A cool evening air was descending on the 25-acre farmstead, blowing across the pond, around the barn, through the apple orchard and into the windows of Mike and Jenny Thomas's two-century-old, red brick farmhouse. The dinner hour had come. Edith, five, and George, three, enthusiastically rang a bell hanging near the kitchen door, sending metallic peals back into the early dusk. Mike sat down at the head of a wooden table, his wife at the other end, their four children along the benches between.
Awakening is an experience that many people seek. Indeed, awakening can bring clarity, peace, and insight, but it can also be one of the most difficult experiences that we humans face. Most of us need support on the journey, and many of us have no idea where to go for that support. As someone who "woke up" by accident, I am now devoting a significant portion of my time to helping others navigate this miraculous, yet challenging, journey.