Each of us has always been a part of a group. We are born into a family which becomes group.  As we continue through life, our groups expand and contract, but mostly expand. There is our religious group, classmates, the other nerds, braniacs, athletes, national honor society members and on and on.... From the gym community to the garden club and on to our political party, we are group heavy.

Belonging to a group is a wonderful thing-- until the group/s begin to erode our truth... and we silence our truth to continue to "belong."

What happens to...

• the Muslim who decides he will pray 3 times a day and not the mandated 5 prayers per day?
• The Jewish woman who comes to believe in Jesus? The Christian who feels an alignment with Buddhism?
• The fur-maker who wants to join PETA?
• The Fortune 500 CEO who wants to spend more time with his/her family?
• The strictly-raised Catholic who chooses to live an openly gay life?
• The Democrat who feels the unmistakable pull to vote for the Republican or the Republican who feels the integrity and promise in a Democratic candidate?

What potentially happens when you honor your truth and that truth differs from the group's? Well, the group quite often disappears.  It can be lonely until you find another group that fits with your truth. Of course, you can stay in the old group and not honor your truth and convince yourself that the group's needs are more important than your own. You can also stuff your spirit's mouth with a sock to fit in with the group, be accepted, validated and "safe" within its bounds.

You are born into some groups and some you have selected by choice as you've grown up. Either way, groups have an often unspoken code of belonging. Saying yes to membership within the group implies you are signed on with the rules of belonging. Whether negative, positive or neutral-- your group's values and way of being are expected to be yours. But if they are not really yours, the group controls you and even owns you.

A terrifically wonderful gift you can give to yourself is to honestly assess the groups you belong to and decide if the "energy" of the group is aligned with yours. Decide if the contribution and beliefs of the group are a good fit with what you want your legacy to be. And then, consciously participate in the groups that are aligned with your truth. What you will find is a beautiful phenomenon. Departing from one group allows you to find alignment in another. Honoring your truth becomes a compass for you--to find a group that you can step with, chin held high, on the road to your happy place.

All the best!

Rena M. Reese
Founder, Soul Salon International