Mindfully Intending Community Uplift (Part I)

Ribbons of intention placed during Tri Uplifting: Lake County 2016 at Rabbit Hill, Middltetown, California. There are three McNab Cypress trees protected by this fencing and our intentions. Trees dontated by Lake County Land Trust and are seedllings from those destroyed in the Rocky Fire of 2015. (Photo credit: Melissa Kinsel)

(At our recent Tri Uplifting: Lake County 2016 I gave a talk and guided visioning session for mindfully uplifting our community in Middletown, CA. I was encouraged to share the talk as the information and ideas can be used for any community.)

In order to create an uplifted community, we must first do some exploration--Firstly, what is uplifted community? Inspired? Thriving? What does it look like? What does it mean? What creates it? What are the conditions needed for it emerge? To be sustained? How will we know we've reached it? In other words, what will we receive/experience when we have it? How do we get there?

Answers to these questions, of course, will vary from community to community and from person to person, because we have to look at our core values--what is important to us as individuals and for a community that we live in and involve ourselves?

Once we explore our values and what's most important in life, we can then distill them to the very essence--What will we have when we get what we want? Happiness? Joy? Peace? Love? Connection? Vibrancy? Health? Fun? Meaning?

In contemplating these, I realized that there may be some core foundational elements and conditions that are necessary for any community to emerge and thrive. I call some of them the "container" and it begins on the largest scale (environment) and ends with our bodies, because as Carl Sagan said: "If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe."

So as you read through these, I invite you to do a quick assessment about where you and your community stands in each of the categories, as well as what you would consider ideal:

• Healthy environment/living system -
  • Clean air
  • Pure water
  • Open space
  • Agriculture and impacts on clean air/water/land/people/creatures
• Healthy community space
  • Safe streets/walkable neighborhoods
  • Shared spaces - parks, downtown, squares
  • Thriving economy
• Healthy body
  • Food - restaurants, stores, farms
  • Agricultural impact on environment and food
  • Fitness opportunities: Yoga, tai chi, QiGong, Jazzercize, gym, biking, hiking, running, swimming, kayaking, golfing, skateboarding, rollerskating, water sports, paddle boarding, tennis, etc.
  • Access to medical resources - Allopathic, traditional wisdom practices, and supportive health services - massage, aromatherapy, etc.
• Healthy heart/mind - safe, vibrant, joyful relationship with self & others
  • Inner connection to ourselves - Access to spiritual traditions; access to nature; pace of life; rich, vibrant, diverse artistic, wellness and music community
  • Spiritual community connection
  • Opportunities for human connections: senior/activity centers
  • Access to diverse art and culture
  • Access to behavioral health resources - Western & traditional wisdom
• Purpose  - meaningful work and/or contribution to community
  • Education system. Pre-K - 12 systems, charter schools, easy access to community colleges and four-year universities- technology for greater reach & diversity
  • Thriving diverse social environments gives opportunities to explore passion and avenues to bring that passion to community.
  • New and growing opportunities for collaboration between groups
  • Means to put our potential in action - Active business community, access to capital
• What other elements do you see necessary for you personally? Collectively?

I invite you to use this as a brainstorming to explore. Feel free to respond with areas that you find important. Also, explore  what you would have if all this were in place to your desire. What would the outcome be? What would you experience if this were in place?

From here, having gotten an idea of what it is we want to create, we'll explore setting intention towards our vision of uplifted and inspired community.

(continued...)