“Our bodies know that they belong; it is our minds that make our lives so homeless. Guided by longing, belonging is the wisdom of rhythm. When we are in rhythm with our own nature, things flow and balance naturally. Every fragment does not have to be relocated, reordered; things cohere and fit according to their deeper impulse and instinct. Our modern hunger to belong is particularly intense. An increasing majority of people feel no belonging. We have fallen out of rhythm with life. The art of belonging is the recovery of the wisdom of rhythm.” ― John O’Donohue, Eternal Echoes
This modern catch phrase has been bugging me for a while because it has transmogrified several times over from the original definition of tribe. The basic definition of a tribe is “a social group made up of many families, clans, or generations that share the same language, customs, and beliefs” and if you extrapolate this and search for the definition of tribe from the scholarly sociological context, it is defined as “a social group bound together by kin and duly associated with a particular territory; members of the tribe share the social cohesion and associated with the family together with the sense of political autonomy of the nation.” (Oxford Dictionary of Sociology). The word tribe or the phrase tribal societies conjure up images of indigenous groups with a strong, closed cultural heritage that is fiercely protected, and these groups are often located in remote and protected areas, isolated by choice in order to retain the purity of the culture and lineage.
In the modern internet-driven world that we live and thrive in, a tribe is no longer defined by a common culture, heritage or blood line, but rather common interests, occupation or character. They don’t even have to be physically or geographically in the same place to be considered a tribe either, as long as they have a common platform to communicate in. In some cases, you don’t even have to use your own face, but can assume an avatar or character of your choice. Initially this bothered me tremendously until I reflected more on the subject, realising that it was fundamentally all about belonging. Naturally, I turned to John O’Donohue’s writings – just because you are linked to a group by language or blood doesn’t make you feel that you belong, and more often than not, you see migration patters around the globe based solely on this precept.
The pandemic definitely gave rise to a new breed of tribes, one entirely based on the internet that are referred to as internet or digital tribes, and there is no age restriction to this anymore. Once upon a time this was something associated only to gamers, but 2020 changed everything. Isolation forced many online to connect to loved ones, or find online groups to communicate with just to belong and not go completely insane, regardless of whether you had online classes or work from home setups. This therefore begged the question, who is your tribe and where do you find them?
On a pragmatic level, you would start looking into local or digital interest groups that not only peak your interest, but light a fire within you. You will recognise your tribe when you feel at home from the very beginning. There is a plethora of tribes out there waiting for you to find your way to them, and at first they may not seem to match the mental image you had of the ideal tribe, but if you keep an open mind and transcend the traditional social barriers, you will realise that belonging is something that emanates from the soul and sparks a meeting of the minds and ultimately, eradicate that mental and emotional homelessness that you find yourself stuck in. Once you find your tribe, you will find the your “wisdom of rhythm” that John O’Donohue refers to, and that culminates in purpose.
For Belonging
May you listen to your longing to be free.
May the frames of your belonging be generous enough for your dreams.
May you arise each day with a voice of blessing whispering in your heart.
May you find a harmony between your soul and your life.
May the sanctuary of your soul never become haunted.
May you know the eternal longing that lives at the heart of time.
May there be kindness in your gaze when you look within.
May you never place walls between the light and yourself.
May you allow the wild beauty of the invisible world to gather you, mind you, and embrace you in belonging.
— John O’Donohue
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