Dinosaur.
At the end of our recent higher purpose friendship event, I asked participants for a word or image they were leaving with. And this word was offered by one participant.
It’s a resurrection of something ancient that seems to be extinct. This way of connecting with each other. The Presence such friends offer.
☀️ In the slide below, you can see a sketch of some characteristics of higher purpose friendship. Because of this friendship, we grow into our true potential and are of greater service to others.
☀️ In the breakout room I facilitated, I was overjoyed that two people from animal protection who are such compassionate, wise, humble beings were connecting. When people who embody such values meet, the magic is palpable.
☀️ Another highlight for me was the presence of someone I had met at a meditation retreat in Bali. Her presence had been so encouraging, positive and warm during the retreat and it was the same on zoom through her chat engagement, questions and feedback. She reminded me that heartful Presence is undeterred by virtual platforms and just shines and bursts through.
☀️ Co-host Zhi Ying Wong made a beautiful point that when structures are crumbling globally, including trust in leaders, higher purpose friendship becomes the trust-filled ground we can walk on. And she shared the beautiful Ram Dass quote:
“We’re all just walking each other home”.
☀️ Co-host Vivien Tai introduced the beautiful idea of intentional living to the group as she lives in such a community where the way they relate to each other and co-exist is all part of their growth. And how important vulnerability is to this.
☀️ One participant asked about workplaces and such higher purpose friendships. I said that while there is a challenge of lower psychological safety in many workplaces and people in the workplace may not be gathered around pro-social values, it is up to us to break patterns and create the kind of inspiring workplaces we want.
It is possible and helpful to find higher purpose friends even in workplaces where the culture may not be clearly aligned in this way. It takes some effort to put out a Signal so you can find each other. And when you do, you and your experience of work life can transform powerfully.
PS: The photo above shows me communing with a dinosaur bone at Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, sensing into what it was communicating with me. I think after this session, it would say –
“We walk the earth again with you and your friends….
we will walk each other home.”
🙂