Authentic Online Community

I just finished reading The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron.
It's taken me a while to let it go, to actually finish it.  This book's been instrumental in my reawakening as an artist, as a writer.  I've been savoring it like a good bar of dark chocolate that I'd hide in the corner of a cabinet shelf, or an expensive bottle of red wine aged in an oak barrel.  To be done means "what next?" - and although I have another book waiting to be read, the challenge is to go do something; and although I have been, the truth is, I need to be more consistent with my art and writing.

It's for my own good, really.

I enjoy watching doors open and possibilities happen as connections are made.  I have always wanted to be part of a group that believes in one another, encourages one another, accepts one another, and cheers each other on with our creative, artistic pursuits and deep soul, deep thought yearnings.  When I first started my blog, which wasn't all that long ago, I wrote a post about Why I'm Here, trying to figure it all out myself.

I'm learning and growing through the community I've found online, and although things are not yet crystal clear, they aren't as blurry.  It can be hard because I have this desire to be in deep community, like Julia Cameron describes in the Appendix of The Artist's Way - a "Sacred Circle" of artists who "belong to an ancient and holy tribe," and can "midwive dreams for one another."  A group who can be there to support each other when our dreams seem either too lofty or heavy for us to hold, when we're talking to darkness again, letting it unfold us and do it's work, reminding each other that there are some seeds that can only grow and flower when they receive the right amount of complete darkness, providing the right amount of encouragement and poetry when we don't believe in ourselves and want to give up.

"Moonlight illuminate my night and my days sunray make the people say
And a vision something's missing so they're screaming out loud
Keep my feet on the ground and my head in the clouds."
Matisyahu - Time of Your Song

I get bored (and tired and frustrated) of spending time reading and commenting in places that receive no feedback, or little feedback, or lack actual communication and discussion.  I miss the interactions provided by some college classes when I was still in school, and what I imagine a Creative Cluster of artists would provide in a group going through a book like The Artist's Way together would be like.  In real time, it's not been an opportunity provided; considering the stage of life I am in, online community has been a more realistic pursuit.

So I've been jumping through hoops, looking for colorful, alive places where I can be myself, ask questions, get answers, and be part of something authentic.  What I mean by authenticity in online community is something trustworthy, genuine, real - that back and forth, that being seen, that not making it all about oneself but including others.  Taking time to respond, before jumping to the next thing, noticing readers and their comments, not skipping over anybody, and connecting others to each other, in community.

It can be tricky online, I know this,

but I found some things that are worth my time to be part of. 

I found some places that are authentic, full of communication, and Secret Messages. 

I have found what I am looking for:

Authentic Online Community.

Places to be noticed and notice others who are part of it,

Doing Brave Things,

Sharing Hearts.

This makes it all worth it to me.