Mindfulness has gained popularity over the years. Many are familiar with the term in an intrapersonal context, within oneself. “Mindfulness is the awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings’ ‘. In other words, when we are mindful, we intentionally stop and recognize what we are feeling, thinking, and experiencing without judgment.
Now you’re probably thinking, how in the world does mindfulness connect to community building? How can it be an interpersonal practice, outside of oneself? Well, first, we need to define what community building is. Community building is a field of practice directed toward the creation or enhancement of community relationships or outcomes.
In combining mindfulness and community building, “mindful community building” means being present. It means being intentional about relationships we build whether with clients, colleagues, and local organizations. When we intentionally focus on our personal well-being, we can be intentional with our connections and relationships in the communities we work with.
I like to think of mindful community building in comparison to caring for a seed. Where the seed represents community. To care for a seed, one must take time to give the seed water, make sure it is protected from outside variables, and remain consistent in our efforts. Likewise, we can be mindful when community building by taking time to stop and recognize what the community may be experiencing. Just as we would for the seed, when we notice that the community is in need of certain resources we can:
- Pause
- Connect
- Remain Consistent
Jerry Braza, a doctorate professor focused on psychology and mindfulness, gave a TEDxTalk in 2017 on “The Seed of Mindfulness: Growing Mindful Communities” in which he stated that, “when we care for our seed, the quality of mindfulness is stronger”. We pause, focus on nourishing the seed, learn from the seed, pour hope into the growth of the seed, and watch it thrive. As visualized in the image above, our hands can only come together and support the nourishment of the communal seed when we ourselves have given care to our personal seeds.
In my undergraduate studies I took a class on “Healthy Sexuality” (one of my favorite classes I have ever taken). One class period, in our lecture hall, the professor was discussing the impact of intentionally connecting with those around us. She had us pair up with a class partner and guided us to hold hands and close our eyes. As we held hands, the professor had each partner take turns by “sending” gratitude, positivity, and love from our thoughts down to our hands and “into” our partners body. In turn, the partner receiving the goodness would be able to feel the good vibes from the other and thus, feel more connected. It was a moment to pause, think outward from oneself, and intentionally tend to the care of the individual across from me. This was a form of community building.
As we continue forward in our personal and communal work, lets always remember that when mindfulness is shared among group members, a community is more likely to thrive.
