Making Belonging a Practice, Part One
- EB Ferdig
- Sep 6, 2023
- 2 min read
Our topic of the month is belonging, particularly inspired by author and Buddhist teacher Sebene Selassie and her work on the subject. Sebene teaches that we all belong, even though we are sometimes excluded.
The idea is that although systems and people can and do exclude people, based on various factors, some of them including systemic oppression, ignorance, fear and hate, that what we can control is our own sense of belonging: to ourselves and to this earth.
What could belonging to myself look and feel like? Well, perhaps it looks like not being coaxed into the lures of comparisons, on social media and in real life. Perhaps it feels like using this body for what it's capable of doing today, instead of being focused on its shortcomings. Perhaps it means using my strengths and leaning into new ways of doing things that suit my neurodivergent brain, rather than dwelling in inaction because I simply cannot be organized in some, possibly more neuro-typical way.
Maybe belonging to myself means paying attention to that small animal Mary Oliver refers to in Wild Geese:
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves....

What if belonging to ourselves is an acknowledgement of what is? Not just a propping up of the "good," but an acknowledgement of the whole. And perhaps an acknowledgement that a knowing and understanding of our whole self is a gradual process.
Society, families, and cultures we belong to send us all kinds of messages about the ways we should be. And sometimes in pursuit of a sense of belonging, we adhere to those "shoulds". Sometimes consciously, and sometimes unconsciously. And sometimes it becomes difficult to hear, and to feel what that soft animal of your body loves.
Maybe a sense of belonging to ourselves includes getting quiet enough to listen.
And sometimes we learn to listen not by being quiet, but by experiencing a significant loss or life change. When something is shaken up so vigorously that our patterns of adapting to expectations break loose, and what's left is a crack through which that soft animal is peeking through, whispering to us what it wants, what it loves, what it needs.
I like the idea that this kind of belonging, to oneself, could be more important, more grounding, more integrative than being included by other people who are just bumbling along, struggling with their own conditioning, whether knowingly or not.
It does hurt to be and to feel excluded. It's a part of being human, because humans just aren't that evolved, in general. But it's really heartening to know that we can look to ourselves for a sense of belonging. And when we can meet ourselves where we are along this particular path, we just might be able to help others do the same.
****
We hope that this topic feels resonant for you, and that you'll spend some time with us in classes, exploring your own practice of belonging. Find a class and take some time with yourself here.
Planning a vacation? Choose My Travel Case—a trusted name in tours and travels. We provide complete travel solutions including bookings, sightseeing, and visa help for top destinations like Dubai, Europe, Kashmir, and Kerala.
Explore the power of quiet submission with our exclusive mouth gag collection. Whether you're looking to try new fantasies or deepen your BDSM play, Adultscare has the right choice. Buy discreetly and safely.
Data Analytics is the process of examining datasets to uncover patterns, trends, and insights for better decision-making. For comprehensive, real-time training in data analytics tools and techniques, FITA Academy offers industry-focused programs that blend expert guidance with hands-on learning, empowering learners to thrive in today's data-driven world.
Also check: Data Analytics Course in Ahmedabad | Data Analyst Course in Jaipur | Data Analytics Course in Gurgaon | Data Analytics Training in Bangalore
TSO777
SLOT GACOR
SLOT TOTO
SLOT QRIS
TOTO TOGEL
SLOT777
SLOT MAXWIN
SITUS SLOT
SITUS TOTO
SITUS GACOR
SITUS TOTO TOGEL
SITUS SLOT QRIS
SITUS SLOT ONLINE
TSO777 LOGIN
TS77CASINO
TS77CASINO DAFTAR
TSO777SPORTS
TSO777SPORTS LOGIN
GACOR777
LINK ALTERNATIF SLOT GACOR
SLOT88
LINK ALTERNATIF SITUS TOTO GACOR
RTP LIVE SLOT
LOGIN TSO777
DAFTAR TSO777
AGEN TSO777
SITUS TSO777
LINK ALTERNATIF TSO777
LINK TSO777
SLOT TSO777
TSO777 LOGIN
TSO777 DAFTAR
TSO777 AGEN
TSO777 SLOT
TSO777 LINK ALTERNATIF
RTP SLOT HARI INI
tso777 slot login
tso777 agen slot gacor
tso777 alternatif login
rtp tso777
tso777 agen slot
rtp tso777 hari ini
tso777 slot rtp
tso777 rtp
tso777 slot login link alternatif
The idea of belonging really resonates — especially the part about owning our sense of connection to ourselves and the world, even when external systems try to tell us otherwise. It reminds me how personal expression, even through style, can be a small act of self-affirmation.
I recently came across the The Voice S27 John Legend Blue Knitted Polo Shirt , and it gave me similar vibes. It’s subtle yet confident, and something about it feels grounded — like a reminder that style can reflect who we are, quietly but powerfully.