(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)
12. Connectedness
Having a keen sense of being connected with and/or being a part of a larger whole, such as a community, humanity or global ecosystem.
This is one of the items in the IDG framework that is most profoundly intertwined with felt identity. It involves feeling connected to and being a part of a much larger whole. This sense of connectedness more or less automatically leads to a sense of caring for the well-being of the larger whole. Connectedness is therefore strongly linked to commitment to engage in activities that contribute to positive outcomes for the «larger whole». Connectedness is certainly not a specific skill resulting from training. There are probably rather different ways of feeling this kind of connection, from the more pure and immediate feelings of being at one with everything else, that can be induced by psychedelic substances, to more cognitively based forms of connectedness related to holistic/systemic meaning-making, based on knowledge about the interconnectedness of all living things and the physical environment.
Connectedness is linked by many other skills and qualities in the IDG framework, both those that enable the feeling of connectedness to arise, and those that follow from the sense of connectedness: Sense- making, Complexity awareness, Inner compass, Appreciation, Empathy and Compassion, Humility and Inclusive mindset.