Community

There are many forms of communing with other human beings. Social networking is one. A local organization is another. Another is the community of practice. 

I recently heard from a young man in Finland who shared some thoughts on his own personal practice. A retiree from the Midwest in the U.S. shared  his frustration with his new meditation practice. A woman in Seattle recommended a bakery there because it offers daily quotes from the Buddha for reflection while munching on its goodies. Sharing practice is part of practice. And, in sharing practice, we support each other in health and consciousness. 

Community does not require a building or an organized meeting in the same place at the same time. While having the nucleus of a center or a regular meeting is helpful to sustain an organization, it is not necessary for maintaining personal practice. The community of personal practice is available everywhere to the person who shares his/her practice with others. For me, it is the sharing which makes for a sense of belonging to a community of humanist practice.