Conference benefits visual arts scholarship fund

The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council blog site is promoting the art therapy conference Symbolic Communication: Meaning through Metaphor to be held on Friday, October 5, 2007, starting at 9:30 a.m., featuring Thomas Moore as the keynote speaker.

Proceeds will go to the Ray Levine Scholarship Fund of the Visual Arts Foundation. General public admission for the conference is $75, with reduced rates for students and faculty of the School for Visutal Arts. Pre-registration is available with attendees paying at the door on the day of the event. Register by calling 212.592.2610 or email arttherapy@sva.edu.

Additional information about this event appears in a July announcement and an August update on Barque: Thomas Moore.

Video series shows everyday spirituality

This morning the New York Times emailed a notice for Thomas Moore’s 2000 video Discovering Everyday Spirituality - Activity:

"In the video the viewer sees several lives profiled who have found sacredness in everyday life. Thomas Moore's message is that by following thier example, the viewer can lead a more satisfying life and come closer to their own humanity. People featured in this series are: author Robert Fulghum, poet Kathleen Norris, Episcopal priest Barbara Crafton, Jeff Smith, novelist and screenwriter Dan Wakefield, and businessman Tom Chappal."

Amazon sells new and used versions of Moore’s VHS productions. Another site describes the 8-part (4-video) set as:
"Through Telling Our Stories (parts I & 2) Stories have the power to heal and set free. Stories also speak of turning points, moments of God's presence, and traces of grace. These two episodes look at many forms of storytelling and help us to appreciate how the very act of telling a story is a connection with the spirit.
Through Finding Our Place (parts 3 & 4) By paying attention, by taking time to get to know our own homes and communities, by looking beneath the surface of things to find the mystery, we can all better appreciate our own spiritual geography.
Through Everyday Activity (parts 5 & 6) Creativity and spirituality aren't questions of what we do so much as how we approach what we do. Everyday chores from gardening to ironing, cooking, and working 9 to 5, as well as crafts and other artistic pursuits, can all become vehicles for contemplation, prayer, healing, and celebration.
Through Prayer and Ritual (parts 7 & 8) Whether in traditional or unconventional forms, these programs explore the links between liturgical ritual and the sacramental quality of ordinary experience."
Each part has a run time of approximately 25 minutes. The recently released movie, The Power of Forgiveness that includes Thomas Moore, may soon be available on DVD.

If you've watched the videos, please join the Barque: Thomas Moore Forum to post your reactions.

"Thomas Moore"