“The mind is always seeking zones of safety, and these zones of safety are continuously falling apart. The opposite is when all the walls fall down, the cocoon disappears and we are totally open to whatever happens. That’s what stirs us and inspires us: leaping, being thrown out of the nest, going through the initiation, growing up, stepping into something that’s uncertain and unknown.” Pema Chödrön, The Wisdom of No Escape I’ve been living in a cabin in Woodstock, New York this summer. Here in the forest, it’s been raining nonstop with frequent thunderstorms. There are swarms of gnats, mosquitos, ticks and bees. We have one black bear who forages our garbage at night. Also, two deer and their fawns, one rabbit and a hare. Some days, the humidity exasperates me. I sit on the

The curious part about going to church when I was younger was when the priest told us to turn to our neighbor and greet them. Sometimes, I’d feel shy if I was standing around a bunch of strangers, but afterwards, I always felt a stronger sense of community. Making eye contact, smiling, and touching a stranger’s hand can feel intimidating but from time to time, I’d notice how others around me would help me relax by making the first move. This, I appreciated tremendously. It was a gift on their part, an offering. They were telling me, It’s okay, I’m safe. In this moment, we are family. Many of us, across the globe, have experienced loss, displacement and other types of radical change. This upheaval can separate us from this safe feeling of being at