"A place where the past does not lead up to the present and where the future is hardly imaginable."
--Arthur Frank, The Wounded Storyteller

Have you recently experienced loss through any of the following?

• Death
• Relationship Failures
• Disappointments
• Failing health
• Financial Collapse
• Catastrophic Events
• Failed expectations in life or
• Any unexplainable circumstances beyond your control?

Special Seminar for Clergy and Religious / Ministry Professionals
Friday, Oct 9 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Plenary Workshop for Everyone
Saturday, Oct 10 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Location:
Lifeline Chaplaincy
1415 Southmore Blvd.
Houston, TX (in the Museum District)

Registration:
By phone 713-524-1055
E-mail lifeline@lifelinechaplaincy.org

Deadline: Tuesday, Oct 6
Lunch will be served each day. Suggested donation $ 5
No registration fee.

In June, the "Twelve Moments of Meditation" series will feature a presentation by Chaplain Christiana Liem on Laughter Meditation--an unstructured session of laughter which allows participants to express their laughter like a fountain.

Laughter Meditation is a part of Laughter Yoga, which is the brain-child of a physician from Mumbai, Madan Kataria, M.D. The practice of Laughter Meditation emphasizes deep breathing and long exhalations. It begins with laughter exercises and ends with a guided relaxation exercise and positive affirmations, an experience which often leads to a healthy catharsis--a feeling of emotional and spiritual release that may last for days.

Christiana Liem is a staff chaplain and a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader and Teacher affiliated with Dr. Madan Kataria's School of Laughter Yoga.

The "Twelve Moments of Meditation" May program will focus on meditative practices drawn from the Hindu tradition, and will feature Mila Allam, a teacher with the Art of Living Foundation (www.artofliving.org) founded by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The body, mind, and spirit wellness programs of the Foundation encourage the elimination of stress, and the uncovering of the strength, peace and joy that lie at the core of every individual. The Art of Living Foundation vision is that of helping to build a global society that is free of stress, violence, and misery--and full of service, wisdom, and celebration.

For her presentation, Milam Allam will lead participants in guided meditation and will teach simple yogic breathing techniques for helping to release stress and for relaxing the mind.

What: "Twelve Moments of Meditation": Hindu meditation
When: 12 noon on Thursday, May 14th
Where: Freeman-Dunn Chapel (Main Campus)

By Tomise Martin

Laughter Yoga for Cancer Patients

A complementary therapy that combines yoga breathing with the benefits of laughter helps some patients touched by cancer cope with stress and anxiety. Created by Indian holistic practitioner Madan Kataria in 1995, Laughter Yoga allows participants to escape the worries of their lives through amusement.

"Fighting cancer is tough. Patients need a break from thinking about it every day," says Christiana Liem, chaplain in the Department of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Education and laughter yoga facilitator at M. D. Anderson. "Laughter Yoga is a nice tool to help people not think about cancer but just to laugh." After researching Laughter Yoga on the Internet, Liem brought the practice to M. D. Anderson. Since then, she has become a certified Laughter Yoga leader and teaches a class at the Place ... of wellness. "Facing cancer every day, we're not often given opportunities to laugh," Liem says. "When I found information on a complementary therapy that focuses on laughter and cancer, I knew it would be a great fit for our patients." Class participants follow the Laughter Yoga leader through a series of exercises to help them bond, release individual inhibitions and warm up the body. During the sessions, participants are encouraged to laugh without relying on jokes or words. "Because Laughter Yoga is a body-mind exercise, I encourage everyone to participate, even if they don't feel like it," Liem says. "At first they may pretend, but eventually they'll find themselves truly laughing."

Liem and Stephen Findley, chaplain in the Department of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Education, lead three classes per month at M. D. Anderson's Place ... of wellness. The free class is open to all those touched by cancer.

If you are interested in Laughter Yoga, ask a local yoga instructor or training center if it is available in your community.

M. D. Anderson resources:
Department of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Education
Place ... of wellness

Other resources:
Laughter Yoga International
American School of Laughter Yoga

Monthly Meditation Series Continues at The Rothko Chapel and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
The Rothko Chapel, along with M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Chaplaincy, continues its monthly meditation series, now titled Twelve Moments of Spirituality and Healing, with noontime programs open to all. Meditations are held at The Rothko Chapel, 1409 Sul Ross, at noon on the second Wednesday of each month and at noon once a month on a Thursday in the Freeman-Dunn Chapel at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Twelve Moments of Spirituality and Healing is co-sponsored by the Jung Center of Houston, Ligmincha Texas Institute, and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

In 2009, the faith traditions that will be represented include Buddhism, Christianity, Sikh, Jewish, Hindu, and Islam. The next scheduled meditations are to be Wednesday, February 11 at 12 noon at the Rothko Chapel and Thursday, February 19 at M. D. Anderson with Robert J. Hesse, Ph.D., co-founder and president of the Contemplative Outreach Network, which is dedicated to interdenominational Christian contemplative prayer.

For information about programs or The Rothko Chapel, call 713-524-9839 or visit www.rothkochapel.org

For details about the M. D. Anderson's Chaplaincy department activities and programming, meditation schedule, and directions, please call 713-792-7184 or email mjkenned@mdanderson.org.

Our Prayer, part of the Ruth Stafford Peale Prayer Power Network, is a community of faith, a true church without walls, uniting people from all over the world through prayer and devotion. With over fifty years of experience praying by name and need, OurPrayer is poised to be the most technologically advanced and accessible prayer ministry in history.

OurPrayer is a faith-filled community brimming with inspiring devotionals, answered prayer, uplifting articles, and much more. Prayer is a strong and meaningful exercise of love, faith and hope. It is the greatest contribution we can offer one another. We welcome you to join us as we transform the world through prayer.

The Ruth Stafford Peale Prayer Power Network has been made possible through the generous contributions of many Guideposts benefactors.

Visit Our Prayer's website by following the link on the right navigation under Links and Blogs or click here: OurPrayer.org

Living with illness certainly feels nothing like a blessing. In the 30 text and audio meditations and practices that comprise Days of Grace, Mary Earle--who has suffered for years from chronic pancreatitis--suggests that illness might be filled with grace as well as pain, with Christ's presence as well as fear.
Read more at: http://www.explorefaith.org/