top of page

Joy is Sacred; Joy is Resistance: Wisdom for Collective Care

Writer's picture: Rev. Marshall K HammerRev. Marshall K Hammer

You know that feeling when everything seems to be crumbling around you? When surreality is actually reality? When the weight of systemic oppression feels so heavy, it's hard to breathe, like you suddenly forgot how to take a deep, full breath? When the news cycle brings fresh waves of your rage and despair cycle that make us want to scream and break things and then curl up and hide away?


Well, that's precisely when joy becomes not just an act of survival but a sacred form of resistance.


I'm not talking about toxic positivity here (goodness knows we don't need more of that). This isn't about pretending everything is fine when it isn't. Rather, this is about understanding something that communities have known throughout time – that maintaining our collective joy, our connections, and our care for each other is itself a powerful form of resistance against systems designed to isolate and exhaust us.


The Sacred Art of Collective Joy


There's something almost magical (and I mean that in a grounded, earthly way) about what happens when communities gather together. When we cook, sing, create art, or simply be together, we're doing so much more than just passing the time – we're weaving a social fabric strong enough to hold entire communities together.


Think about it: Every time we gather for a communal meal (even if it's just coffee and whatever snacks we can rustle up), every time we share stories and laughter, every time we teach our children our traditions and languages, we're engaging in acts of cultural preservation and resistance. These moments of joy aren't frivolous – they're sacred. And sometimes, they're what keep us going.


scrabble blocks all turned backward except three spelling JOY

Image by WOKANDAPIX/Pixabay


What We Can Learn From Communities That Keep Going


I've been thinking a lot about what we can learn from communities that have maintained their strength through impossible times. (And sometimes the "impossible" becomes possible when we're together...the together part had been a major hope driver for me.)


Here's what keeps showing up in these stories:


Start Where You Are (Really, Right Where You Are)


You don't need perfect conditions or abundant resources to begin building community care networks. Sometimes it starts with just sharing meals with neighbors, or organizing informal childcare swaps, or teaching each other the skills our grandparents knew. Maybe it's starting a tiny window box garden, or sharing family recipes, or creating space for elders to tell their stories.


Build Deep, Not Wide (Quality Over Quantity, Always)


I've learned a beautiful truth from those who are a helluva lot better organized than I am: Strong networks often start with just 5-8 households supporting each other. That's it. Not hundreds of people, not whole neighborhoods – just a small group of folks committed to having each other's backs. These small groups can then connect with other small groups, creating resilient webs of support that grow organically (like mycelium under the forest floor, connecting everything in ways we can't always see).


Make Joy Intentional (Yes, Even – Especially – Now)


In times that feel heavy, scheduling joy might seem strange. But think of it as tending a garden – we have to plant the seeds of connection intentionally:

- Community meals (even if they're simple)

- Music and dance nights (in living rooms, in backyards, wherever we can)

- Storytelling circles (our stories are medicine)

- Art-making sessions (remember, we all made art as children)

- Cultural celebrations (keeping traditions alive)

- Knowledge-sharing workshops (we all have something to teach)


Create Multiple Ways to Participate (Because We All Have Different Gifts)


Some of us are good with our hands, others with our words. Some have space to share, others have time to give. Some can teach, others can organize, and others still might contribute through emotional support or simply by showing up consistently. All of these gifts matter. All of these contributions create the whole.


Practical Steps (Because We Need Both Dreams AND Plans)


1. Start mapping your community's resources and skills (you might be surprised at what's already there)

2. Create regular check-in systems with neighbors (and/or friends & chosen family, family)

3. Organize skill-sharing sessions (from cooking to car repair to emotional first aid)

4. Build emergency response plans (hope for the best, prepare for reality)

5. Establish community spaces (formal or informal – someone's porch can be a revolution)

6. Create systems for sharing resources (meal trains, childcare swaps...Asheville has a wonderful Tool Library)

7. Document and share knowledge (our collective wisdom is precious)


Remember: The goal isn't perfection. The goal is a connection, resilience, and yes – joy.


A Note About Trust and Safety


While building community networks, we need to:

- Build trust gradually (like warming up cold muscles)

- Respect privacy and boundaries (some of us need more space than others)

- Create appropriate verification systems (safety is sacred too)

- Protect vulnerable community members (we're only as strong as our most vulnerable)

- Balance openness with security (it's a dance, not a destination)


For Allies and Supporters


If you hold privilege and want to support marginalized communities:

1. Follow the lead of affected communities (really follow, don't try to lead)

2. Offer resources without attempting to control how they're used

3. Use your privilege to create protected spaces

4. Show up consistently, not just in crisis (we remember who's there in the quiet times)

5. Listen more than you speak (so much more)

6. Commit to long-term solidarity, not just short-term charity (this is a marathon, not a sprint)


Moving Forward Together


In times that feel impossible (and don't they often feel that way lately?), our strongest resource is each other. By building networks of care and maintaining our collective joy, we create the resilience needed to face whatever comes. We honor those who came before us by carrying forward their lessons in community care and resistance through joy.


Remember: Every meal shared is an act of resistance. Every skill taught is an act of preservation. Every moment of joy is a sacred declaration that we are here, we matter, and we will continue to thrive together.


On that note about working together, this song often helps me up. It's a surprise for you and it's not going to make everything bad go away. But it might make you smile and it might get stuck in your head. Either way, I doubt you're going to feel absolutely nothing. It might provide a little bridge to more balance in your body/mind/spirit for these times.


I highly recommend a playlist of songs that bring that joy and balance in (loudly) for you.


---


The words of Angela Davis at a recent SURJ event inspired this piece, where she reminded us that we can learn profound lessons from communities around the world who have maintained their resistance through generations. Their persistence in both struggle and joy offers crucial lessons for us all.


---


Some links that may come in handy right now:



Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Reiki for Today

​

By Appointment Only

Tuesday-Saturday
 

Treatment Office:

Park Place Office Building

70 Woodfin Pl, #301-B

Asheville, NC 28801
 

828-585-5995

marshall@reikifortoday.com

​

insta & fb: @reikifortoday

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
Patreon image

HOME

Book Online

Care Plans

Animal Reiki

Racial Justice

What is Reiki?

About Marshall

the Listening Room

Instagram

Facebook

Patreon

No mobile or personal information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

© 2024 by Copper Hammer Productions LLC

bottom of page