Spirituality (Shared Purpose) is Central to Sustainable Communities

Over the past 15 years, and after incubating over 7 sustainable community projects across the globe, I have come to believe a few important things about successful neighborhood, village and civic revitalization. 

My first conviction is that successful sustainability projects, large or small, must always have “spirituality” at its epicenter.   And, by spirituality I mean …..  an inspired connection to something bigger than ourselves; transcendent meaning that helps the whole; or a purposeful effort that restores people, planet, profit and partnerships all at the same time.  

This broader understanding of spirituality may or may not have anything to do with the notion of God or religion; but, it always does have something to do with a sense of shared purpose that inspires and binds people – and project visions - as one.  In this sense, spirituality is the VISION that moves the work forward.  

Visionary spirituality in civic revitalization is distinct because it comes from a greater good and considers the ideas of everyone so that a true culture of shared purpose can be incubated.  Visionary spirituality in civic revitalization also is distinct because it leaves competition at the door.   Through this third eye lens of understanding, every sustainability project across the globe could be spiritual and all it would take is a few good hearts, alongside a purposeful vision.

This isn’t to imply that the monies pouring into cities for football stadiums, tech incubation, hospital expansions, street projects and real estate development aren’t important – but I can guarantee that if these projects would integrate just a bit more intentional spiritual VISION – the ripple affect of revitalization would have a much larger footprint. 

The sad part, however, is that a week doesn’t go by when I do not hear, 'there is chronic lack of inspirational vision' in companies, cities, schools and community organizations.   And this lack of vision yields a hunger for meaning that everyone can feel, even if it is left unsaid.     Without vision, there is no "Destiny" that inspires.   And the thirst is palpable.

My second conviction about spirituality in sustainable development is that it is hard to achieve and rare to sustain.   This is mostly due to the traits of ego, competitiveness and greed that hallmark the history of development projects.  Spirituality, or shared vision, insists the higher cause and our blended work together is more important than self-interest.  But as we know, the good of the collective is hard work and mastering communion at this level requires a unique leader, indeed. 

Over the past 15 years, I have heard hundreds of people say, 'I just want to be a part of something bigger' and I have heard it from the poorest of poor and richest of rich which ALL of us are seeking an experience of meaningful home.   I think that is why the idea of being a beacon community is so appealing:  https://georgiareash.wix.com/beabeacon

Spirituality, when viewed through this shared connectivity lens, is the vibrating, living glue to sustainable development that can be felt on every street corner, every small business, every city youth center, every organic farm, and every new casino.   Because when vision is owned by all, something divine truly has a chance to incubate and, more importantly, sustain itself.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t take a high-end, too expensive consultant to help you realize inspired vision at this level, in spite of what you are sold.   One simple consistent question at the start of every meeting is all you need:

How solid is our shared purpose?

New ideas for a new world.

Georgia Reash

"do it right"