Connected: The Social Brain

As we continue our series Connected, we turn our attention today to the science behind something many of us intuitively feel: we are shaped by our relationships.

In this TEDx Talk, neuroscientist Matthew Lieberman shows that the human brain is literally built for connection. He explains how social pain can register in the brain just like physical pain, and how recognizing this truth can open us to greater compassion, wisdom, and care for one another.

We offer this talk this week, as an invitation to see connection not just as an emotional longing, but as a biological truth woven into who we are—and who we can become together.

Coming soon… Watch the gathering here

Reading - Jim O’Donohue - Irish poet and philosopher

“Our capacity for friendship, love, affection, and belonging are the ultimate expressions of our humanity. The hunger to belong is at the very heart of our nature. When we deny or neglect this hunger, we cause great disturbance in our lives. Belonging is not just a pleasant circumstance; it is a vital and necessary part of being human. Communities of belonging provide us with the warmth and protection needed to become ourselves, to explore our gifts, and to face the challenges of life. When we find a place of real belonging, it awakens something deep within us.”