This past week was spent at the Karuna Institute with 14 other people who have been on a life journey with me for almost two years. Many unforgettable moments together, many more precious learnings. Synchronicity and serendipity, or perhaps karma, brought us together and in that space we had the opportunity, support and holding to visit places of vulnerability and divinity within ourselves that wouldn't have been possible without an unbudging commitment to authenticity and connection.

My deepest appreciation to all of you -- Denise, Di, Dirk, Franklyn, Heather, Ian Rees, Ian Strang, Jen, Lama Lobsang, Maggie, Mari, Marianne, Maura, Ng Yin, Robyn Michele.

Class photo: [Back row, from left] Dirk, Ian Rees (tutor); [Middle row, from left] Mari, Di, Marianne, me, Robyn Michele, Denise, Ian Strang; [Front row, from left] Heather, Ng Yin, Franklyn (tutor), Maggie, Maura (tutor)

Wooden boddhisattvas that I carved to represent and give to each person, including Lama Lobsang, a Tibetan monk who is a friend, and who although is not part of the class, feels like an essential companion on this journey for me: [Back row, from left] Dirk, Ian Strang, Di, Heather, Ng Yin, Mari, Maggie; [Front row, from left] me (carved by Ogasawara Sensei), Ian Rees, Lama Lobsang, Marianne, Maura, Franklyn, Robyn Michele, Denise