S9 / E8: Belonging

In this week’s episode we chat about belonging, and why it’s such a fundamental part of the work we do at the Academy.

Why have we chosen to talk about belonging?

• We’re following-on from last week’s episode on solitude, when we talked about finding a peaceful kind of aloneness, so now we thought it would make sense to turn that around and explore a word more related to community and connection

• Belonging is also a big part of the festive narrative, and finding belonging can be difficult (as we talked about last time), so how can we find a way into this idea of belonging if we don’t feel it’s something we currently have in our lives?

• The incoming lunar cycle is that of the Wolf moon, an appropriate backdrop to the conversation if we hold in mind the symbolism of the wolf pack

What do we chat about?

• Belonging as a felt sense of shared connection and understanding

• The intertwining of solitude and belonging

• Those moments of ‘yes, me too!’

• How finding belonging requires us to be open, loving and compassionate (to ourself and others)