The Practice of Groundedness by Brad Stulberg

Author:Brad Stulberg [Stulberg, Brad]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2021-09-06T22:00:00+00:00

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Long before today’s heroic individualism and ensuing loneliness epidemic, ancient wisdom noted the importance of deep community. In book eight of his Confessions, the fourth-century Christian theologian Saint Augustine describes his conversion not only as a pathway to a more spiritual life but also as a commitment to a community of people whom he needs and loves. Though many associate Saint Augustine’s spirituality with inner strength and individualism, to him, a self is strong only insofar as it is situated in a community. Throughout his life, he would remark, “I could not be happy without friends.” Friendship gave Saint Augustine’s life meaning. In a famous sermon delivered sometime in the fourth century, he remarked that “in this world two things are essential: a healthy life and friendship.”

Prior to that and eastward, the earliest Buddhist teachings explained that there are three jewels, three fundamental aspects of life that are important to prioritize always: the Buddha, which represents the deep internal awareness in all of us; the dharma, or the teachings of the spiritual path; and the sangha, or the community you are to build along the way.

In a passage appearing in the Pali Canon, one of the oldest remaining Buddhist texts, the Buddha’s loyal attendant, Ananda, approaches the Buddha and asks, “Venerable sir, this is half of the spiritual life, that is, good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship.”

The Buddha replies enthusiastically yet sternly: “Not so, Ananda! Not so! This is the entire spiritual life, that is good friendship, good companionship, good comradeship.”

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