I’m not great in groups, but apparently the Universe doesn’t care.   After talking to clients all day long, I just want to go home and stay there.  So when the whispers of the Universe challenged me to start a Spiritual Book Club, I listened begrudgingly and put it out there.  I got 14 responses which is kind of a lot for this little town.  This introvert would now have to put her big girl pants on and socialize.  Little did I know how life-changing this experience would be.  

Our meeting was coming up and we had been reading The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.   Saying ‘I struggled with this book’ is an understatement   That’s the beauty/problem with a book club, with commitment comes commitment. And since I”m a rule follower, it follows I would force myself to read it.  The poetry and artistry of this bestseller was beyond me.  I’m ridiculously literal so metaphors are not my jam.   I plugged along through the book trying to find some meaning.   Where are the how-to lists?  Where are the definitive answers to my incessant meaning-of-life questions?  Why does this book sound like the Bible?  Kahlil, throw me a bone!   I felt clueless and wondered how could I possibly lead this group.  So I did what every poetry-adverse human would do:  I Googled a cheat sheet and took notes on it. There you go, Julie, you’ve got this.    

The women arrived and we settled in.   I fessed up immediately.   This former Catholic Girl has zero poker face and I cannot tell a lie. I wasn’t about to bumble my way through this one or pretend I understood why millions of other readers loved this book.  All the preparation in the world wasn’t going to help me.  Google proved not to be my ‘phone a friend.'  I was dreading this.  

Then something unexpected happened.  The women in the group picked out favorite passages and interpreted them for me.  They shared without reservation.  We were laser-like present, inquisitive and non-judgmental. We gave each other space and because of this space, we grew closer.  We wanted to hear each other and learn.  We challenged one another but not in a competitive way, in a supportive way.  We laughed.  We cried.  We reflected.   We were what Brené Brown refers to, in her multi-million viewed Ted Talk, as vulnerable. Suddenly, Mr. Gibran’s work was making sense and I could see the beauty. She CAN be taught!

This experience made me think of Priya Parker, the author of The Art of the Gathering. In it, she refers to a Japanese saying Ichi go, Ichi e, (pronounced Icthy go Itchy A). It means “one opportunity, one encounter” or “for this moment only.”  Set as an intention, it brings a deep sense of sacredness to the present. Every moment is fleeting.  Every moment will never happen again. Life is fleeting. Revel in it.  Ichi go, Ichi e. That day in my book club, we didn’t set this intention, but it felt like we did.  Presence made this meeting special and uniquely beautiful.  We walked out knowing we were somehow changed by this experience.  

Now, imagine taking this concept to your next meeting, book club, or coffee with a friend; giving this kind of space, support and curiosity, this kind of deep presence, filled with reverence and beauty.  It’s the difference between making a moment memorable or not.  Set the intention “Ichi go, Ichi e.” All of these moments will feel more connected, fulfilling and uniting.

I’m so thankful those Universal whispers were loud enough for me to hear.  The power of the collective is exponentially more powerful than the one.