“It is not the hearing that improves life, but the listening.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

 

We were half a dozen men, mostly unknown to each other, some of us loosely connected by mutual acquaintances; others, strangers responding to a flyer posted on local bulletin boards titled, “Men’s Group Forming.” The common link between us was the desire for meaningful connection.

 

Each man was different in personality and demeanor, yet each was driven by an innate yearning to seek, share and learn within a purposeful community. The forming of this actual group in which I still participate is not uncommon. In these days when so many of us are feeling separated and isolated from each other, various approaches that bring people together in small groups offer participants valuable opportunity for healing and wholeness.

 

Community gatherings are known by various names such as wisdom circles, story circles, intention circles, support groups, prayer circles, dialogue circles and integration groups, where people are invited to share experiences, hold space for others, listen and learn, mentor each other’s growth or more.

 

Our fledgling group was formed with a common desire, yet none of us knew how to actually create and run a group in a meaningful way, so we referenced the book A Circle of Men – The Original Manual forMen’s Support Groups, by Bill Kauth, co-founder of the New Warrior Training Adventure. With an easy template to follow and adjustments borne from our own trial and error, we launched and created a small and effective community of support that continues today after two decades. Ultimately, most of the men in the group matriculated through the ManKind Project’s (MKP) New Warrior Training Adventure, which connected us to a larger network of local communities around the globe focused on supporting men on their journey toward emotional literacy, personal accountability and self-awareness.

 

Locally, there are numerous community gatherings that occur at local wellness centers and holistic practitioners, details for many which you’ll find within these pages. You will also find many noteworthy community events at the beautiful Amethyst Retreat Center, in Duncannon.

 

In Linda Seachrist’s feature article this month, she discusses the power of gathering in community and the importance of cultivating deep listening, which is vital to building trust, a key building block in any relationship or community. As you open yourself to find a community in which you can trust and thrive, hopefully it is one that supports you on the journey to feel good, live simply and laugh more.