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Category Archives: Spirituality

After son's birth boss brings spirituality into workplace

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LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A for-profit company in Louisville is doing something a little different. It is bringing spirituality into the workplace.

At Signature Healthcare there is a prayer circle in the morning, a prayer room in the building and a company-wide prayer chain with 600 people. Bible verses are written on the walls and yoga is offered during lunch hour.

The company's founder, Joe Steier, came up with the concept after his son Luke was born.

Luke was born 12 weeks early, weighting 3 lbs, 2 oz. He also had a level 3 brain bleed out of 4.

There's this initial feeling when you realize you're alone and can't handle it and this incredible humanity embraces you, Steier said. "You start realizing you're not alone. You start seeing power of all these people Baptist leaders, Jewish leaders, different religions, praying with you and your family. Coming together in your darkest hour."

He said those prayers helped him and his family get through and Luke, who is now 9, healed miraculously.

Steier now goes to the nursing homes owned by his father's company and prays with the residents.

He took it further in the nursing homes, adding chaplains and spiritual programs, then added programs in the corporate office.

"At the end of the day people are looking for a more meaningful workplace. I think especially healthcare where so difficult these days, Steier said.

Dianne Timmering, a vice president of spirituality, is a part of Steier's staff.

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After son's birth boss brings spirituality into workplace

Psilocybin, where science meets spirituality

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The future may hold a surprising new approach to treating addiction: using one mind-altering drug to stop the abuse of another.

Dr. Stephen Ross, director of the NYU Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship is gearing up to embark on a new research project involving hallucinogenic, psilocybin-induced mystical experiences along with psychotherapy to help treat alcoholism.

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in some species of mushrooms that has been used in indigenous cultures as a spiritual sacrament for hundreds of years. Ross believes this compound, administered in the proper dosage and in a controlled setting, may help resolve the symptoms of spiritual distress involved in a person with alcoholism.

"Addiction can be understood as a kind of spiritual disorder," Ross says. "In other words, addicts can lose intention they can lose connection to the community, to God, to their family, within themselves."

Because psilocybin is still classified as a Schedule I drug by the U.S. government, meaning it has high potential for abuse, NYU along with the University of New Mexico are two of the few institutions that have gained the necessary approval to conduct these studies.

The idea of treating a person's alcoholism with an illegal controlled substance seems contraindicated. Ross says one reason that psilocybin holds promise in this area is that it falls on the low end of the addictive spectrum; only 4.9 percent of the people who try psychedelics become dependent, as compared to a highly-addictive substance like nicotine, which hooks almost a third of the people who try it.

Ross believes using psilocybin medically in a controlled setting along with motivational interviewing can induce a spiritual experience that can bring an addict back from the brink of despair and give him hope and motivation to recover.

Ross says , "By inducing a spiritual awakening, it may shift the person who's addicted from this path they're on which is very dark and going toward destruction... towards a different path and a connection back into their lives and developmental tracks. This shift we want to feed into psychotherapy to help change their motivation to enter sobriety and recovery."

Ross has experience working with psilocybin and stage-four cancer patients. He's been studying the effects of the drug on helping these people alleviate their anxiety about death. He says the research is still being analyzed, but preliminary results show that there was a significant decrease in acute and long-term anxiety and depression, along with increased spiritual states. "The participants in the trials said that these were the singular top five most profound experiences of their lives, up there with having children. That they profoundly changed their relationship with cancer and were able to get away from the devastating burden that cancer was imposing upon them."

The idea of using hallucinogens in treatment is hardly new and evokes an image of 1960s-era Timothy Leary, head of the controversial Harvard Psilocybin Project and other experiments with psychedelic drugs. Ross says he and fellow researchers have learned from the mistakes of their predecessors and stresses that they are being very careful to conduct this research in a safe, thoughtful way.

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Psilocybin, where science meets spirituality

'Eikon: Icons of the Orthodox Christian World' displays eerie power at Art Gallery of Ballarat exhibition

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Luscious reds in gold: Works such as the 16th-century Dormition of the Mother of God were created with egg tempura, gold leaf and gesso on linen.

According to a recipe compiled by a Greek monk in the 1700s, snail slime is a superb binding agent when mixing gold paint to make icons. Gold, after all, was crucial to icon painting: its resplendent, reflective surface sang richly of spirituality and the divine. Using something as earthly as snail mucus, though, perhaps kept things unintentionally grounded and well-adhered to a timber panel.

This painter's manual, with 72 instructions and recipes, is described by the director of the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Gordon Morrison, as a fascinating document one that includes recipes for many of the glorious, deep colours that grace icons. Those colours, though, often involved dangerous manufacturing methods and most of them are highly toxic. "They were really poisonous, noxious materials," Morrison says.

Take, for example, that luscious, rich red that is used frequently in these paintings. Making it, the manual tells us, involved the creation of cinnabar heating up mercury and powdered sulphur, then repeatedly stirring, grinding and smothering the amalgam, a process that would have exposed the artisan to excessively noxious fumes. This mix was then suspended in egg yolk tempera, with some raki or vodka for good measure.

Golden touch: The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, circa 1700, features the gold leaf so crucial to icon painting.

The most hazardous thing about making gold paint was how it affected snails: Morrison says extraction of their slime involved prodding the poor creatures with something very hot.

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Here, though, are the results in a glorious exhibition of icons curated by Morrison, with works drawn from the 12th century to the 1800s. The history of icons arcs over 1500 years, but Morrison says they have often been downplayed and not well-collected by Western art museums.

"There has been a lot of prejudice against them," he says. "They look odd and primitive and don't conform to all the things in the Western canon about being original and new every second year. This art is ageless. Apply the same kind of understanding to these works as you do to Hindu or Buddhist statuary and you might come to a better understanding of them."

While these icons are deeply rooted in Orthodox Christianity, their appeal is extraordinarily broad: as Morrison observes, we might approach them in the same way the uninitiated might see bark painting, not knowing the indigenous stories behind them. On a purely aesthetic and emotional level, we might enter into such artworks' deep sense of spirituality and connectedness to human nature.

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'Eikon: Icons of the Orthodox Christian World' displays eerie power at Art Gallery of Ballarat exhibition

Modern Witchcraft and Pagan Spirituality (The justBernard Show) – Video

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Modern Witchcraft and Pagan Spirituality (The justBernard Show)
( GIC Production ) Witchcraft is a pagan religion. Pagan religions worship multiple deities rather than a single god. Paganism is one of the oldest religions and includes all religions that...

By: Bernard Alvarez

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Modern Witchcraft and Pagan Spirituality (The justBernard Show) - Video

Spirituality in the times of social media

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Students feel spirituality gives them peace of mind

Mumbai, October 15:

Arjun Ranga, Partner of Mysore-based NR Group, maker of the Cycle brand of agarbatti, does not fear the huge task ahead of him - how to sell incense sticks to a generation that is constantly fed by the internet and social media. Spiritual hunger seems to come naturally to the youth of today, says Ranga.

There is an inherent belief in God, even among the youth. An increasing number of kids want to get back to their roots, insists Ranga, the third generation in the business that was started by his grandfather N Ranga Rao in 1948.

Survey

To understand the attitude of the younger generation towards spirituality, the maker of the Cycle agarbatti brand roped in research and marketing agency Hansa Research.

Students in the age group of 13 to 23, studying in colleges and schools spread across the city of Bangalore, were interviewed. The findings were startling. Most of the students believed that spirituality led to happiness, as it gave one peace of mind. They said being spiritual also helped one to be a better human being, and led to good things in life.

The main reasons cited for being spiritual were family beliefs, personal experiences and friends. The survey showed that most students, especially those in college, found spirituality to be widespread in their age group.

Observations

About 3/4th of the students surveyed said they prayed at least once a day, and participated fairly often in religious functions along with their family members. The survey showed that different students interpreted spirituality differently, while some said its a belief or a trust (20 per cent), others said it is a trust in God (23 per cent). It was also seen as giving peace of mind (15 per cent) something very personal to them (8 per cent).

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Spirituality in the times of social media

Indian culture & spirituality camp concludes

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October 16, 2014 10:50 am

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Staff Reporter, Bhopal

On the third day of the camp Indian Culture and Spirituality which is being organized at Sri Sathya Sai College for Women, Bhopal. Honable Minister of Higher Education, Technical Education, Mr Uma Shankar Gupta released Highbrow a Biannual Research Journal of the college and a book `Factor and Measurement of Learning and Growth of Student in School and College in India edited by Dr GV Pathak and Dr Sudha Pathak.

In his address, Honble Minister emphasized on quality education and quoted that it is the responsibility of teachers to inculcate values among students and contribute in developing the overall personality of the students Surendra Bihari Goswami, Director, MP Hindi Granth Academy and Incharge Personality Development Cell appealed the gathering to light one lamp in Diwali in memory of our freedom fighters. Dr UC Jain, Addl, Regional Director and Member, College Governing Body, Vijay Sampath, Secretary, Sri Sathya Sai Trust, Dr Sudha Pathak, Principal, Snigdha Dutta Camp convener, Dr Jyotsna Galgale, Camp Co-convener, staff members and students were present on the occasion. The Valedictory Ceremony of the Camp was held at 3:30 pm Dr Sudha Malaiya, Chief Editor, Ojaswini was the Chief guest of the function. The welcome speech was delivered by the Principal, Dr Sudha Pathak. The students shared their experience during the camp. The camp report was presented by Dr Jyotsna Galgale and the vote of thanks was delivered by Snigdha Dutta. The programme concluded with Mahamangal Aarti.

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Indian culture & spirituality camp concludes

Lindsay Lohan beams as she steps out in Boho-chic ensemble

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By Marc Jackson for MailOnline

Published: 02:42 EST, 16 October 2014 | Updated: 03:41 EST, 16 October 2014

She claimed to have found solace inspiritualityafter completing her last stint in rehab in 2013.

And Lindsay Lohan appeared to be searching for the answers to some profound questions when she hit London town on Wednesday night.

The Mean Girls star had taken to the stage in West End play Speed-the-Plow earlier in the evening but appeared in a rush to leave the Playhouse Theatre.

Boho-chic: Lindsay Lohan stepped out in a retro ensemble as she headed to the Chiltern Firehouse in Londo on Wednesday night

According to reports, she raced into her car and took a call, before allegedly growing emotional.

Her driver reacted quickly and grabbed a piece of paper from her bag and covered her face - without realising a cryptic message was scribbled on the back.

The note read: 'GOD after death? Think!!!'

Despite the profound statement, Lindsay appeared to put her philosophical musings on hold later in evening when she headed to her favourite haunt in the capital, Chiltern Firehouse.

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Lindsay Lohan beams as she steps out in Boho-chic ensemble

THE DESTITUTE: A DISCUSSION ON THE SPIRITUALITY OF POVERTY | Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad – Video

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THE DESTITUTE: A DISCUSSION ON THE SPIRITUALITY OF POVERTY | Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad
Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad delivers his lecture at the Turath Destitute Book Launch held at SOAS University, Russell Square. - - Web | http://www.alwaqiah.co.uk Phone | 0770 - 770 - 8283 E-Mail ...

By: Al Waqi #39;ah

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THE DESTITUTE: A DISCUSSION ON THE SPIRITUALITY OF POVERTY | Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad - Video

#14Days: Gabrielle Bernstein talks miracles and recovery

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The lives of family and friends of alcoholics and addicts are littered with tragedy, chaos, worry, and fear. An addict's life is taken over by the substance he abuses, making his or her actions unpredictable, irrational, and sometimes criminal. Everyone feels the devastating effects of addiction.

One thing is clear -- we need a miracle.

Thanks to the 12 steps and her work with the metaphysical text, "A Course in Miracles," best-selling author and motivational speaker Gabrielle Bernstein is in her ninth year of recovery from drugs and alcohol. Bernstein, well known for her teachings from "A Course in Miracles," says a miracle isn't the gates of heaven opening up and angels singing. "Simply put, a miracle is a shift in perception, it's just when we change our mind. And, so the moment that somebody says, 'I want to get clean,' that's a miracle."

Addiction affects the physical, emotional, cognitive, family, social, and spiritual domains. Because addiction is a disease that thrives in isolation and fear, some leading experts have called it a spiritual disorder. They say the treatment of addiction must involve all realms of life, including developing a sense of spirituality.

Researchers have found a direct correlation between spirituality and positive outcomes in those with substance use disorder.

Since Alcoholics Anonymous groups began meeting in 1935, millions of people have achieved a life of substance-free recovery through the spiritual fellowship. The first two steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are about admitting your powerlessness over alcohol, and believing a power greater than yourself can restore you to sanity. Having a spiritual community like AA can help a person in crisis. Having a person to call upon who understands your problems and shares a similar code of conduct and beliefs can be life-saving.

We know spirituality can be a powerful force for healing, but what is it exactly?

Definitions of spirituality vary. Most agree that spirituality is a very personal relationship with your inner world; it has no specific religious affiliation or dogma. Charles L. Whitfield, M.D., author of "Healing the Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families," defines spirituality as "a personal relationship between an individual and a transcendent or higher being, force, energy or mind of the Universe."

Bernstein's definition of spirituality: "A journey of unlearning fear and remembering love."

She says sobriety and recovery require surrendering to a higher power and releasing your own grip of control. "It's not something that can be white-knuckled. It' not something that can be done, you know, because we're just forcing ourselves to do it. In that forceful nature, we will always fall back."

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#14Days: Gabrielle Bernstein talks miracles and recovery

Top HNIs back spiritual e-tailer OnlinePrasad

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The author has posted comments on this articleAnshul Dhamija, TNN | Oct 14, 2014, 07.17AM IST BANGALORE: Top technocrats and businessmen are betting their bucks on spirituality, as the $4 billion unorganized market comprising of myriad religious products, services, and offerings makes headway through internet commerce. Former Microsoft India Development Center MD Srini Koppulu, ex-CEO and cofounder of Sify.com R Ramaraj, Suresh Productions CEO and Hyderabad Angels vice chairman Suresh Babu and founder of Computer Age Management Services V Shankar are among are among 20 investors participating in an early round of investment into OnlinePrasad.

Bangalore-based onlineprasad.com is a niche e-tailer that is networked to 50 temples in India, and uses the mobile and web platforms to deliver religious offerings such as prasad and other products to one's doorstep.

The fund raise, which was oversubscribed, was structured through Hyderabad Angels along with participation from The Chennai Angels, two prominent angel networks in south India. Niraj Mital from Hyderabad Angels would be joining OnlinePrasad's board representing the larger investor group.

"There are a number of revenue possibilities in this space (spirituality) and the opportunities are big (for online)," said R Ramaraj, whose last venture was Sify, was the first Indian Internet company from India to list on NASDAQ.

Eighteen-month old OnlinePrasad started by 26-year old Goonjan Mall has been seed funded by the storied entrepreneur duo K Ganesh and Meena Ganesh and The Morpheus, a startup accelerator step by Nandini Hiranniah and Sameer Guglani.

Mall, who didn't wish to disclose the fund raise figures, said that the company would be using the fresh capital to scale up its front end and back end operations. In the next 12 months OnlinePrasad plans to grow its head count from 12 to 50 and double its temple network to 100.

Mall also said that plans were afoot to add around 10 new product categories, some which would include at-home astrology and pundit services.

"Though it's a niche ecommerce play , there has been a certain trust and belief that has been built around the business," said Sasidhar Nandigam, director at Hyderabad Angels.

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Top HNIs back spiritual e-tailer OnlinePrasad


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