According to John Bell, greed is institutionalized in our economy, and that our consumer culture is a poor substitute for love, dignity, belonging, caring, and serving. "The renewal of community, belonging, caring, and serving others," he says, "is essential for flourishing." Image via Earth Holder Community

John Bell is a Buddhist Dharma Teacher. After the November election he named these three interrelated currents that he hasn't heard discussed by the mainstream media:

"The first is that corporate capitalism is harming people and the Earth. The concentration of wealth and power results in increasing economic insecurity for billions of people, and drives exploitation, climate change, food scarcity, regional wars, and mass migration."

"The second is the widespread emotional trauma exacted by these unjust material conditions. The hurt shows up in people as feelings of despair, anger, grief, and discontent."

"Thirdly, spiritual tethering and community grounding is ever more tenuous. Church membership is down. Social cohesion that used to be supported by sports leagues, social clubs, neighborhood associations, and extended multi-generational families has been weakened."

These challenges are real and daunting. He is right when he observes that "falling back into our red camps and blue camps to ‘win’ over the other side doesn’t begin to address these huge currents."

I like his concept of Beloved Community Circles: "small groups of 5–12 people, geographically local to each other, who make three commitments: to engage in spiritual practice and healing together so that healing and development are core; to come to care deeply for each other’s well-being; and to participate in mindful action of the group’s choosing. Individual Beloved Community Circles are supported through trainings, resources, and being networked together to learn, inform, and encourage each other."

I've witnessed significant cross-political connection and collective healing in 12-step groups. I've often thought similar groups, focused on mutual emotional growth rather than addiction recovery, would be profoundly beneficial. I can imagine Beloved Community Circles tapping into the same transformative energy.

ARTICLE: It’s Time for Beloved Community Circles