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The Power of the Group

There is a magic that happens when people are brought out of their own little worlds and come together with their peers. Humans and animals have strong powers on their own but when they come out of isolation there is an energy which evolves that takes the group and its members to heights that could not have been reached by the individuals themselves. The mechanics or explanation for this phenomenon is not totally clear to me or anyone that I am aware but a lack of understanding of mechanism should not diminish the truth --- people rise to new heights when connected with others. This concept is a bit contrary to the rugged individualist theme so prevalent in America. Dependence on others is seen as a weakness in our society. However, inter-reliance and connection between individuals actually strengthens each individual and generates a power that could not have been generated by the individuals working alone.

While we await a physicist or scientist of some sort to offer an explanation for the underlying mechanism, we need only to turn to the world of everyday life to find convincing examples that this is true. People exercising together are able to reach higher heights and demonstrate greater endurance when working together as compared to working in isolation. Great athletes only realize their highest potential when they are surrounded by a team that they value more than their own individual accomplishments. Examples of this abound in the world of sports. Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong are two amazing individuals who only realized their massive potentials when surrounded by true supporting casts.

The phenomenon is not limited to sports. In my own experience as a doctor, there is truly NO comparison between the healing benefit that evolves when individuals with common conditions are brought together in a group format as opposed to caring for individuals in the standard fashion. The connection and comraderie which evolve out of the group process propel the individuals upward and above their own suffering. While their own situations may be difficult and challenging, spending time with others in an honest and open forum is healing and helpful in ways that are not easily measured or understood. Numbers may not change and diseases may not be cured but the capacity to manage their own life situation is enhanced by connecting and being cared about by others. The temporary elimination of isolation and loneliness can do an immense service for an individual who has been trapped in fear and locked in their own separate world. Just as the athlete is propelled to a higher height by a training partner, the patient is levitated by the love and caring of others who share similar challenges.

Human life combines known and measurable entities and hidden, unquantifiable factors. We in the modern world like what we can count, measure and see. However, the non-visible forces such as the powers of love, connection, respect and belonging count every bit as much as the numbers. It is our challenge to see the unseeable, to feel what is not palpable and to trust that we do not and cannot know all there is to know about the human experience. If we can come to trust our intuitions, we can take people to new levels of healing with a new kind of support and care.

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