Feeling accepted into a community is one of the “higher up” items in the Maslow hierarchy of human needs. I’ve worked with magicians for nearly 30 years now, and the extent to which magic forms the basis for common interests and community continues to astound me. From the day 30 Hong Kong magicians greeted our plane on my first trip to Hong Kong with Jeff McBride to the incredible welcome the Bay Area magic community offered when I moved here from Las Vegas–I’ve been blessed by this community that reaches out and shares so readily.
So–what is your favorite community? Where to do you go when you need to feel like you’re part of something larger than yourself? If you can’t think of one, perhaps it’s time to figure out the things you love most in life, and find a group who shares your interests. Whether it’s just an online group. one that meets regularly in person, or something else–we are naturally social animals, and the extent to which you get out there and offer your strengths and experiences to a like-minded group, the healthier your emotional being is likely to be!
That said, I think it’s important when we choose our groups to choose ones that encourage inclusivity, that want to serve the larger society. There are groups built around insularity and negativity (for example, the KKK), and if you’re getting your group support from a community like that, you’re also cutting yourself off from most other groups. That “I’m OK, you’re NOT OK,” attitude is a recipe for struggle and strife, and not for the good health of the larger community.
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