A fundamental human 'need to belong' is most obvious from the moment of birth. There needs to someone around to take responsibility for the newborn. The baby needs to belong  to the mother to whom s/he has recently been attached.
As we develop into our life's journey we belong to:  a family, a tribe, a community, a nation state? a team, a friendship group?
At so many levels our sense of identity is moulded by our affiliations, our sense of belonging. As higher primates - like our non-verbal monkey cousins - we thrive in troupes; our very survival requires it.

 

But it's not all plain sailing - the downside is that from that first family (troupe) of birth, and right on through disruptions, losses, estrangements - literally falling out with our groups will severely affect our wellbeing. It can be challenging to our sense of identity, our self-confidence, esteem, and our capacity to be kind to ourselves and others.
And those early damages have a habit of replaying as a preset to how  we will proceed in future group settings.

 

And then there is "the problem with them." Where US is fragile, it can be boosted by 'OTHERISING'. Scapegoating, for example, while incredibly painful for the targeted individual, can bring back a temporary solidarity to a dysfunctional group. 

 And when 'us' is the privileged folks, you can be pretty certain that the socio-economic system that we use will keep 'them' firmly in their place. 

Maybe the biggest tragedy of all is the human species forgetting it's heritage - losing it's sense of belonging within the vast evolutionary tree of life. Worse than that, hacking away at that very tree from which we are fruiting. Otherising our sibling species, our biosphere, subduing the natural order in the name of insatiable accumulation and self-aggrandisement. Architects of the 6'th extinction we are teetering on the edge of noticing that we are included.

 

If ever there was a time for broadening our sense of belonging, our Us'ness - it's right now! 

 

In a series of guided exercises we will meet, learn from each other, and briefly forge a deeper sense of usness from having jouneyed through the workshop together. There maybe take away insights that apply in many other life situations