TribeSteemUP | Community Empowerment: The Time of the Lone Wolf Is Over
Power, Passion, Inspiration
These are words that come to mind as I begin to write my response to the @TribeSteemUp Question posed by @trucklife-family.
The Time of the Lone Wolf Is Over
I get chill as I write that. Let me share this inspirational piece that it came from.
First a little backstory. I read this many years back in an especially transformative time in my life. I was just then beginning to learn about the importance of community and diving into the world of Permaculture. This piece sunk straight into my heart and has influenced me ever since.
"You have been telling people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered…
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for your leader.
Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, “This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.
And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey come to a halt.
The time of the one wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word ’struggle’ from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
--Hopi Elders' Prophecy, June 8, 2000
Andromeda Galax Milky Way Collision
There is obviously a lot here. A lot of inspiration, power, and passion. When I sat down to write this piece, I immediately thought of that phrase: The Time of the Lone Wolf Is Over.
Our Culture has raised many of us to think in a Lone Wolf manner. We talk about hierarchies in terms of who the Alpha is and dominating and having power over others is still a way many try to succeed in our culture.
As it says in this piece, however, that time is over! Gather yourselves! See who is there with you and:
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for your leader.
I think this is an important element.
Our culture is so bent on hierarchies and letting other people lead us so that we don't have to take ultimate responsibility over our lives that many of us have forgotten how to be assertive, challenge authority, question the current systems and gradually and then completely recreate the paradigms by which we live.
Community empowerment is based on the concept that when each of us succeeds and is given the tools and skills to manifest our dreams and visions for the betterment of all, that we're all better off. It celebrates the fact that when we rely upon one another and are "in it together" that we are stronger.
It takes the lone wolf thinking (that if I succeed, there is less success for you) and throws it out the window. It knows that strong bonds create stronger and healthier people.
I like to look at it like an ecosystem.
In our food forests (which we made an extensive post on yesterday which you can see here), there are many members in the plant community. Each brings different elements to the table. For example, around our apple tree, we have plants which bring up nutrients from way down deep in the earth that build the soil around the apple and plants that deter pests, plants that bring pollinators in and the apple which will provide shade for some of these members when it gets big enough.
When studying Ecosystem Management in University, one of the things that stuck out to me the most was that Diversity strengthens ecosystems (this is one of the biggest issues with monoculture farming methods widely used today). In a diversified planting, if one plant gets wiped out, the others still exist- not so when you only have a field of all of one crop. Plus, the differing plants (as specifically pointed out above) support, complement and strengthen one another.
This is just like it can be with humans. We are all unique entities with our own strengths and talents which can support, complement, boost, teach, inspire, challenge, soothe, care for and enliven one another. When we try to go at life alone, we miss out on these strengthening relationships.
Without community empowerment (and this is one the reasons it is so dang important), we try to go through life on our own and we are worse off for it.
We celebrate successes and failures on our own. That may be okay when things are flowing smoothly, but, especially in times of need, community support and connection is one of the most important elements to resiliency. People are on the whole more resilient when they have each other.
In the tasks that we are about - raising conscious awareness around earth-centered, spiritually connected, vibrant and holistic living- we truly need each other. When you're a "black sheep" or other type of misfit or rebel, we really need those strengthening bonds to have the staying power to continue along this path.
Ultimately, when one within a community that seeks to empower each of its members succeeds, more members in the community succeed because that person takes their success and uses it to boost others. This is drastically different than people who "make it" and no longer think about supporting or being connected to others.
Obviously there are many different sectors of life in which we can focus on community empowerment.
In our small rural community, we like to gather often and share food and seeds, exchange ideas, we help out (like a "barn raising") when someone needs help with a project, we're there to listen and support one another in difficult times and celebrate when the good times are rolling.
For this article, however, I want to focus in on Steemit and how @TribeSteemUp specifically is a perfect example of Community Empowerment.
For anyone who has been here a while, you start to learn the "game" of Steemit. No matter how good your posts are, or how often you post, unless you have support of people who have a lot of gathered Steem Power, your account will not grow.
The Tribe Steem Up Model is so revolutionary and the epitomy of Community Empowerment because people like @kennyskitchen and @jamesc have vision to support and boost them. If you're new to what this is all about, let me break it down.
Tribe Steem UP is a community abundance generator. As you know, each Steemian gets 10 100% upvotes per day and after that the Voting Power must recharge (to keep it at a high and efficient level). Many generous people have delegated to the group Tribe Steem UP and and the vote is worth nearly $80 (at 100%) as I type this. Instead of holding onto their own steem power (lone wolf thinking), these generous community minded people have delegated it to the tribe, who write about
| Community Empowerment | Love | Original Music | Esotericism |
| Healthy Recipes | Psychedelics | Truth | Permaculture |
Being a part of the tribe, then, we each get a guaranteed vote each day spreading this abundance. These topics also get more visibility and we are working to be the change we wish to see in this world! This is community thinking at its finest!
At the heart of this is creating a cycle of abundance and gratitude. I know each of us are so thankful to be included in this amazing community effort and, for me, this has the result of cycling that abundance back. I want to grow my account so I, too, can support and empower my community.
This could be replicated all over Steemit! The nature of the Steem Blockchain is ripe for Community Empowerment!
Community Empowerment can be economic and around creating a tribe of like-minded individuals who support one another, as mentioned above, but it can also be about creating spaces where people can come and receive tools and skills to help them on their way.
@thegreens is an incredible member of the Steemit community who is doing just that with his Eco-detergents and upcycled clothing initiatives. He is empowering over 100 individuals to get the skills and tools they need to succeed and is also giving out interest free loans for people to start their own initiatives in their communities. This is also the heart of community empowerment and I get chills when I type it!!
In closing, there are many ways to support each other instead of only looking out for ourselves. The sky is the limit and this paradigm really calls on our creativity to continue to dream big and think of ways we can support one another. One reason I love being on Steemit is that it calls my soul to expand my circle of influence and support and dream up ways I can empower and support others. So thankful for this inspiration!!
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
And we're here together.
banner by @radicalunicorn
What an inspiring post in so many ways. I’ve been hearing more and more about Tribesteemup and it sounds like a great project.
We have previously chatted about the importance of diversity within community and glad to see the concept re-emerge here, as well as the connection with biodiversity. While monocultures are certainly easier, they are not as resilient, nor are they as enriching even while they thrive. I believe that the movement of all life is toward greater diversity, while being careful to still cohere as one “community” of life. We must have harmony within diversity to truly reap the blessings of our infinitely unfolding nature.
yes it is! i've been thinking about recommending you as a member, but they've closed it down for a time while they work out some kinks/reassess. the abundance model could be replicated easily all over the blockchain with enough SP support- that's one thing i LOVe about the blockchain- this abundance paradigm fits perfectly with the technology.
exactly! furthermore, they are only easier in the short term. a forest is easier to maintain than an annual garden (once it matures to a certain point) - that's the whole idea about mimicking their ecoystem structures to create food forests so we don't have to rely so heavily on annual monocropping agriculture.
love your last two sentences. very well articulated.
This is such a wonderful post on so many levels. I am very new to Steemit but the more I explore the more I realize I had no idea what kind of potential this platform had when I first signed up. I was looking for a creative community where everyone's contribution mattered and there was a sense of belonging... this feeling, like you say, that we're all in it together. But with that said I'm still blown away by it all, there's so much more here than I ever imagined! Plus I love how you weave ancient and sacred understanding into this unique and modern space... it's where the old and new worlds meet. So glad I found your blog!
fantastic to hear your feedback! thank you! thank you for witnessing this ancient weaving with the modern. it can seem contradictory to be so about connecting with our natural roots yet spend so much time sharing and having dialogue on a cutting-edge internet technology, but i think the two go together beautifully!
truly, i've been here coming on 6 months and i am learning more and more each day. yesterday i was digging more into the potential of the platform for the future (things to google if you'd like to familiarize yourself: SMTs, hardfork, difference between Steemit and Steem Blockchain) on @lukestokes page (highly recommend following him and reading his stuff often; he is a compassionate witness (maker of blocks on the platform that keep the blockchain going) and I was having my eyes opened. there is so much to this technology and what we are seeing is only the tip of the iceberg.
the abundance generator that is possible on this technology could really transform so much. it just takes many of us believing in it and making it happen- the technology is all there. we literally are all into it together and this model propels that understanding into economic and social realities! glad you're here!!
This is fantastic, I love how you talk about how diversity really strengthens ecosystems and really strengthens are communities, this is so important. Honouring an respecting all our many differences, it is this that bring the wisdom and knowledge to the community knowing we all have something different to offer in our own unique way.
I feel really lucky to be part of TribeSteemUp a true example of how community can really lift one another up. Thank you for sharing your wisdom xx
yes that diversity is where our strength lies! thanks for your kind comment. we feel so blessed to be a part of it too! <3 xoxo
What you are talking here is a great example of how a concept such as the one Steem has can have power enough to bring people together from all over the world.
I really think Steem is just the beginning of a paradigm shift in which people will have a new way to engage online with others by taking advantage of the opportunities that blockchain technology makes possible.
Initiatives like this one not only show the potential Steem has, but it also adds clear value to this blockchain.
Cheers @mountainjewel!
i totally agree that steem is just the beginning of a paradigm shift. it's totally amazing to be an early adopter on this, to see the system now, be a part of such an amazing project as this and to imagine what the future could be like -- how many people can be touched and their lives made easier and better and uplifted through this! amazing!! thanks for stopping by @dedicatedguy :) <3
Beautiful! Working together cooperatively is such a better way than the path we have taken in the past. I'm so glad to be here at the end of competitive, dog eat dog.
I'm so enamored with this space and what we have created. Loving people supporting each other mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. It is making such a huge difference in my life to really feel supported in that way again. It's almost surreal.
<3 it is nearly surreal isn't it... what a blessing!!! it helps me remember too what life can be like and that these abundance systems ARE possible NOW! not in the future, but now and that we are a part of the living proof of that. much love dear <3
Yesssss!! We are absolutely creating a new paradigm, and it thrills me!!
STOPI agree with your comments on community helping with resiliency but also believe sharing your successes makes you stronger. If you share your successes, I think you will consider what challenges you are taking on and why. You will start to think of the community. And helping the community that celebrates your successes with you.
definitely!
This is what I needed. Hugs!
<3 <3 <3