While we build this online spiritual community here at Spiritual England, I often find myself wondering if an online-only community can offer everything we want and need from a community...
Prior to the covid restrictions forcing us to do many things online, I passionately disliked video calls and online team meetings. I found it difficult to connect with people when viewing them through a screen and found the conversation often awkward and disjointed. As time has progressed and we've all become more adept at using these technologies, I find these barriers around meaningful connection slowly disintegrating.
Ultimately, the intention is to settle in a physical location and enjoy an offline community too, one where everyone can visit and enjoy everything this community has to offer. In the meantime, however, I can rest assured that we can indeed build a meaningful and impactful spiritual community online. Furthermore, our online presence allows us to connect with people from the far reaches of the planet, allowing access to a wide array of perspectives and experiences which we'd miss on a local level.
I have joked about social media being antithetical to genuine social interaction, but I now appreciate the social possibilities granted to us by technology, and I enjoy the prospect of building a truly wide-reaching and beneficial Spiritual Community Hub here for everyone, regardless of where they might be.