Grow in Community
Who is a good fit for SLS?
You lead with curiosity
You value being open and nonjudgmental, because you know that's when you learn the most and experience more fulfilling connections. You seek the deeper "why" behind things, and enjoy learning for its own sake.You are following your own path
You are following an internal compass, no matter where it takes you, even if it leads you down unconventional roads or into challenging experiences. You trust your inner guidance and your felt sense of alignment.You value relationships
Staying in connection is more important to you than winning points in a conversation. You genuinely want to understand other people and easily empathize with people who are different than you.You seek presence & aliveness
You want to experience inner freedom and have worked to heal old wounds and reclaim your innate wholeness, power, and joy. You love the magic that can emerge when you are simply present to yourself and others.You want to grow for its own sake
Whether you call it personal growth, self-development, self-awareness, expanding your consciousness, awakening, inner work, self-healing, or your spiritual path, you are on a journey that you know has no end.You are willing to face the darkness
You dig positivity, but you also know that growth means facing the shadow, healing from trauma, being willing to sit with discomfort and pain, and learning to navigate conflict in a healthy way,You live without masks
You seek authenticity in your relationships, and alignment in your life and career. You value spaces where people feel safe to express vulnerability, and you want to protect and support that in others.You know a better world is possible
You see the world as it could be, and you want to be part of the transformation to a more sustainable, equitable, and compassionate world. It matters to you to live in alignment with your values.Support for your journey
Be your true self
Be who you want to be, in a space where people encourage growth, change, and experimentation.Step into new roles
Practice leadership skills in a safe space. Lead groups, give a workshop, or offer a class and get feedback.Stay on track
Work toward your goals with progress logs, accountability partners, and mastermind groups.Be seen & accepted
The vibe here is that you are OK, no matter what your current or past struggles. Relax, you're among friends.Ask questions
When you get stuck, there is a wealth of knowledge within our members who can help & offer resources, support, & advice.Challenge yourself
Participate in group challenges, or just get inspired by the group energy to reach for new goals or ways of being.Curious, engaged playmates
Be as social as you want to be
Movie watch parties, game nights, book clubs...whatever you are into, you'll find new friends in SLS to bond with and new activities to try.Learn from diverse perspectives
Personal growth spans a wide spectrum, and our members' unique backgrounds make it a fun & dyamic community.Forge lasting friendships
We aim for an environment where it's easy to find and make highly-aligned friendships. We do this by keeping the community small & providing a lot of opportunities to engage.Contribute your talents & wisdom
Share your knowledge and help others in a community that celebrates your individual strengths. SLS is not a guru-led community; everyone is valuable and has something to contribute to the whole.Structure that encourages depth
This isn't social media
No spam, ads, or trolls. We expect everyone to bring their best self and contribute to keeping SLS a healthy place for deep connection.Engage at your own pace
We don't have instant chat, except on Zoom calls. This encourages thoughtful posts that you can respond to on your own time. There is no urgency; engage at a pace that works for you.Invest in your connections
Our yearly cohort model encourages long-term investment in the community. In SLS, everyone is committed to helping each other heal, grow, and succeed.Thoughtful moderation
We work hard to ensure a balance between freedom of expression, safety, and good vibes. Check out our moderation policies (when they are ready!) to see if they are a good fit for you.Answers to your questions...
It means we are still designing the community--the features, policies, activities, etc. The next step will be a Kickstarter, and after we have at least 50 people pledged for the first year, we will start building. People can still join the first cohort until the point we open the doors for our first year.
We will be using Discourse. (not Discord). Discourse is a very user-friendly and flexible forum and community platform. Discourse has apps for both iOS and Android.
This may change, because we are still in the design mode, but we are aiming at $695/year. These details are still being worked out. The cost is directly related to the fact that we want to keep it small.
Our minimum for a yearly cohort is at least 50, and we are aiming at between 100-150. Our goal is to ensure we have a dynamic and diverse mix of members, without it feeling overcrowded. While we encourage active participation, we understand that life can be unpredictable and some members may not be able to engage as much as they'd like or had originally planned. Starting with a larger group allows for an active core group to emerge, even considering the natural ebb and flow of participation.
SLS is founded by Emma Arbogast, who writes at Joy Ninja. She has always been more interested in efficacy than philosophy, and has studied a wide range of psychological and spiritual systems and methods of healing. She has training in NVC, Hakomi, trauma healing, attachment styles, and has worked extensively to heal her own CPTSD and trauma patterning using these methods as well as parts work, shadow work, mindfulness, and a lifelong path of mystical inquiry. Read more on her About page or say hi over on Instagram.
SLS is an inclusive community that warmly welcomes diverse folks, including those who identify as queer, trans, genderqueer, non-binary, polyamorous, kinky, etc. We are pro-human-rights and anti-fascism, and we set boundaries to ensure everyone feels safe and respected. We do not tolerate sexism, racism, bigotry, hate speech, dehumanization, slurs, or any of the 'just asking questions' type of baiting that is common online. We also don't allow conspiracy theories, anti-vax, or pro-Trump content. These boundaries support our goal to create a supportive, engaging space for our members to learn, grow, and connect.
Not at launch, although that may change in the future. However, the feedback we have received from people is that they are full-up on courses and books that they haven't finished. Instead, we plan to host regular live experiential workshops, classes, and discussion groups on focused topics related to self-healing and personal growth.
There are no specific requirements to join SLS, and we welcome people with a range of experience levels and unique journeys through life. However, SLS is not a therapy environment or a support group. What matters most for a good mutual fit is that you have a level of mental health and self-regulation that allows you to show up in community with equanimity and emotional maturity. If you are in crisis, severely dysregulated, or tend to get triggered easily by interacting with other people, we would recommend working with a therapist first.