Community and Connection

hearondickson9
Sep 22
5 min read

The picture above was taken 27 years ago, in 1998, at the end of the first Great Saluda Weekend. Over Labor Day weekend we gathered again, yes for the 27th consecutive year. If you know me personally, you know I "can be" emotional, but I teared up just typing that. The story of how this began is too long to tell but the short version is that all of the young parents in this picture wanted a change of scenery, to allow the kids to have a weekend-long playdate, and, of course, to get the temporary assistance with "watching the kids" from some other adults. Our "mayor," and some others, have basic statistics but most years most people show up, though the makeup of the group changes slightly each year. We've seen all of life's milestones, the more joyful of those being the addition of spouses and, of course, the next generation. This year's youngest participant was just 5 months old and the "excused absences" included 2 couples with new babies too young to travel. The kids in the picture are adults now and, fittingly, they have now taken on much of the organization. We agreed that this was "the best Saluda ever" though it is possible we say that every year.

What in the world does this have to do with yoga, meditation, mindfulness, or wellness?! Community and connections are immensely important! From Psychology Today, "communities help us feel that we are part of something bigger than ourselves; can provide a sense of belonging; can provide us support during difficult times; and can help reduce stress and isolation." It is no secret that there is currently an epidemic of isolation in our society. According to the American Psychiatric Association, over 30% of young adults (18-34 years old) feel loneliness on a weekly basis, while that number rises to over 50% for adults over 50 years old. In my opinion this is even more important in a time like now when we are so culturally and politically divided. Human connection is our way through that divisiveness. What are some things we can do to build communities, especially for any of those who don't feel that they are part of any community? Here's a quick list of suggestions:

Volunteer for an organization that supports a cause important to you. One immediate benefit of this is connection to like-minded people with regard to that issue.
Make a stronger effort to "be a good neighbor." In today's world of television and social media, many people don't even know their neighbors!
Go to the local public library . Most libraries offer a strong variety of programs and just this week I noticed that my local library was actually hosting an event aimed at helping people meet new people.
Join an exercise class. Obviously, this one is my favorite! But seriously, an exercise class, regular yoga class, running club, golf group, etc, is a wonderful way to become part of a community. True story: I recently joined a daily virtual exercise group hosted by a friend who previously had taken yoga classes with me. It did not take long at all for me to feel like I was part of yet another community. From a pure exercise perspective, there is value in the peer pressure of showing up. But beyond that, and bigger in my opinion, is the check-in that is done with one another on a regular basis.

My friend, Lisa, and I have been teaching weekly online yoga classes for 5 years and can attest that even virtual communities, where we see some of the same people on a regular basis, have health benefits beyond "just" the yoga class. Lisa and I are very passionate about teaching beginners or those who are perhaps reluctant. Join us!

Back to meditation and mindfulness:

One reason we attempt to cultivate mindfulness is so that we, over time, are less reactive to situations which trouble us. And being less reactive places us in better position to relate well to other people which....can make us good community members, or, in an organizational environment, good partners and teammates.

I love talking about stuff like this and welcome your reaching out to do so!

New resource alert!!!

Interested in exploring brief meditation practices but would prefer doing this on your own (without listening to me or watching me): in this downloadable guide you'll learn 3 core meditation techniques, receive reflection prompts, and have a resource you can print and carry around with you or download to your mobile device. Check it out! https://www.hearondicksonwellness.com/product-page/5-days-of-meditation-for-calm

A quick update on my plan for new habits following the silent retreat:

First of all, I was blown away by the reactions to that post! Thank you! (missed it and curious? reply to this and I will send it to you).

Cell phone usage: definitely doing better here; sticking with no cell phone first thing in the morning and have created notification filters. (I have learned some stuff here: contact me if you want some ideas!)
No cable news, social media news, or podcast news: This was easy because I was already light on this but I am succeeding here. Just remember: the goal of these platforms is to stir us up!
More mindfulness while eating: Mixed results here! I eat too fast but I am working on it!
Morning routine: I am sitting in silence for 15 minutes "most" mornings. Some days that is less than 15 minutes and some days I feel more still than I do on other days. But I there is great value in the effort and I do feel that this has now become a habit.

What's next?

We leave this week for 2 weeks in Croatia and Montenegro for yoga retreats. Speaking of communities, this is a wonderful way to build a community! Traveling with a group is fun and traveling when someone else makes all of the plans is "chef's kiss." These will be our 2nd and 3rd retreats of 2025 and we have a big year planned for 2026, with 4 trips scheduled. Check it out at the button below.

Fall is here, the equinox is today! One nice way to mark a change of seasons is intention setting. Try this: Relax your jaw, relax your shoulders, and see if you can think of an intention for this fall. It can be big or small, and doesn't have to be "life altering." And then bring into your heart and mind someone or some people whom you think could benefit from a positive intention sent their way. Take just a moment to think of them, and then send out those positive intentions in their direction. Seal that intention setting with a nice slow inhale into the nose, a brief hold, and a nice long slow exhale.

Happy fall and thanks for reading!

Hearon

2026 StayTunedYoga Retreats