Inviting Vulnerability

Immediately upon gathering of a group of twelve strangers in an emptied hotel room, our facilitator urged us to “be vulnerable.” She depicted this vulnerability as torturous — and obligatory. I would be spending eight hours over four days with this group, focusing on connection and personal reflection. I didn’t know anyone. My ignorance turned into ire: what a lazy and self-interested request! Rather than doing the hard work to create trust and…