There are many benefits to living in community in addition to helping each person to find his or her life purpose. Living in community can create the acceptance and support that many people in the West long for. It can also help people to step outside of their own worries because they are held in love by many others. Malidoma Somé states, "In community, the needs of the one are the needs of the many. In community, one does not worry excessively about one's intimate relationships because you are not left to confront your problems alone." (91)

Connecting To The Human Community: The Dalai Llama often reminds people that each being desires happiness and does not wish to suffer. Once we begin to recognize this similarity that all beings share, we can feel greater empathy towards other people. We then view our lives and work not just from the individual perspective, but from the global perspective of humanity. We feel responsible for the well-being of all humans. In the Dalai Llama's words, "Universal responsibility is the best foundation both for our personal happiness and for world peace, the equitable use of our natural resources, and, through a concern for future generations, the proper care for the environment." (http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/2077?print=1)

Malidoma Somé says, "Nature is the foundation of indigenous life. Without nature, concepts of community, purpose, and healing would be meaningless. The idea of a person born with a purpose, a purpose that needs to be supported by an active community presence, and the idea of working with subtle energies for balance and healing would be only grandiose notions in the absence of nature as the playground, as the school where the children can play and study." (37)