Tribe: back to belonging
The natural human is a social animal, yearning for genuine connection.
We have been separated from each other, played apart by design*. But the pendulum has swung to its furthest point and is slowly beginning to return back to balance. We’ve had enough of the nonsense.
*religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, algorithms, mainstream media vs alternative media, and as a cherry on top, AI
The illness of isolation
It’s daunting to hear from an elder they haven’t spoken with anyone for a week. Painful to hear from a teenager they have a sense of not fitting in, anywhere. Upon hugging someone, to witness tears welling up in their eyes and them softly whispering “no one has hugged me for years”. This isolation thing is detrimental to our natural human being.
We need to be heard, to be held, to help, to participate.
Beat the drum of Tribes. Online, but even better, in real life. Shake off the paralysis of the madness of our modern world, softening into the original, natural human being-ness. Even though the next step is not clear yet, the direction is.
Wake up. Come back to your Self. Become whole. Reach out. Connect.
We are a being of Nature, with an organic body, designed according to mother Nature’s lore. We heal by Nature. Co-creating with Nature is healing our world. We need Nature and community – the generations living closer to each other, helping, enriching life, each according to their strengths.
We all Belong
The world as we’ve known it in these ‘modern times’ might be an inversion. Question everything.
The way forward becomes clear when we listen to our intuition, and not too much to the mind.
We start moving towards a holistic, healing Life when we claim our power by regaining control of our own lives. Who’s at the steering wheel, determines the direction.
What matters, really? A home. Friends. Food. Clothing. Practical skills.
Communication is powerful – sharing visions and ideas as tools and materials to build a better society.
An online Tribe is much better than no tribe at all ;)
Bartering and gifting might be great ideas as a way forward.
The Tribe
For the longest time I was trying to wrap my head around a paradox; the idea of living within a community didn’t appeal to me at all. Too many people. Too close. But at the same time, I‘m longing for a tribe. A real, living, breathing, co-creating tribe. Then an image emerged; by living at the far edge of a village, I could be a part of a tribe. As with all things in Life, there doesn’t have to be a black-and-white (binary) choice. Life tends to be a spectrum.
Generations taking care of each other
Different generations belong in each others lives. The liveliness of children, them questioning everything and their emergent personalities are a joy. The baldness and bravery of teenagers – partly amazing, partly foolish (remember when we were that age?!). The strength, optimism and energy of young adults. The wisdom, patience and compassion of elders – grandparents, aunties and uncles, with their experience and open, observant attitude. …
Young adults have the energy and power to build, older adults have gained the skills and experience to guide. Everyone profits from each other’s support and unique know-how, everyone is needed.
The storytellers at the campfire, the makers, the artists and crafters, the Mama’s, the hunters, the builders, the healers – and the mystics in their needed isolation there, at the edge of the tribe, to be visited discreetly with private questions and issues.
Talents shining
The farmer, the gardener, the hunter, the healer. The baker, the cook, the builder, the tailor, the potter. As children become curious about a craft, there’s probably a place for them to learn about their interest, and grow into the function, or learn more and make their own, unique combination.
Talents and interests emerging from internal query and focus, instead of societal pressure. Respecting our differences and uniqueness, instead of trying to press a hundred personalities into a few molds.
Building together
In Finland, where my family (and loosely, I) come from, there’s a concept; talkoot. It means doing a bigger task together, as a communal action – like building a house, repairing a roof or bringing in the hay. Many hands make the work lighter.
The participants automatically get assigned a position that fits their abilities the best, everyone participates. The strongest ones do the heaviest lifting, the dexterous and the aesthetics have their own jobs. There’s a group preparing a meal to be had together after the work. Along with the food and drink, jokes and merriment are shared, and the more serious things are discussed somewhere on the edges of it all. Hugs and pats on the back are exchanged, the feeling of belonging and togetherness reinforced.
The description above is a very romanticised memory back to the time when I was little, and my mum’s extended family got together to renovate the roof on my aunt’s house. We kids were running around, playing, and got assigned our own little tasks; fetching nails, cold drinks, or an uncle from endlessly talking to someone, back to work again.
This post was months in the making. I’m not sure it’s even ready yet. But the internal pressure to share it makes me hit ‘publish’.
The thought of a tribe has been with me all my adult life. In these past months I’ve had meaningful conversations about community and tribe with; Mart, Charlotte, Daniel (linking soon!), Jenny, Milan and Anna.
Next to monetary payments, I’ve opened bartering as an option for my sessions and e-guides.
Further reading:
https://www.terrenity.org/trendsreport
Do join in the conversation! Share your thoughts in the comments below or in a private message.
I spend myself more frequently daydreaming about the tribe and the shire. Being together, cooking and eating together, laughing, having deep and meaningful conversation, lighthearted chats too. Having someone or someones to go to when you want to share an idea that's bubbling away inside, a hug always being available.
I realise my longing as ancestral. And like you say, in these times, one way we can find the tribe now is online. Which is how we became fellow tribes people 😍
When I felt I could do nothing, I took the only thing I had and leaned into it. A backyard. One I could rewild. There amongst the caterpillars and the squirrels, I found a tribe I could finally feel at home with. Then on Substack I encountered people who feel similarly. What an amazing thing to occur that all started with a simple birdfeeder.