There is a raw and rugged place inside us. A place that remembers the land, the way the earth feels on our bare feet, the flames of fire flickering—casting shadows across the faces of our loved ones as we sat telling stories of our day and sharing our heartfelt sorrows and joys beneath the star-filled sky. This place is a part of our DNA. We know it well, yet for virtually all of us in Western culture today, we have no lived experience of what being a part of a caring village-minded community like this feels like. Many have long forgotten their skeletal memories of such a place and drowned out their hunger for it through the noise of busyness in our fast-paced modern world. Still, they call to us—yearning from the marrow of our bones for a place to be heard, a place to share the depths of what’s true at the core of our being. Our hearts long for place to be deeply met by others who care not only for themselves but for the wholeness and maturation of our culture–from all those who have gone before us to all generations yet to be born.

The old adage, “It takes a village," applies to so many aspects of life. Throughout human history, the birthing of a child and supporting a child's maturation into adulthood was a community responsibility. The same was true for tending to death, loss, and crises of all kinds. Gratitude and grief were skills that people regularly practiced together to keep their hearts tuned and sensitive to the things needing their attention and care. However, in our modern consumer culture, individual growth has taken precedent over developing our capacity for village-mindedness. As our social bonds have eroded over the generations, many people are now left to their own devices in these crucial times of life. Ultimately, the damage caused by our unskillful approach carries over to many other areas of our culture. As our society has become more individualistic, we have grown more isolated, anxious, and illiterate when facing the mysterious and uncertain moments of life. The wounds and burdens that require a village to properly care for are now being thrust upon individuals to carry alone.