Leaning into Our Growing Edge
by cherishing our communal aliveness (4/6)
This is the forth article in a six-part series on addressing the metacrisis through a relational approach: Bridging the Personal with the Collective (1); Embodying Relationality (2); From Collective Intelligence to Creative Communion (3); Leaning into Our Growing Edge (4); Scaling Without Diluting Quality (5); and The Pulse of Us (6/6). Thank you for taking the time to consider my relational perspective. I look forward to our discussion in the comments.
Modernity seems to be buckling under the weight of endless greed, ego-driven pursuits, and fractured connections. And yet, in the shadows of this unraveling lies a profound opportunity: to reclaim the sacred, to rediscover creative communion, and to weave a new, embodied relationality that can heal ruptured relationships while nurturing our deepest desires for connection.
But how does the average person, caught in the crosswinds of overwhelming social, political, and ecological forces, step into this new way of being? How do we, as individuals, navigate the dissonance between the noise of competition and the quiet call of communion?
The Power of Presence
At the heart of creative communion is a radical shift in how we relate to ourselves and others. This shift calls for us to integrate embodied presence into our usual mind-centric existence. It is easy to lose ourselves in the abstract—the never-ending doomscrolling or the constant stream of crises on the news. However, the first step toward creative communion is to be fully in our bodies, to feel the ground beneath our feet and the breath moving through our lungs. To be present.
Embodied relationality asks that we not only listen with our minds but also feel our reality and the reality of others through our bodies because it is through presence, grounded in all five senses engaged, that we can connect deeply, not just intellectually but energetically. When we do, we become aware of the subtle currents of emotion, fear, and hope that move between us and others. In these moments, in our willingness to open ourselves to vulnerability and trust, we can step into creative communion.
However, it is important to point out that presence is not passive, quite the contrary; it is an act of resistance against the disembodied forces that try to pull us away from ourselves and each other. In a world where productivity and performance are held in high regard, presence reminds us that being with someone, fully aware, is itself a revolutionary act.
Trusting in Enoughness
The metacrisis thrives on the notion of scarcity. We are conditioned to believe that there is never enough—never enough time, resources, or success, not to mention attention. This scarcity mindset drives competition and feeds the ego’s need to outperform and outdo, not only others but ourselves. This is the self-improvement game and this very mindset is what keeps us locked in cycles of isolation and fear.
To move beyond this bind, creative communion calls us to embrace the truth of enoughness, trusting that we are enough and that there is enough. Because authentic connection is fundamentally based on mutuality and thus, not a zero-sum game, we can meet others as we are and they are and for that time being, we step off the treadmill of comparison. This a relieving practice of letting go and releasing the relentless pressure to im/prove ourselves. When we choose communion over competition, we begin to see our individual growth as interwoven with the growth of others. In other words, there is no 'winning' or 'losing'—only evolving together.
However, this is not to say that we reject all forms of ambition or creativity; on the contrary, we transform them. Ambition rooted in communion becomes a force of co-creation, where we strive for collective flourishing, not individual dominance. Creativity, freed from the shackles of ego, becomes an offering to the world - a way to heal and uplift rather than separate and elevate.
The Practice of Mutual Growth
Creative communion is not a utopian dream that denies the complexities of human interaction. Instead, it holds space for the full range of emotions and experiences, including our difficulties and differences. Compassion and accountability go hand in hand in this way of being. As we form deeper connections with others, we inevitably bump up against our shadows and the shadows of those we commune with.
However, rather than turning away from hard conversations, as is so often the case when we face discomfort and judgment, the path of creative communion asks us to stay open and compassionate without abandoning accountability. Instead, we hold space for others’ pain while inviting them into the work of healing by engaging them from a place of love and mutual respect.
By doing this, we create a culture where growth is valued, mistakes are seen as opportunities for learning, and most importantly, the messiness of being human is embraced, not shamed. In a world focused on perfection and competition, creative communion offers the respite of authenticity and care.
Leaning into the Unknown
Perhaps the most difficult challenge in coping with the metacrisis is learning to trust the process. The enormity of global issues can paralyze us with fear and make the work of embodied relationality feel small or insignificant. However, this is where the power of real transformation lies.
When engaging in creative communion, we trust in something larger than ourselves. We trust that small, intentional acts of connection ripple into the world and that healing begins on the micro-level - in moments of presence, deep breaths, and willingness to stay open. And though we cannot see the whole picture, we sense that each act of communion, each step toward embodied presence, is part of a greater unfolding.
In trusting we find resilience. When we practice relational presence, we learn to stay grounded, even when the future is uncertain. We remember that we are part of something much larger than the stories of greed and ego that dominate the headlines. We recognize that we are part of a living, breathing web of relationships and that our choice to show up fully, to commune with others in deep, meaningful ways, is the medicine the world needs now more than ever.
Building a Viable Future through Creative Communion
We can make a choice every day, moment by moment, in how we show up for ourselves, each other, and the world. Choosing embodied relationality is our growing edge. In the face of the metacrisis, it may feel like the work of communion is too slow, quiet, and personal to make a difference, but it is in the small, sacred spaces of connection where transformation begins.
As we practice embodied relationality, trust in enoughness, and show compassion with accountability, we are building a new world—one conversation, one relationship, one act of communion at a time. And in this, we find the opportunity to lean into hope. Not a distant hope in some grand external solution, but a living, breathing realistic hope that grows through us, with each choice to connect, care, and create together.
In essence, creative communion offers not only a way to cope but a way to thrive—to transform the metacrisis into an opportunity for deeper, more meaningful human connection, one which cherishes and builds upon our sacred aliveness.