains, we formed a loving and supportive community for our time together. We had beautiful times of harmony as well as disagreements and clashes - when people come together their issues can be triggered. Yet, everything was resolved amicably and respectfully. Every voice was heard and help was always offered and received by the different members of the community. This community, this circle, stayed together for a month, and then we went our separate ways. But what we shared gave us strength and purpose, as well as healing, so we could continue on our life's path. 

 

In 2013 I completed my Shamanic Teachers Training. Sandra Ingerman invited the group to set an intention about their life path. We were to take part in a ceremony where our community would hold space for magic to flow into everyone's life purpose. Before the ceremony, I went into nature to find out about my intention. The spirits showed me a vision of creating sacred supportive communities whose purpose was to be both personal and spiritual evolution, as well as bringing the light into our world during these times of transition. At the time I did not fully understand the vision. It was beyond what I had in mind, it seemed too big, especially for one person.

 

In the years since, my helping spirit ISET has continued to show me this vision. She said that it would be a great gift for us all to co-create a sacred community. To do this, we must leave behind the old ways of patriarchy. We must honour and celebrate our individuality and, at the same time, see everyone as equal, and see ourselves as part of the whole. This new approach takes us out of the mindset of competition and invites us to support, share, and care for each other, understanding that the more the community grows, the more we grow.