For one week this summer, a group of kindred spirits around the globe will gather for a virtual learning journey on one of life's most inevitable and evasive experiences -- death and dying.

Recently, a stirring circle of stories with hospice founder Maki Saionji Kawamura left many of us brimming with deeper reflections on death and dying, and grief and grace. Among the many insights, a palpable question surfaced: How does our relationship to death influence our way of life?

Throughout the pandemic, death has been jolted to the center of our collective human experience, as families everywhere grapple with the loss of 3.8+ million loved ones. Facing the end of life dispels our sense of solidity to it. As we empty into that uncertainty, can we discern a fuller sense of the infinite?

This weeklong peer-learning journey will engage a series of reflections around questions like: Amid loss and grief, how do we tune into a deeper ground of resiliency? What tools can anchor us in a greater wholeness in the face of life's inevitable impermanence? How do we even begin to converse with loved ones on the all-too-often taboo subject of death? How have cultural and faith traditions inspired solace in the ambiguity of what lies beyond one's final breath? How can a greater consciousness of death nurture deeper expressions of life?

How it works: Every day, you'll get a prompt with 'head' content, a 'hands' practice, and 'heart' reflection question to engage. Everyone submits reflections daily, and then reads and comments on each other's submissions to build on the group wisdom. Our pod will begin with a group orientation call, and end with a closing call.

If you are moved to explore these questions collectively, with kindred friends from wide-ranging contexts around the globe, please apply to our Pod below. Among our pod hosts is the remarkable peace leader, former doctor, hospice founder, and mother of three -- Maki Saionji Kawamura!

Pod Timeline

To join, simply fill out the form below. As the circle host approves your application, you will receive a welcome email with your login information and next steps.