Culture Guide
Welcome to the CONNECTIONBLISS Culture Guide, where we outline the guiding principles that define our community. These principles serve as a framework for fostering empathy, understanding, and responsibility, helping each member thrive within a compassionate and respectful environment. Together, we cultivate a space where everyone can explore meaningful connection as a foundation for personal growth and spiritual development.
WHO WE ARE
- Spiritual / Mystical
- Growth-Oriented
- Kind
- Responsible Adults
- Health-Conscious
- Great Listeners
- Emotionally Attuned
- Connection Lovers
WHO WE ARE NOT
- Judgemental
- Pushing Political Agendas
- Overtly Religious
- Overtly Athiest
- Conspiracy Theorists
- Engaged in Drug / Substance Use
- Cynical or Self-Loathing
- Connection Avoiders
Community Principles
Compassionate Love
At the heart of our community is the principle of Compassionate Love. We thrive within the genuine connections we cultivate together, rooted in mutual respect, empathy, and understanding. We strive to support each other through both highs and lows, recognizing that authentic relationships can require effort, patience, and compassion.
At CONNECTIONBLISS, Compassionate Love means sustaining a foundation of goodwill and kindness in all our interactions. Our practice is to develop deep empathy and understanding for one another. Compassionate Love also embraces healthy boundaries as well as open, honest communication. Remember, Compassionate Love includes loving and caring for yourself, too.
Collective Support
The CONNECTIONBLISS vision is to create a supportive environment where each member feels they can turn to the community in times of need. One of our core cultural guidelines is to practice Collective Support. This means that if you need a phone call or want to connect with somebody, we encourage you to share your request in the group messenger chat instead of reaching out to specific people.
This way, the entire community has the opportunity to respond and support you. It ensures that no single person becomes overwhelmed with requests and gives everyone a chance to offer their help if they’re available. While someone may invite direct contact and we certainly encourage interaction, our primary goal is to cultivate a strong, supportive bond with the community as a whole. This Collective Support approach helps us build a more resilient network, where support is shared and everyone benefits.
Ask Consent
Consent / noun /
Permission for something to happen or agreement to do something.
In our community we respect each member as an individual with their own choices. Our Ask Consent guideline reminds us that every interaction is optional and that you always have the opportunity to say yes or no. This Ask Consent principle fosters a culture of mutual respect and clear communication.
What does this look like? Ask questions before engaging! For example, asking “Would you like a response?”, “Can I share what’s going on for me?” or “Would you like a hug?” are ways of giving the other person choice, not assuming the answer is yes. This way, we ensure that everyone’s personal freedom is respected.
Sober Minds (Substance Free)
In order to connect with depth and sensitivity, we practice a sober-minded approach to connection and interaction. In your personal life, we respect each member’s freedom to make choices that serve their growth. When engaging with the community, we clearly ask, please do so from a state of sobriety—free from the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any mind-altering substances. This practice is vital to creating a safe, supportive environment, especially for members who are in recovery from past addictions. By showing up sober, we contribute to a space where everyone can feel grounded, present, and connected in a meaningful way.
Peer-Support Is Not Therapy
Please be aware that peer-support is not the same as therapy. If a member is experiencing significant emotional distress we strongly encourage them to seek help from a licensed mental health professional. Our community is not equipped to help people navigate crisis or trauma.
Please use good judgment when sharing emotions and life experiences with the group. Our goal is to share our past, present, and future in ways that promote clarity, emotional regulation, and self-connection. Overwhelm, dysregulation, or a sense of being consumed by a memory can be beyond our community’s capacity to handle appropriately, as we are not trained professionals.
For example, it is appropriate to say, “I had a really deep session with my therapist yesterday; we touched on a lot of my childhood traumas.” However, it is not appropriate to process emotionally charged flashbacks or similarly intense emotional material within our peer-support community.
Know When You Can Support Others
Our Connection Sessions are spaces for both giving and receiving support. We come together to share our experiences and hold space for others to do the same.
It’s important to recognize that on some days, we may feel too overwhelmed or triggered to participate effectively. Before joining a session, take a moment to ask yourself, “Do I have the emotional space to listen to others today?” If the answer is no, we encourage you to skip the session and send a message to the group, letting us know you’re not able to participate that day and, if you’d like, asking if anyone has space for a 1-on-1 conversation. This way, the community can support you with the understanding that you need to be on the receiving end, without the expectation of you offering support in return.
Sometimes, we may not realize just how upset we are until we’re in the session. If it becomes apparent that someone is too dysregulated to effectively engage, it’s appropriate to gently bring this to their attention. You can say something like, “I notice you seem really upset. Would you prefer to stay on after the session for more focused support, or arrange a follow-up call later on?” This ensures that the session remains a balanced space while still offering the necessary support to those in need.
Ultimately, our sessions are most successful when everyone who joins has the capacity to listen to others. And on days when we’re unable to, the community is here to provide support in a more focused setting outside of group sessions.
We Don't Save Each Other
The CONNECTIONBLISS community is like a climbing frame—an interconnected network of relationships designed to elevate our lives. This structure exists to help each of us reach new heights, but the journey upward is yours to take. It’s crucial to understand that your personal growth within the community is your own responsibility. We must actively choose to make meaningful connections and put in the effort to grow. The frame won’t reach down to lift you—you must engage with it.
Each member is both a benefactor and a vital part of the structure that helps others climb. It’s neither required nor appropriate to pull others up, especially when they’re facing significant challenges. We don’t “save” each other; instead, we offer a stable, supportive system that members can choose to use. Ultimately, the responsibility for growth lies with each of us.
Hold Agreements, Not Expectations
Agreements are explicit, consensual commitments made between two parties. Expectations are subconscious assumptions of how someone else should act. We encourage all members to be mindful of any expectations we may develop towards the community, other members, and staff. In our community, members are accountable only to the agreements they explicitly make. You are not responsible for unspoken or assumed expectations created by others.
For example, expecting a call from someone without having an explicit agreement that they will call is not supportive behavior. Instead of assuming, make clear agreements to ensure everyone understands and agrees to their commitments.
Embrace The Discovery
CONNECTIONBLISS is a space that encourages the exploration of meaningful interaction, going deeper than typical social settings. We invite each member to Embrace The Discovery, recognizing that we don’t have all the answers and are constantly learning. Connection at this level of depth can at times be challenging. Each of us plays a vital role in shaping our collective understanding of what it means to relate to one another. Your active participation helps foster an ever deeper sense of community.
In addition to this Culture Guide, please read our full Membership Agreements.