Connection is vital for learning. It allows us to be present to ourselves, to the material we are hoping to learn or teach, to those who are teaching us, or those we seek to teach. From a place of curiosity, we can truly connect with ourselves and each other. 

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When we fear judgment, we cannot allow ourselves to be vulnerable, so cannot be present in the way sincere connection requires. If we look closely with loving concern and open heartedness, we can truly see and be seen, connect, and open to new possibilities of learning new skills, attitudes, and knowledge, creating new connections in the brain.

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We must also make connections about the realities in our lives, to understand that we all do the best we can given the conditions we live and learn in – and these may be unjust. If we want ourselves or others to change, we need to change those conditions. 

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To truly connect we must understand problems are not located in the individual, but in society: the conditions of our lives have shaped our brains and nervous systems, which continue to respond to circumstances.