NEWTOWN, Pa., Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Trauma survivors now have a forum to foster support and camaraderie with the newly unveiled community that encourages spiritual healing and transformation. The Stoopville Farms Communityis the first of its kind to unite spirituality and healing in a forum that allows visitors to anonymously dialogue about their journeys toward healing.

(Logo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121009/PH87256LOGO )

The site was founded by victims of trauma who wished to create a safe place for fellow survivors to come together and heal from rape, sexual abuse, depression, addiction, chronic illness, war, loss, grief, bullying, hurt and other difficult or traumatic experiences. "Being a trauma survivor can feel so lonely and isolating," says a founder, inspired by close-knit farming communities of the past, where barn raisings and crop plantings were done with the help of others. "Here we are helping to seed transformation. Our online community creates a safe place to interact with others, allowing visitors to dialogue and explore their path toward healing and spiritual growth."

Instead of revealing personal names, visitors choose an "avatar" to maintain anonymity. Members share with, learn from, and empower one another on their quest for healing and growing. In addition to sharing, users can read blogs, find information about spirituality, meditation, self-love practices, healing and more.

Stoopville Farms offers visitors a unique experience as it does not tell people how to live or what to believe but rather creates an opportunity for visitors of any faith to explore their own spirituality through a wide variety of traditions and practices, augmenting their own path to healing, recovery and growth. The site is nondenominational and encourages participation and exploration from people of any faith or spiritual tradition.

The website store, http://www.StoopvilleFarms.com, sells high quality, unique products relating to traditions and spirituality. These products, introduced with stories written by Healing Farmer, include items such as jewelry, incense, candles, music, pottery, artwork as well as kits with instructions for special meditations and prayers to inspire daily spiritual practice. The Stoopville Farms store will also give users an opportunity to make charitable donations to organizations that are aligned with Stoopville Farms' mission. These organizations include Heifer International, an organization dedicated to ending poverty and hunger, Laurel House, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence and their families, and RAINN: Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, which works with rape crisis centers around the country to help survivors heal and cope. Stoopville Farms will also be matching any donation made by customers.

Stoopville Farms is a private organization headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania, dedicated to seeding transformation and promoting spiritual healing. Founded in 2012 by victims of trauma, it is the first of its kind to unite spirituality and healing in a forum that allows visitors to join discussions under unanimous avatars and find support towards healing from rape, depression, addiction, chronic illness, war, loss, grief, and other difficult or traumatic experiences. For more information: http://www.Stoopvillefarms.com.

Amanda Bruck anbpr2013@gmail.com (267)-716-4848

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Stoopville Farms: Online Healing Community For Trauma Survivors

Monday October 8, 2012

Workshops set for West Virginia Institute for Spirituality

West Virginia Institute for Spirituality has scheduled two workshops for October.

"The Enneagram for Professional Helpers" with the Rev. Vernon McNear is set for 2:30 to 9 p.m. Friday.

Registration is at 2 p.m. Continuing education credits are available for social workers, registered nurses and licensed professional counselors.

Dinner will be provided. The program will be at WVIS, 1601 Virginia St. E., in Charleston.

"The Spirituality of Story" with the Rev. Christina St. Clair will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Blessed John XXIII Pastoral Center, 100 Hodges Road in Charleston.

Continuing education credits are available for social workers, registered nurses and licensed professional counselors. Lunch will be provided.

Suggested offering for each program is $50 for CEU applicants and $40 for others.

West Virginia Institute for Spirituality has scheduled two workshops for October.

See the article here:

Workshops set for West Virginia Institute for Spirituality

Westside Christian Church, at 537 W Elm St. in Republic, will host the fourth Sunday of its six-week Sunday Night Revival beginning 6 p.m. Sunday.

See more here:

News and notes about religion and spirituality

Rabbi Amy Joy Small, spiritual leader of the Reconstructionist Congregation Beth Hatikvah in Summit, will lead a two-part series on Womens Spirituality through Poetry, Story, Torah Commentary and Contemporary Writing. The series, which is sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), West Morris Section, will be held at noon on Thursdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 15, in the Conference Room at Morristown Jewish CenterBeit Yisrael, 177 Speedwell Ave., Morristown. (Entrance to the synagogue is through the back.)

The workshop series is being coordinated by NCJW, West Morris Section's Our Jewish World, co-chaired by Ellen Nesson and Melanie Levitan, both of Morristown.

Rabbi Smalls workshops will be an eclectic introduction to the incredible creativity of Jewish women in crafting both old and new spiritual experiences. The interactive sessions will give participants opportunities to develop their own creative ritual, which they can take with them.

The workshop leader is a fellow of Rabbis Without Borders, a rabbinic leadership program of CLAL, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. She is a participant in the Rabbinic Leadership Initiative of the Shalom Hartman Institute, a selective three-year fellowship program. She serves on the board of the MetroWest NJ Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life, and the MetroWest UJC board.

Rabbi Small has been a passionate advocate for Jewish education. Her publications include a chapter in A Women's Haftarah Commentary (edited by Rabbi Elyse Goldstein), and a story in the collections Three Times Chai: 54 Rabbis Tell Their Favorite Stories (edited by Laney Katz Becker) and Text Messages: A Torah Commentary for Teens (edited by Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin).

The two-part workshop on Women's Spirituality is free for NCJW, West Morris members; the fee for non-members is $6 apiece. But if a non-member pays to join NCJW, West Morris ($35 a year) in advance or at the workshop, she or he can attend the workshop(s) at no charge.

Attendees should bring a bag lunch (no meat, please). Coffee and dessert will be provided.

The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms.

RSVP to ellen.nesson@gmail.com.

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NCJW, West Morris to sponsor women's spirituality series

By Marissa Jones Posted on October 4, 2012 | News | No comment

A faculty-administered survey has found surprising results about the sexual activity of ACU freshmen.

Dr. Jaime Goff, director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic, began conducting an ongoing survey last year that observes how young adults relate sexuality to spirituality.

The survey asked freshmen questions about their sexual attitudes, their dimensions of spirituality, their self-esteem, religious abstinence programs they had participated in and sexual behaviors they had engaged in.

Goff found that 45 percent of freshmen who responded to the survey reported being sexually active.

That was surprising to me, Goff said. But I talked to some youth ministers, and they said that was in line with what they were hearing in their youth groups.

In the 2011 fall semester, freshmen were given a chance to complete a survey in their Bible classes concerning their views of sexuality and religion and how each are related.

As a freshman if you see sexuality completely separate from your spirituality, how might that have either negative or positive effects on your future marriage or relationships? I want to see how this develops over time for people.

Goff also discovered that there didnt seem to be any difference in self-esteem between students who are sexually active and those who werent.

In some ways thats good, Goff said. That means they werent feeling incredibly shameful because we use a lot of shaming techniques I think with Christian young adults and teenagers.

Excerpt from:

Survey assesses student sexuality, spirituality

John K. Graham, M.D., D.Min., President/CEO of the Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical center (ISH) has announced that the Institute will offer a fourteen-talk series on Spirituality in Healthcare. Graham says, Studies show that when a physician or nurse is open to discussing spirituality with patients, patients respond positively. The series of talks has been designed by ISH to assist healthcare professionals address spirituality and spiritual/religious issues with their patients.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) October 04, 2012

The series of noon-hour talks will begin on Thursday, Sept. 27 in the Lecture room of ISH at 8100 Greenbriar, # 220. Gated parking is free. Charge is $ 20 but students are free. The lecture will be followed by questions and answers. BYOB or call Jerri Doctor at 713-797-0600 for $ 5 box lunch.

Included in the series will be an overview of six major World Religions taught by Dr. Afzaal Fridous, a native of Pakistan who has spent the last 21 years in the United States. The World Religion series will be taught at noon on six consecutive Tuesdays, from October 2 November 6.

The following talks are included in the series:

09/27 The Call to Medicine and Healthcare, 12:00 1:15 p.m. at ISH, 8100 Greenbriar

10/02 World Religions 101 Hinduism, 12:00 1:15 p.m. at ISH, 8100 Greenbriar

10/09 World Religions 101 Buddhism, 12:00 1:15 p.m. at ISH, 8100 Greenbriar

10/16 World Religions 101 Sikhism, 12:00 1:15 p.m. at ISH, 8100 Greenbriar

10/23 World Religions 101 Islamism, 12:00 1:15 p.m. at ISH, 8100 Greenbriar

More here:

Institute for Spirituality and Health to Offer “Spirituality in HealthCare” Series

Acclaimed poet, performing artist and Womens Spirituality professor Judy Grahn to headline Performing Arts segment

Palo Alto, CA (PRWEB) October 03, 2012

Judy Grahn is an internationally acclaimed poet, writer, social theorist and LGBTQ activist, as well as professor and program chair of the Womens Spirituality program at Sofia University. Her work, which includes, "Edward the Dyke and Other Poems" and "Blood, Bread, and Roses: How Menstruation Created the World" underpins several movements including gay, lesbian and queer; feminist/woman-centered; and womens spirituality. Grahn also collaborates with other artists such as singer-songwriter Anne Carol Mitchell and dancer and choreographer Anne Blethenthal. She has been a recipient of the Lambda Literary Award, American Book Award, American Library Award and Founding Foremothers of Womens Spirituality Award.

The theme of the Community Art Exhibit will be diversity in all forms. Artwork submitted by Sofia University students, staff, faculty, alumni, and other members of the community will be on display and the public is invited to attend. Artwork will include visual art (sculpture, paintings, drawings, photography, mixed media) and performing art such as music and dance. The Community Art Exhibit is part of a series of events open to the public over a three-day period. Inauguration events will start on Wednesday, October 17th and lead up to the official Inauguration Ceremony on Friday, October 19th.

Neal King, Ph.D., is the first president of Sofia University. King also currently serves as President of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP) and is a founding member of LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education. He also serves on the Executive Board of California Campus Compact.

For a full schedule of inauguration events and times, please visit: http://www.sofia.edu/inauguration

About Sofia University

Founded in 1975, Sofia University (formerly the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology) is a private, non-sectarian university accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. For over 35 years, within the context of scholarship and research, the school has offered transformative education for the whole person, probing the mind, body, spirit connection. As Sofia University, the school is broadening its mission, reaching into multiple disciplines and adding undergraduate study. For more information, visit http://www.sofia.edu.

###

Kristen Sato Sofia University (650) 493-4430 249 Email Information

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Sofia University Highlights Community Art Exhibit as Part of Inauguration Events

The Ministry of Culture and Information yesterday announced winners of a photography competition it organized focusing on the development of the Two Holy Mosques.

A total of 55 photographers including women participated in the contest presenting 139 photos. Among these photos 60 were accepted by the jury, an official statement said.

The winners were: Abdullah Al-Raudan, who won the top prize and a cash award of SR 10,000 for his photograph on the Clock Tower.

Hassan Al-Mubarak was another top prize winner (SR 10,000) for his photograph on Islamic architecture.

Jameela Al-Qadi and Abdullah Al-Shathry won the second prize and a cash award of SR 8,000 each for their photos will receive SR 8,000 cash prize for her photographs on decorated arches. and spirituality.

Third prizewinners, Dania Al-Jahoury and Zahra Al-Qatari, will receive SR 7,000 each for their photos titled light for the worlds and piety respectively.

The ministry has awarded 10 consolation prizes worth SR 5,000 each to Baraka Daifallah, Yousuf Al-Ghamdi, Abdullah Al-Saeed, Ali Al-Nasser, Owaid Hamad Owaid, Mahir Al-Radadi, Munira Al-Suwaiheb, Hala Al-Yousuf, Walid Al-Osaimi and Fahd Al-Oqaili.

The photographers focused on the architectural and spiritual aspects of the Two Holy Mosques and their surroundings.

Muhammad Aabis, director of media at the agency for cultural affairs at the ministry, said the contest was organized to highlight the remarkable development witnessed by the two holy mosques during the Saudi era, especially during the time of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

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Contest highlights beauty and spirituality of Two Holy Mosques

We are a nation of believers. Mostly. A Gallup poll last year found that 91% of Americans believed in God or some universal spirit. Yet a more recent poll by WIN-Gallup International and published by Religion News Service found that the number of Americans who say they are "religious" dropped from 73% in 2005 to 60% today. And in that poll, 5% of Americans said they are atheists, up from 1% in 2005.

Believing in God doesn't necessarily translate to belonging to an organized religion. And parents who do not belong to a religious institution, as well as those who don't believe in a higher power, are faced with a difficult question: How do they instill spirituality and faith in the children?

Kara E. Powell, assistant professor of youth and family ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., says parents need to make themselves available to talk about spirituality and religion at home. They should be extra diligent in making faith a topic that can be discussed so that children won't be confused or ashamed about any observations or questions they might have. Even if there is no organized religion in the home, she says, religious holidays such as Easter and Hanukkah and their rituals can be one of the entry points into the discussion.

"(Another) thing we've seen that's powerful is using current events," says Powell, whose book "Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids" (Zondervan, $14.99), offers parents ways to develop long-term faith in teenagers. "Why would God allow X amount of people to be killed in a hurricane or earthquake? Use it as a springboard to talk to kids."

Indeed, getting the ideas of spirituality, faith and respect for faith across to our kids is an uphill climb with or without organized religion.

Wendy Mogel, a clinical psychologist and author of the best-selling parenting book "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee" (Penguin, $15), says that society is awash in irony and cynicism. Couple that with a world that seems to be melting down around us, and parents without organized religion face a deeper challenge.

"We have gloom and doom, a cynical, mocking culture," she says, "and that will be your family's religion if parents don't actively balance that by showing examples and other counter-cultural ways. That means not being cynical, not being apathetic, and not being extremely prejudiced in your beliefs."

That also means letting kids see your values: how you treat others, what your priorities are, how you spend your time.

"Children, absolutely, from birth are theologians and philosophers," she says. If we're not careful, she says, "we can kind of burn it out of them."

There are endless opportunities to instill spirituality. Start with meals. Mogel points to the Jewish tradition of the leisurely meal of Shabbat, and says the idea works for any family, any religion (or nonreligion).

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Do you believe in God or another universal spirit? Tips to instill spirituality at home

Rabbi Amy Joy Small, spiritual leader of the Reconstructionist Congregation Beth Hatikvah in Summit, will lead a two-part series on "Women's Spirituality through Poetry, Story, Torah Commentary and Contemporary Writing." The series, which is sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), West Morris Section, will be held at noon on Thursdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 15, in the conference room at Morristown Jewish CenterBeit Yisrael, 177 Speedwell Ave., Morristown. (Entrance to the synagogue is through the back.)

The workshop series is being coordinated by the National Council of Jewish Women, West Morris Section's Our Jewish World, co-chaired by Ellen Nesson and Melanie Levitan, both of Morristown.

Rabbi Small's workshops will be an eclectic introduction to the incredible creativity of Jewish women in crafting both old and new spiritual experiences. The interactive sessions will give participants opportunities to develop their own creative ritual, which they can take with them.

The workshop leader is a fellow of Rabbis Without Borders, a rabbinic leadership program of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. She is a participant in the Rabbinic Leadership Initiative of the Shalom Hartman Institute, a selective three-year fellowship program. She serves on the board of the MetroWest NJ Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life, and the MetroWest UJC board.

Rabbi Small has been a passionate advocate for Jewish education. Her publications include a chapter in A Women's Haftarah Commentary (edited by Rabbi Elyse Goldstein), and a story in the collections Three Times Chai: 54 Rabbis Tell Their Favorite Stories (edited by Laney Katz Becker) and Text Messages: A Torah Commentary for Teens (edited by Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin).

The two-part workshop on Women's Spirituality is free for National Council of Jewish Women members, West Morris members; the fee for non-members is $6 apiece. But if a non-member pays to join National Council of Jewish Women, West Morris ($35 a year) in advance or at the workshop, she or he can attend the workshop(s) at no charge.

Attendees should bring a bag lunch (no meat, please). Coffee and dessert will be provided.

The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. RSVP to ellen.nesson@gmail.com.

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Women's spirituality series to be held at Morristonw Jewish Center

Nothing is more personal to me than what I believe to be ultimately true. Nothing is closer to who I am than my spirituality. Maybe you feel the same way.

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Spirituality or Religion?

In 2008, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama got himself into trouble by saying "bitter" voters "cling to guns or religion" in response to hard times. Obama later apologized and recanted the statement, but new research suggests he may not have been entirely wrong.

People do turn to spirituality after a bad day, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. And good news for spiritual folks, it works.

"We find that having a really spiritual day, committing to a power higher than yourself, carefully considering a purpose larger than yourself, it ends up leading to a lot of well-being," said study researcher Todd Kashdan, a psychologist at George Mason University in Virginia. "We find profound levels of meaning in life, greater positive emotions, less negative emotions, higher self-esteem."

Spirituality and happiness

A number of studies have found links between spirituality and happiness. A sense of spirituality, defined as the search for the sacred to differentiate it from organized religion, has even been linked to young women having more sex, perhaps because they feel a greater sense of interconnectedness and intimacy with others.

But most researchers have looked at the link between spirituality in a broad sense, with surveys that ask people about their spirituality in general. Kashdan and his colleagues wanted a day-to-day view. So they asked 87 college students to fill out daily online diaries about their emotions, their spiritual feelings and their self-esteem. They then looked at how spirituality matched up with daily emotional ups and downs.

The participants were a mix of religions, with 34 percent identifying as Catholic, 18 percent as Protestants, and the rest a mix of atheists, Buddhists, Eastern Orthodox, Mormons, Muslims and other faiths.

The diary analysis first found that daily spirituality is associated with a boost in self-esteem and positive mood. The reason, Kashdan told LiveScience, seems to be that spirituality gives people a sense of meaning in life. People's life meaning statistically explained 100 percent of spirituality's positive effect on mood, and 93 percent of the self-esteem boost. [8 Ways Religion Impacts your Life]

Sad today, spiritual tomorrow

For people who are high in spirituality, a bad day was linked to an increase in spiritual behavior, such as meditation or prayer, the next. A good day was associated with fewer spiritual behaviors.

Originally posted here:

Feeling Down? Spirituality Can Boost Your Mood

Authors explain the connection between spirituality and performance

Follow University of Arkansas research on Twitter @UArkResearch

Newswise FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Judi Neals new book explores the importance of higher moments, those times when members of a team experience a strong sense of meaning and purpose connected to the shared vision and successful implementation of a project. These experiences, Neal says, enable teams and the individuals who comprise them to reach a higher level of performance. They can even propel individuals far beyond what they thought was possible.

Effective teams have a great espirit de corps, which can have a powerful and extremely positive impact on performance, says Neal, director of the Tyson Center for Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace in the Sam M. Walton College of Business. This experience often takes them to a spiritual place those moments when one feels the presence of a higher power, something greater than themselves. When this happens, people bring their best to the project and often find themselves soaring to new places, places they never dreamed were possible.

Neals book, The Spirit of Project Management, written with Alan Harpham, examines the role of spirituality in project management. The book is set up as a guide to help project managers be values-centered and willing to act with integrity. But that is only the beginning. The integration of spirituality the authors provide a popular definition of spirituality simply as that which gives meaning and purpose in life into the workplace inspires team members.

With a greater understanding of the role of spirituality in project management, project managers will be able to engage their team members passion and purpose, Neal says. Stated plainly, a sense of spirituality unleashes team members creativity and helps them solve difficult problems.

The authors first provide a context for spirituality and project management and then explore the history of major projects that have included a spirituality component, including the ancient pyramids of Egypt and South America, the Xian burial site in China, the Great Mosque in Damascus, Syria, the great cathedrals of Europe and the Taj Mahal in India. Citing these examples, Neal and Harpham contend that spirituality has always been interwoven into the work of project management, although this has seldom been explicit.

With special attention to the individual, project teams and the organization as a whole, the second half of the book discusses how spirituality can be integrated into the workplace. These chapters focus on aligning the vision and meaning for projects, spiritual leadership, communication, creativity and the spirit of the group. There are also sections devoted to technology, systems change, appreciative inquiry and organization orientations.

Years ago, Neal became interested in the topic of spirituality in the workplace when she discovered that the organization she worked for was breaking the law and endangering its employees. She became a whistleblower, which put her life in danger.

That crisis helped me understand that spirituality and a trust in something greater than ourselves are at the core of life and cannot be treated peripherally, Neal said. By this, I mean we cannot lead a spiritual life only outside of work. If life is to have meaning and purpose, we must live spiritually all the time.

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New Book Examines Role of Spirituality in the Workplace

BEVERLY The creative expression of spirituality is the theme of an exhibit being hosted by St. Stephens Episcopal Church.

Through Oct. 7, the public is invited to view 45 pieces of religious artwork displayed in the parish hall. The selection features digital photographs, watercolors, oils, sketches, acrylics and pastel drawings submitted by 20 artists from the region.

The church worked in cooperation with the Burlington County Arts Guild to plan the juried exhibit, which is in its fourth year.

Its an opportunity for artists who dont have (a venue) for religious art to be displayed, said show organizer Jean Wetherill, a former mayor who serves on the school board.

Dozens gathered for an opening reception Sunday evening. The show was judged by Ruth Councell, wife of Bishop George Edward Councell of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey.

First place went to Jesus Before the Sanhedren, an oil painting by late Cinnaminson native Carmen Altopiedo. Formerly a commercial artist, he devoted his time to fine art when he retired in 1985 and was a member of the Willingboro Art Alliance, said his daughter, Donna Altopiedo.

She and her brother inherited their fathers collection after he died in August 2010 at age 83 and have been submitting them to various area exhibits.

The posthumous honor was a first for the artist, who never exhibited or sold his paintings, his daughter said.

All he wanted to do was paint. That was his love, his passion, said Altopiedo, of Ambler, Pa.

The Gathering, a digital photography collage by Richard Montemurro of Runnemede, Camden County, won second place, and Good Morning America, a watercolor by Joyce McAfee of Medford, came in third.

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Spiritual artwork displayed at Beverly church

India, Sept. 17 -- Will you be surprised if I say you are not what you are! Because, over the years, you are corrupted, and bias and negative thoughts have made the real you a prisoner. The result: You are diverted from the path of spirituality and denied the right to be in bliss.Spirituality is a way of life that not only makes you a true human being but also helps you take the right track to ...

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Discover the real you

Over 35 overseas youth of Indian origin are on a three-week visit here to know about their parents' and grandparents' homeland, and spirituality of India has been the greatest attraction for them.

It is this "balance in materialistic pursuits and search for inner happiness" that they will take back to their present country and share it with their other diaspora friends and relatives.

The 36 youth, in the age group of 18-26, are from Fiji, South Africa, Suriname, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Israel, Slovak Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, Iran and New Zealand and have been in India since Aug 25.

They are here under the 21st Know India Programme (KIP) of the ministry of overseas Indian affairs (MOIA). The last KIP was held in April-May.

"India's spirituality is what caught our attention the most. We got to visit a lot of temples and religious shrines from all religions and I could understand the unity in diversity that is talked about in India," Sameer Chand, an analyst at the Reserve Bank of Fiji, told IANS at the valedictory event of KIP held at MOIA at Akbar Bhavan here.

"I will take this spirituality home and share it with all my family and friends in Fiji," Chand, 24, said.

His view was seconded by Adi Nissim from Israel, who participated in KIP along with her twin sister Shay Lee Nissim.

"I really loved the spirituality that is part of the Indian society and culture. Every individual here seemed spiritually inclined," Adi, 23, told IANS.

Shay Lee quickly added: "Israel is completely westernised and people there are after material prosperity. Here in India, even if people want to earn money, they maintain a balance between materialist pursuits and search for inner happiness. The smile on their faces says it all."

Chand and Nissim sisters are part of the 15 male and 21 female visitors from 11 countries participating in KIP held three times annually.

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India's spirituality attracts youth diaspora

Question: Religion, spirituality and medicine: Is there a connection?

Answer: A growing body of scientific research suggests connections between religion, spirituality, and both mental and physical health. Recent studies indicate that religious beliefs influence medical decisions, such as the use of chemotherapy and other life-saving treatments.

Even though religion typically involves connections to a community with shared beliefs and rituals while spirituality is more individualistic and self-determined, nearly 90 percent of medical patients consider themselves both religious and spiritual. When it comes to discussing such matters with patients, it is probably best to use spirituality because of its broad and inclusive nature.

The area of spirituality can make many physicians uncomfortable because they are worried about overstepping ethical boundaries or interfering with private business. They also worry about having to spend more time with the patient and some may not see the value in spirituality as it relates to health.

Spirituality/religiosity tends to increase with increasing age as does serious or chronic health problems. Also, as people become ill, they experience stress related to the changes in their life that the illness causes. Many turn to spiritualism for comfort by involving themselves in activities such as prayer and meditation, scripture reading and looking for support from members of their faith community.

More than 60 studies have now examined the role that religion plays in helping patients cope with cancer, asthma, arthritis, heart disease, lung disease, HIV/AIDS, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, chronic pain and Lou Gehrigs disease. Patients in these studies report that spiritual/religious beliefs are powerful sources of comfort, hope, and meaning, particularly in coping with medical illness. The population for whom religion is especially relevant is the elderly, women, and ethnic minorities (blacks and Hispanics).

More than 700 studies examined the relationship between religion, well-being and mental health. Not only were religious beliefs and practices associated with significantly less depression and faster recovery from depression, lower suicide rates, less anxiety, and less substance abuse but they were also associated with greater well-being, hope, optimism, and more purpose and meaning in life, greater marital satisfaction and stability and higher social support.

If increased religiosity/spirituality reduces stress levels and enhances social support, then it ought to also affect physical health. A summary of research on physical health outcomes produced the following: religious beliefs/spirituality have been associated with better immune function; lower death rates from cancer; less heart disease or better cardiac outcomes; lower blood pressure; lower cholesterol; less cigarette smoking; more exercise and better sleep. Religious/spiritual people were also found live significantly longer!

Given the role religious/spiritual beliefs play in successful coping and recovery, and the effects of beliefs on medical decisions and willingness to receive treatment, there are plenty of reasons why doctors should know about their patients religiosity or spiritualism and its effect on their health and medical care. Physicians should take a brief spiritual history and ask which beliefs are a source of comfort and which a cause for stress; which beliefs are in conflict with medical care; do they have a supportive faith community that will be able to assist them during treatment and recovery and are there beliefs that might influence medical decisions.

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Connecting religion and spirituality with medicine

Tuesday September 11, 2012

Workshops available through WV Institute for Spirituality

The West Virginia Institute for Spirituality has scheduled workshops for September and October.

"When Grief Gets Complicated: Making it Through the Impasse" is set for this Saturday at the institute, 1601 Virginia St. E. in Charleston.

Registration is 8:45 a.m. and the workshop is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Suggested offering is $50 for continuing education unit applicants or $40 for others. Lunch will be provided. The presenter is Debra Beatty.

"The Enneagram for Professional Helpers" will be on Oct. 12 with the Rev. Vernon McNear. Registration is 2 p.m. at WVIS, 1601 Virginia St. E. in Charleston. The program is 2:30 to 9 p.m. Dinner will be provided. Suggested offering is $50 for continuing education applicants and $40 for others.

"Spirituality of Story" is scheduled for Oct. 13 with the Rev. Christina St. Clair at Blessed John XXIII Pastoral Center, 100 Hodges Road in Charleston. Registration is 8:45 a.m. The program is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Suggested offering is $50 for continuing education applicants or $40 for others.

The West Virginia Institute for Spirituality has scheduled workshops for September and October.

"When Grief Gets Complicated: Making it Through the Impasse" is set for this Saturday at the institute, 1601 Virginia St. E. in Charleston.

Registration is 8:45 a.m. and the workshop is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Suggested offering is $50 for continuing education unit applicants or $40 for others. Lunch will be provided. The presenter is Debra Beatty.

Continued here:

Workshops available through WV Institute for Spirituality

As we settle into a new routine, back to school, back to work, back to the daily grind, the onset of autumn transforms into the perfect setting to welcome spirituality into your family's home life.

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Open the door to family spirituality

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Flames engulf The Burning Man Saturday night, Sept. 1, 2012, during Burning Man 2012 in the Black Rock Desert, Nev.

Burning Man Festival Spirituality exists amid the flames of the counterculture and harks back to early Christianity.

Thousands gathered on a northern Nevada plain last week to watch and cheer as a 70-foot-tall white neon man was burned into extinction, amid raucous music, dancing and fireworks.

The annual Burning Man festival ended the next day with another ritual blaze: the destruction of a temporary temple, filled with photos and written memories of loved ones, pets, failed relationships, troubled pasts, old ideas and profound emotions hastily scrawled on pieces of paper, wood, cloth and cardboard. Some expressed anguish with words like "my life sucks." A woman hung up her wedding dress.

Pagan Pride Day

Salt Lake Pagan Pride will hold its annual Pagan Pride Day at Murray Park Pavilions 1, 2 and 3 on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be music and booths. For admission, bring a nonperishable food item to donate for The Road Home. Visit http://www.saltlakeppd.org for information.

Unlike the previous night, the Sunday temple fire was quiet and reverential for the more than 60,000 seated on the ground.

It wasnt just about letting go of cherished family and friends, says Kent Frogley, a Salt Lake City marketing consultant who calls himself an "emeritus Mormon," but about how death transforms relationships.

Why build something so beautiful each year and then torch it?

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The Church of Burning Man: Counterculture spirituality