Some ask if I have family, and each time I joined a spiritual community, I felt like I had a family who not only appreciated me, but also shared my values.

And Aria, goes on to support this with a caveat.

When you mention joining a spiritual community and feeling like you had a family who appreciated you and shared your values, it aligns with ACIM’s emphasis on the importance of joining with others in a spiritual sense. These relationships can provide a supportive environment where you can grow spiritually and learn from one another.

However, ACIM also reminds us not to form attachments to specific individuals or groups. While spiritual communities can be beneficial, it is important to remember that true spiritual relationships go beyond the physical and transient aspects of life. ACIM encourages us to see everyone as deserving of love and forgiveness, regardless of their affiliation or whether they share our values.

The Course teaches that the highest form of relationship is a holy relationship, which is based on the recognition of the shared divinity within each individual. It goes beyond personal desires and expectations and seeks to heal the separation we perceive between ourselves and others. In a holy relationship, love and forgiveness are extended unconditionally, and both individuals support each other’s spiritual growth and awakening.

So, while joining a spiritual community and experiencing a sense of family and shared values can be enriching, it is also important to remember the universal nature of spiritual relationships and extend love and forgiveness to all beings, regardless of their affiliations or beliefs. ACIM invites us to see everyone as part of our spiritual family and to cultivate holy relationships based on the recognition of our shared divinity.