The pandemic may have divided opinions on a lot of topics, but there’s one thing we can all agree on; after 18 months of lockdowns and social distancing measures, we’re painfully aware of just how much we need other people.

John Donne famously said that no man is an island, and that’s never been more apparent than in recent times. As a species we’re wired for connection; it’s how the human race ensures its own survival. We were forming tribes before we’d even learned to walk upright.

Most of us belong to some kind of community. Whether it’s a local running club, a Facebook group for self-employed folk or a choir, that sense of belonging can bring happiness-however small- to many people.

But it’s in challenging times that the importance of community really becomes apparent. Fay Bound Albertini, the author of A Biography of Loneliness, gives insight into why this might be:

“To truly belong to a group or a place, in a way that is psychologically meaningful and encourages resilience, requires more than a shared interest. It demands a sense of shared obligation and commitment, something both emotional and practical.”

In other words, community in its truest sense is more about a bigger purpose. If we return to the idea of tribes, these were formed not only because the members shared certain characteristics or beliefs, but for their own protection. A group of people can share resources and fend off threats more easily; individuals on their own would be far more likely to starve, or to be attacked by animals or other people.

We may not have to worry about saber-toothed tigers these days, but we do have other everyday threats to contend with. Even before the pandemic there was a mental health crisis, and this has only worsened. The effects of loneliness can be devastating; one Canadian study linked loneliness to heart disease, claiming that it was just as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Luckily, the opposite is also true-love and connection have profound healing effects on the mind, body and spirit. It’s why so many people flourish in places like yoga shalas, religious communities or support groups, even if they live alone or far from their families.