July 31: The Art of Letting Go

July 31 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Read Fr. Richard Rohr's Reflection on "The Art of Letting Go"

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Meditation--The-Art-of-Letting-Go----July-30--2012.html?soid=1103098668616&aid=t6zqpdu-2x0

 From Richard Rohr:

It is good to remember that a part of you has always loved God. There is a part of you that has always said yes. There is a part of you that is Love itself, and that is what we must fall into. It is already there. Once you move your identity to that level of deep inner contentment, you will realize you are drawing upon a Life that is much larger than your own and from a deeper abundance. Once you learn this, why would you ever again settle for scarcity in your life? “I’m not enough! This is not enough! I do not have enough!” I am afraid this is the way culture trains you to think. It is a kind of learned helplessness. The Gospel message is just the opposite—inherent power.

Thomas Merton said the way we have structured our lives, we spend our whole life climbing up the ladder of supposed success, and when we get to the top of the ladder we realize it is leaning against the wrong wall—and there is nothing at the top. To get back to the place of inherent abundance, you have to let go of all of the false agendas, unreal goals, and passing self-images. It is all about letting go. The spiritual life is more about unlearning than learning, because the deepest you already knows ( 1 John 2:21).

July 30: Learn to help children who witness violence

July 30 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Attend a program on July 31 and learn how to help children who witness violence

Who: Dr. Carl Bell
What: The Children Who Witness Violence  
Where: Hotel Louisville’s 12th floor Ballroom (“The Louisville Suite”)
When: 2:00 – 3:15pm on Tuesday, July 31
st
* * * FREE to the public * * * Please arrive early to secure seating * * *

Dr. Carl Bell is a world-renowned psychiatrist specializing in children and youth who witness violence.
Dr. Bell is a charismatic speaker who works to make research and statistics on risk and violence accessible and compelling.
PRESENT POSITIONS
Director of the Institute for Juvenile Research, Director of Public and Community Psychiatry Clinical
Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health;  Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of
Illinois at Chicago
President & C.E.O. - Community Mental Health Council & Foundation, Inc.
MEMBERSHIPS (Partial List)
Member, National Medical Association (NMA). Former Chairman, Psychiatry
Member, Black Psychiatrists of America.  Former vice-president, former newsletter editor
PUBLICATIONS
During his 39 years of psychiatric practice, Dr. Bell has published over 450 articles on mental health issues.  He is Associate Editor of the American
Psychiatric Press, editor of Psychiatric Aspects on Violence: Understanding Causes and Issues in Prevention and Treatment; author of The Sanity of
Survival:  Reflections on Community Mental Health & Wellness; co-author of Suicide and Homicide Among Adolescents and chapters on: "Black
Psychiatry" in Mental Health and People of Color; "Black-on-Black Homicide" in Mental Health and Mental Illness Among Black Americans; and
"Prevention of Black Homicide" in The State of Black America 1995. 
Dr. Bell has been interviewed by Ebony; Jet; Essence; Emerge; The New York Times; Chicago Tribune Magazine; People Magazine; Chicago
Reporter; Nightline; ABC News; NPR; CBS Sunday Morning; The News Hour with Jim Lehrer; the Tom Joyner Morning Show; Chicago Tonight; and
The Today Show.
HONORS AND AWARDS (Partial List)
* Appointed to the City of Chicago & County of Cook Anti-Violence and Community Stabilization Leadership Group by Mayor Emanuel and President
   Preckwinkle, August 30, 2011.
* Founding Executive Committee Member of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention by Pamela Hyde - Administrator of Substance Abuse
   and Mental Health Services Administration, September 1, 2010.
* Appointed to the National Research Council’s Committe

https://louisville.edu/artsandsciences/news/resilient-families-project-helps-children-and-parents-at-wayside-christian-mission

July 29: "DonorsResource.org" Expands to Louisville

July 29 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

DonorsResource.org Expands to Louisville, KY!

DonorsResource.org is an on-line hub that connects donors who want to give "stuff" like clothing, infant needs, household appliances and furniture with nonprofits in need of those items.

We believe that all benefit when you are able to expend time, energy and resources on your non profit's stated mission, not sorting through donations that you aren't sure you can use.

We believe that people want to give, people are in need and that there is more than enough "stuff" to go around.

We believe that one way to facilitate the greater cause is to directly connect individuals, businesses and other nonprofits that want to give in-kind donations, "stuff," to your nonprofit.   Let DonorsResource.org help connect you.

If your nonprofit organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, you are eligible to become a nonprofit member of DonorsResource.org.

Susan Spalding, Community Director

DonorsResource.org

502.338.6733

 

July 28: See a performance of "The Invitation"

July 28 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

See a performance today at 1 pm or 8 pm of "The Invitation"

THE INVITATION: A PEACE PERFORMANCE

A peace performance that spans 60 years as Albert Schweitzer, Linus Pauling, Martin Luther King Jr., Betty Williams, Mother Teresa, Alva Myrdal, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Shirin Ebadi come together to share their ideas of peace as they "interact" with one another. While their paths to peace are as diverse as the countries and cultures of their origin, they share universal concepts of peace that transcend time and

SATURDAY JULY 28TH
1:00PM @ HIGHLAND BAPTIST OR
8:00 PM @ CLIFTON CENTER
$10.00 DONATION

PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS AT ST. WILLIAM'S, ST. AGNES, LOUISVILLE ESOTERIC SOCIETY, CARMICHAEL'S BOOKSTORES POSTER MAN, SCHOOL OF METAPHYSICS, OR AT THE DOOR!

Here's more about the play:

http://www.wlky.com/news/local-news/louisville-news/-The-Invitation-Play-puts-8-Nobel-Peace-Prize-winners-together-2-performances-Sat/-/9718340/15714368/-/ya0u80/-/index.html

July 27: View & Discuss "The Interrupters"

July 27 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

View and Discuss the documentary film, "The Interrupters" at a special event in Louisville on Saturday, July 28

From producer/director Steve James and author-turned-producer Alex Kotlowitz, The Interrupters tells the moving and surprising story of three “violence interrupters” in Chicago who with bravado, humility and even humor try to protect their communities from the violence they once employed.

Here's a link to information about the film:
http://interrupters.kartemquin.com/

Here are details about the event:

The Peace Education Program

Invites you to join us this Saturday (July 28th) 3 -5pm Please let us know that you will be attending. RSVP to janene@peaceeducationprogram.org

The No More Red Dots Campaign presents Exploring the Power of "The Interrupters" with special guest, violence interrupter Cobe Williams Saturday, July 28 3 pm - 5pm at Central Presbyterian Church 318 West Kentucky Street Louisville - 40203 The Interrupters, an award-winning documentary from director Steve James (Hoop Dreams) and author Alex Kotlowitz (There are No Children Here) tells the moving and surprising story of three 'violence interrupters' in Chicago who with bravado, humility and even humor try to protect their communities from the violence they once employed. The film and it's "cast" have been featured on PBS Frontline including Cobe Williams who will be here in Louisville to share his story. The program will include excerpts from the award-winning documentary, Cobe's reflections on his personal experience, as well as community conversation exploring the powerful ways the cycle of violence can be stopped. Join us. Saturday's event is free and open to the public. Let us know you are attending by emailing: Janene@peaceeducationprogram.org Sponsored by: The No More Red Dots Campaign Councilman David James, Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton,  The Board 4 Change, The LIFE Hope Center, & The Peace Education Program

July 26: Coping with Fear

July 26 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Read this wonderful essay from the NY Times on learning to face and cope with fear

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/23/a-desert-beyond-fear/?ref=opinion

From writer Jana Richman:

"I once had a therapist tell me that I likely learned my fear at a pre-verbal stage of life, which means, as I understand it, it got hard-wired in my brain. She called it Armageddon Syndrome. It is the deep nature of my fear that makes it an all-or-nothing proposition for me, something that needs to be treated like an addiction. Dabbling in it, however briefly, can bring on a full-scale blackout. The only option is letting go entirely — one moment at a time."

July 25: Learn about the North American Interfaith Network

July 25 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Learn about the Work of the North American Interfaith Network

http://nain.org/

The North American Interfaith Network is a non-profit association of interfaith organizations and agencies in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

July 24: Is Religion Merely a Fairytale?

July 24 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Louisville Baptist Minister Joe Phelps on "Is Religion Merely a Fairytale?"

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120723/OPINION04/307230026/1016/OPINION/Joe-Phelps-religion-merely-fairytale-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

"Truth is, I sometimes find the no-faith crowd more interesting and intellectually honest than those whose religious faith is strong but unexamined. The no-religion folk have the strength of conviction to be in the minority and to say that they detect little or no evidence of God, or whatever word one uses to name what one theologian describes as 'the More.'"

July 23: Learn about St. John Center Serving Homeless Men

July 23 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Learn about How Louisville's St. John Center Serves Homeless Men

http://www.stjohncenter.org/

 St. John Center has provided day services for homeless men in the Louisville area since 1986.The agency's mission is to create an atmosphere that encourages homeless men to envision a life of hope, take shelter, and move forward. We accomplish this by treating each person with dignity and respect, and supporting them in addressing the problems that lead to homelessness.Open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., St. John Center serves as many as 200 clients daily.

 

July 22: What does Ramadan Mean This Year?

July 22 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Exploring what the Ramadan Fast Means this Year

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/imam-khalid-latif/what-will-make-this-ramad_b_1688153.html

As in years past, Muslims all over the world, myself included, will abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual activity from sunrise until sunset for a month. The rituals and actions that render my fast to be valid will stay the same.

What will make this Ramadan different is my being different. While taking a moment to think about how much my life has changed this past year, I also should take a moment to think about how I have changed in the past year. Where has my growth been, where have I digressed, and how have I stayed the same?

July 21: Embrace "The Vitality of the Struggle"

July 21 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Embrace "The Vitality of the Struggle" with Terry Tempest Williams

http://www.onbeing.org/program/vitality-struggle/233

Terry Tempest Williams is a naturalist and writer, a biologist by training with a literary mind. She comes from a long Mormon lineage in Utah. She draws political, spiritual and creative inspiration from her experience of the interior American west. She offers stories of neighborly collaboration that turns into environmental protection, and the value that comes from vitriolic disagreement inside families.

July 20: Learn about Buddhist Peacemaker Donald Rothberg

July 20 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Learn about Donald Rothberg and "Socially Engaged Spirituality"

http://donaldrothberg.com/
  
Donald Rothberg is a leading teacher and writer on socially engaged spiritual practice. He has taught and practiced Buddhist meditation for over 30 years, and his engaged work has pioneered new ways of connecting inner and outer transformation.  He is a member of the Teacher's Council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and author of "The Engaged Spiritual Life."

July 19: Living Non-Violent Communication

July 19 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Learn about "Living Non-Violent Communication" from Marshall Rosenberg

http://www.soundstrue.com/weeklywisdom/?source=podcast&p=6366&category=WW&version=full

From Marshall Rosenberg:

"It may help you to understand that Nonviolent Communication grew from my attempt to understand the concept of love and how to manifest it, how to do it. I had come to the conclusion that love is not just some­thing we feel, but something we manifest, something we do, something we have. And love is something we give. We give of ourselves in particular ways. It’s a gift when you reveal yourself nakedly and honestly, at any given moment, for no other purpose than to reveal what’s alive in you. Not to blame, criticize, or punish—just “Here I am, and here is what I would like. This is my vulnerability at this moment.” To me, that giving is a manifestation of love."

July 18 Tip: Explore Deepak Chopra's "Chopra Well

July 18 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Explore "The Chopra Well" on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nATYCZVhABA&feature=player_embedded

Channel preview for The Chopra Well - launching July 2012! Subscribe now to stay informed about our upcoming shows on wellness, health, spirituality and much more!

July 17: Learn about Confucianism and Compassion

July 17 Compassionate Living Quote from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Learn about Confucianism and Compassion

http://integral-options.blogspot.com/2009/06/emanuel-l-paparella-confucius-sage-of.html

While Confucianism lacks the more mystical characteristics of Lao Tzu’s Daoism, its reasoned philosophy became just as influential on Chinese culture (and indeed that of Japan, Korea and Viet Nam too) as that of Daoism, providing it with its basic rational-ethical structure.

July 16: Understanding Empathy

July 16 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Learning to Understand the Idea of Empathy More Deeply

http://www.eqi.org/empathy.htm

To show empathy is to identify with another's feelings. It is to emotionally put yourself in the place of another. The ability to empathize is directly dependent on your ability to feel your own feelings and identify them.

If you have never felt a certain feeling, it will be hard for you to understand how another person is feeling. This holds equally true for pleasure and pain. If, for example, you have never put your hand in a flame, you will not know the pain of fire. If you have not experienced sexual passion, you will not understand its power. Similarly, if you have never felt rebellious or defiant, you will not understand those feelings. Reading about a feeling and intellectually knowing about it is very different than actually experiencing it for yourself. 

July 15: Make a Home Altar

July 15 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Listen to this short audio about how to make a home altar

http://www.soundstrue.com/weeklywisdom/?source=tami-simon&p=1328&category=PP&version=full

Joseph M. Marshall III: How to Build an Altar

Joseph M. Marshall is a Lakota elder who believes that the wisdom and stories of his people are the greatest gift that he can share with the wider world. In recording Joseph’s audio program Living the Lakota Way, Sounds True producer Randy Roark was deeply moved by just how relevant and needed these teachings are today. As Randy says, “It’s clear to me when working with authors such as Joseph that sanity is contagious… and simplicity is profound.” In this audio excerpt, Joseph teaches us how to build an altar in our homes, and how the existence of this altar will become a physical reminder and symbol of our relationship to others and our planet.

July 14: Sisters of Charity Honor Slaves

July 14 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Confront their past and honor the slaves they once owned

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120713/NEWS01/307120102/1008/NEWS

NAZARETH, KY. — As they mark their bicentennial as one of the state’s oldest Roman Catholic orders, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth are confronting a grimmer part of their history.

The sisters will dedicate a monument to the order’s 19th-century slaves Friday morning next to the cemetery where many of them are buried, near the order’s historic Nelson County motherhouse.


Those honored are the slaves who molded the bricks, built the early buildings, raised the farm animals and prepared the food for the order’s earliest members and their students.


The monument includes a bronze plaque designed by renowned Louisville sculptor Ed Hamilton.



“We wanted to give recognition to those who are buried among us, and we wanted to express appreciation for the important contribution that they made to life here at Nazareth,” said Sister Theresa Knabel, who led efforts to research the slaves’ history.

July 13: Read about Louisville's Peacemaker of the Year

July 13 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Interfaith Paths to Peace names Christopher 2X its Louisville Peacemaker of the Year for 2012

Louisville Peace Activist Christopher 2X
Named 2012 "Louisville Peacemaker of the Year"
By Interfaith Paths to Peace

 Christopher 2X (Center) with Interfaith Paths to Peace Executive Director Terry Taylor (left) and IPP Board President Hugh Ella Robinson (right)

Interfaith Paths to Peace (IPP), a Louisville-based interfaith peacemaking organization has awarded it's 2012 "Louisville Peacemaker of the Year Award" to Christopher 2x, an accomplished Louisville peacemaker and social entrepreneur. The Peacemaker of the Year is presented by IPP and Ms. Carolyn King in the name of her son, the late Richard Hunt Smith. (A brief biography of Mr. Smith appears below.).

The award was presented at IPP's third annual "My Recipe for Peace" dinner which was held at The Temple (Congregation Adath Israel Brith Sholom) on Thursday night, July 12, 2012. In making the presentation, Terry Taylor, Executive Director of Interfaith Paths to Peace, cited the work of Christopher 2x in dealing with violent crime in the streets, his service to the families of both victims and perpetrators, and his efforts to bring the families of victims and perpetrators together to heal the emotional and spiritual wounds they share.

About Christopher 2x

Christopher 2X is head of the Fight Crimes Against Children Partnership, a group that advocates for fighting crimes against young people and raising awareness around child safety issues. He works closely with community groups, law enforcement and religious leaders to address the problem of violence in the streets of Louisville, to heal the emotional and spiritual wounds suffered by those affected by violence, and to find ways to reduce and eliminate violence in our community.

A Few Words about Richard Hunt Smith for Whom the Award is Named

 Richard attended Guilford College where he majored in English and minored in music. Following his graduation he was drawn to the field of education and more particularly to working with children. Richard taught at Cone Elementary School in Greensboro, North Carolina, where most of the students he served were African Americans who faced enormous economic challenges. He empowered these youngsters by his example. Together they shared kindness, mutual respect, and joy.

Richard died in 2009 at the age of 31 after a brief but intense life devoted to peacemaking. His life serves as a powerful model of what each of us can accomplish when we strive to be fully human. Richard made it his life’s work to expand the flow of love in the world by reaching out to others, striving always to help those less fortunate than him. He did not judge anyone; nor did he exclude any from the wide circle of his care. His peacemaking efforts reached individuals of many races and religions, both in his native land and in countries as far away as India.  His loving kindness deeply touched members of his own family. That same loving kindness eased the pain of the ordinary and often forgotten men, women and children whose lives are difficult and who often just need a friend.

About Interfaith Paths to Peace

Interfaith Paths to Peace (IPP) is a nonprofit organization based in Louisville, Kentucky.  IPP works to make our community, the nation, and the world more peaceful by bringing people of different religions together through programs and events that promote inter-religious understanding. IPP now delivers more interfaith events and opportunities than any other group in the Midwest and perhaps in the US.

Here is a link to more information about Interfaith Paths to Peace:
http://paths2peace.org/main/summary

Text of Terry Taylor's Remarks in Presenting the Award to Mr. 2X on July 12.

It is now time for us to present a very special award to someone in our community.

It is called the Louisville Peacemaker of the Year award, and honors the individual or organization that Interfaith Paths to Peace believes has made the greatest contribution to peacemaking in our community—especially peacemaking in an interfaith context.

The award bears the name of the late Richard Hunt Smith, a young man who devoted his sadly shortened life to bringing peace to the people around him. Richard was a special kind of “first responder.” He was a person who offered solace to the men, women and children he encountered in his day-to-day life who were emotionally and spiritually wounded by their tragic circumstances.

Tonight we honor a Louisville citizen who is also a special kind of first responder.

Almost every day we turn on the news and see images of sites in our city where violence has ended a life. In these pictures we often see and hear from first responders—police and emt’s who are dealing with the physical and criminal aftermath of a shooting, a stabbing or some other act of deadly force.

But when we see those stories on TV we almost always see another kind of first responder.

This first responder doesn’t deal with the medical needs of the individual or individuals who have suffered violence. He isn’t there to investigate a crime or make arrests.

Instead, this first responder deals with the emotional and spiritual needs of the families of both the victim and the perpetrator.

No matter where in the city a deadly crime has occurred, he is there, offering healing words.

He is there offering solace without regard to the race, religion, or culture of those he serves.

He often persuades alleged perpetrators to turn themselves in to authorities to face the process of justice.

He takes direct action with young people to encourage them to solve their problems non-violently.

And perhaps most movingly, in the wake of deadly violence, he works to bring together the families of the victims and the families of the perpetrators in an effort to mend broken hearts and to make sense out of situations that are seemingly senseless.

Ladies and gentlemen please join Interfaith Paths to Peace in recognizing our 2012 Richard Hunt Smith Louisville Peacemaker of the Year…Christopher 2X

July 12: Remember Woody Guthrie at 100

July 12 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

NPR remembers Woody Guthrie on his 100th birthday

http://m.npr.org/story/156571771?url=/2012/07/10/156571771/at-100-years-old-cultivating-woody-guthries-legacy 

Woody Guthrie would have been 100 years old on Saturday. The singer and songwriter wrote "This Land Is Your Land," among thousands of other songs. Even though Guthrie died almost 45 years ago, his lyrics and message continue to appeal to new generations of Americans. Woodrow Wilson Guthrie grew up rough and poor and wild in a family scarred by tragedy. His older sister died in a fire when he was 6. His mother was eventually committed to a mental hospital, where she died when Woody was 18. By then, the Guthries' native Oklahoma was reeling from the one-two punch of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl of the 1930s — and the westward migration it spawned.

July 11: 8 Religious Wonders to See in the US

 July 11 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

From CNN: 8 Religious Wonders to See in the US

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/10/travel/beautiful-religious-sites-us/index.html?hpt=hp_bn10

(CNN) -- People visit Jerusalem for the rich history, interwoven religious narratives and crumbling holy walls. They visit Europe for ornate churches with painted ceilings and golden trim. They visit India for peace of mind, finding serenity in its carved and colorful temples scattered along the sacred Ganges River.

But people rarely travel the U.S. in search of such sanctuaries. After all, what religious wisdom could America, a country still in its youth at 236 years old, have to offer?

Although the country may not have a reputation for religious landmarks, America is home to more than just secular city halls and strip malls. Whether or not you practice a faith, visiting these beautiful and historic U.S. religious spots may provide inspiration.

July 10: Rape Survivor now ministers Body and Soul

July 10 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

From the NY Times: :A Rape Victim turns to ministering body and soul

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/us/marcia-mount-shoop-a-rape-survivor-turns-to-ministering-body-and-soul.html?_r=1&src=rechp

On the Sunday after she was attacked, Marcia Mount Shoop went to church. The descendant of three generations of ministers, she knew of few more familiar and reassuring places. The Presbyterian Church of Danville, Ky., was the congregation in her hometown, where just about everybody recognized her as the daughter of two college professors, a star miler on the high school track team. Standing amid the faithful on that morning in 1984, just 15 years old, Ms. Shoop felt her thoughts returning to that night...

July 9: Explore the Orthodox Peace Fellowship

July 9 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Explore the (international) Orthodox Peace Fellowship

http://www.incommunion.org/

From the OPF web site:

The Orthodox Peace Fellowship of the Protection of the Mother of God is an association of Orthodox Christian believers seeking to bear witness to the peace of Christ by applying the principles of the Gospel to situations of division and conflict, whether in the home, the parish, the community we live, the work place, within our particular nations, and between nations. We work for the conservation of God’s creation and especially of human life. We are not a political association and support no political parties or candidates.

July 8: Listen to selection from Compassion CD

July 8 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

 Listen to short selection from Compassion CD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2NUwqpQ6cY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

A musical recording that shares the feeling of compassion and love expressed at the Gethsemani Encounter. Slideshow photographs by Tabitha Kaylee Hawk @ http://www.flickr.com/people/tabithahawk/

Available online at:http://web.mac.com/tuningtheplanet/Michael_Fitzpatrick/Compassion_CD.html

July 7: How to Reconnect with Yourself

July 7 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Tips for Learning How to Reconnect with Yourself

http://www.soundstrue.com/weeklywisdom/?source=tami-simon&p=1324&category=PP&version=full

Kim Eng: A Daily Practice to Reconnect with Yourself

In his teachings, Eckhart Tolle often talks about the “pain-body,” which is how he refers to part of our subtle energetic field that actually feeds on toxic thoughts and emotions. He teaches that we all have a pain-body that can keep us from experiencing the fullness of this moment—so what do we do about it? Kim Eng, Eckhart’s teaching partner, has created a series of practices to help us dissolve the pain-body. As Sounds True editorial director Nancy Smith says, “It’s always a special experience to go into the studio with Kim. She has a rare gift for teaching us how to become fully present in any situation, no matter how difficult.” In this audio excerpt from Resist Nothing: Guided Meditations to Heal the Pain-Body, Kim shares a daily practice for reconnecting with our basic sense of presence.

July 6: Read Vecchione's "Faith & Doubt"

July 6 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Read "Faith & Doubt" by Patrice Vecchione

http://www.patricevecchione.com/pages/Faith_and_Doubt.html

Just what are you going to believe?... What gives you strength?” Vecchione asks in her spirited introduction to poems that explore themes of faith and doubt.... Appended biographical notes will point teens to more works by the poets featured in this stirring collection. Booklist For her intelligent anthology, Vecchione has chosen poems-the longest of them barely three pages and most only one page--that address questions of faith and its mirror shadow, doubt, in the broadest possible manner. They turn the concept like a faceted gemstone, the light changing with the slightest move. Her reach is deep....
—Kirkus

 

July 5: How to be more sensitive to the blind & visually impaired

July 5 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

From Our Friends at Louisville-based American Printing House for the Blind:

Suggestions for how to be more sensitive to the blind and visually impaired

www.aph.org

Sensitivity to Blindness or Visual Impairment

1. Introduce yourself to persons who are blind or visually impaired
using your name and/or position, especially if you are wearing a
name badge containing this information.

2. Speak directly to persons who are blind or visually impaired using
a natural conversational tone and speed. Do not speak loudly and
slowly unless the person also has a hearing impairment.

3. Address persons who are totally blind or severely visually
impaired by name when possible. This is especially important in
crowded areas where persons cannot distinguish whether you are
looking toward them by hearing the direction from which your
voice is coming.

4. Speak directly to persons who are blind or visually impaired, not
through a companion, guide, or other individual.

5. Immediately greet persons who are blind or visually impaired
when they enter a room or a service area. This allows you to let
them know you are present and ready to assist. And, it
eliminates uncomfortable silences.

6. When you greet a visually impaired person whom you have
previously met, identify yourself by name. Even though the
person remembers you, he/she may not connect your name and
voice in the moment.

7. Indicate the end of a conversation with a person who is totally
blind or severely visually impaired to avoid the embarrassment of
leaving a person speaking when no one is actually there.

8. Feel free to use words that refer to vision during the course of
conversations with persons who are blind or visually impaired.
Vision-oriented words such as "look", "see", and "watching TV"
are a part of everyday verbal communication. The words "blind"
and "visually impaired" are acceptable in conversation.

9. Be precise and thorough when you describe people, places, or
things to persons who are totally blind. Don't leave things out or
change a description because you think it is unimportant or
unpleasant.10. Feel free to use visually descriptive language. Making reference to
colors, patterns, designs, and shapes is perfectly acceptable.

11. Speak about a person with a disability by first referring to the
person and then the disability. You should, therefore, refer to
persons who are blind rather than to blind persons.

12. Offer to guide persons who are blind or visually impaired by asking if
they would like assistance. Offer them your arm. It is not always
necessary to provide guided assistance; in some instances, it can be
disorienting and disruptive. Respect the desires of the person
you are with.

13. Guide persons who request assistance by allowing them to take
your arm just above the elbow when the arm is bent. Walk
ahead of the persons you are guiding.  Never grab a person who
is blind or visually impaired by the arm and push him/her forward.

14. Dog guides are working mobility tools. Do not pet them, feed
them, or distract them while they are working.

15. Do not leave a person who is blind or visually impaired standing
alone in "free space" when you serve as a guide. Mention
environmental features such as chairs, walls, or counters and ask
the person that you are guiding where he/she would like to wait
for you if you have to be separated momentarily.

16. Be calm and clear about what to do if you see a person who is blind
or visually impaired about to encounter a dangerous situation.
Distinguish degree of danger clearly in your communications. For
example, if a person who is blind is walking toward an open
construction site, call out to the person to stop because open
construction is ahead. Then approach the person, briefly
describe the situation, and offer assistance. If a person who is
blind is approaching a less dangerous obstacle such as a stanchion
in a hotel lobby, call out that there is a pole in front of the person
and ask if assistance is wanted.Dog Guides.

July 4: Attend the "My Recipe for Peace" Dinner

July 4 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace

Attend the Annual Louisville "My Recipe for Peace" Dinner and hear ten community leaders give short presentations on how they make peace...and enjoy food prepared from their recipes!

http://paths2peace.org/My_Recipe_for_Peace.html

Join us to hear ten of Louisville's outstanding community leaders share their personal "Recipes" for how they go about peacemaking in their daily lives.  

And as you listen to these powerful presentations, enjoy a delicious vegetarian dinner created from culinary recipes provided by the
evening's speakers!  

This Year's Presenters Include:

Muhammad Babar ~ Physician, Peacemaker and Philanthropist representing Louisville’s Pakistani-

                                        American Community, a group which promotes interfaith cooperation.

Martin Brooks ~ Regional Director, Peace Catalyst International, an organization fostering dialogue

                                 between Evangelical Christians and Muslims.

Jack Jezreel ~ Founder of JustFaith Ministries, a Louisville-based national organization offering

                            programs that transform people and expand their commitment to social ministry.

Libby Mills ~ Executive Director, Restorative Justice Louisville, a group that brings juvenile offenders

                           and their victims together in a constructive rather than punitive response to crime.

Rita Philips ~ Interim Operations Manager, Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, a facility

                            highlighting the long dormant history of African Americans in our region.

Geshe Kelsang Rapgyal ~ Tibetan Buddhist Monk and Resident Teacher, Drepung Gomang Institute,

                                                   Louisville’s Tibetan Buddhist Community.

Brian Riendeau ~ Executive Director, Dare to Care Food Bank, an organization that each year serves

                                   over 12 million meals to families in 13 counties in Louisville and Kentuckiana.

Gaylia Rooks ~ Co-Senior Rabbi, The Temple (Congregation Adath Israel Brith Sholom), Louisville's

                               largest and Kentucky’s oldest Reform Jewish congregation.

Dianne Timmering ~ Vice President for Spirituality, Signature Healthcare, a business providing quality

                                         long-term healthcare in 73 communities in seven states.

Xiao Yin Zhao ~ Executive Director, World Affairs Council of Louisville and Southern Indiana, a group

                                providing international programs, speakers and educational activities.