Joan Halifax’s Flickr stream served up this lovely image of Mayumi Oda that sent me googling to find out the stories behind that smile. Mayumi Oda’s exquisite prints marry Japanese ukiyo-e style with goddesses, sea turtles, and garden scenes. She creates gorgeous thangkas on raw canvas using sumi ink and acrylic paint. She teaches courses in the essence of Hula, permaculture and holistic living in Hawaii. What an amazing woman! I’m looking forward to exploring her books: “I Opened the Gate, Laughing: An Inner Journey,” and “Embrace the Sacred.”