Moore talks on Breakfree to Success, 7 July 2010

Thomas Moore talks about Care of the Soul in Medicine on Wednesday 7 July 2010 at 10 a.m. with BlogTalkRadio's Breakfree to Success host Doug Foresta.

According to this program's description, "... Moore speaks to the importance of healing a person rather than simply treating a body. He gives advice to both healthcare providers and patients for maintaining dignity and humanity. He provides spiritual guidance for dealing with feelings of mortality and threat, encouraging patients to not only take an active part in healing but also to view illness as a positive passage to new awareness. While we don’t fully understand the extent to which healing depends on attitude; it has been shown that healing needs to focus on more than the body."

The call-in number is 877.483.3161. Moore's segment is approximately 30 minutes. This program will be available for archival listening.

Breakfree to Success is a show for creative professionals. Host Doug Foresta is "a speaker, therapist and creativity consultant who helps extraordinary creative people overcome fear and limiting beliefs."

Work now with the raw material of your soul

Thomas Moore contributes a new blog entry to The Huffington Post, "Molding the Raw Material of the Soul". In this essay, he writes about personal and national maturation:

"I see the point in life to become more mature. That means to have more substance and bite, more character and understanding for having faced certain outcomes of ignorance. You make a big blunder, and you sentence yourself to months and years of sorting it out, until you are a person who won't make that blunder again. You've gone somewhere. You've become something.

When I read the statements of our politicians and business leaders, I'm often struck by this lack of soul-process by which they could become mature enough to lead. I see naive blindness and unprocessed behavior everywhere, as though one of the requirements for these positions is that you have never reflected on values or meaning. They seem to see no problem in floating bubbles of moral platitudes with no intention of ever taking them seriously. They broadside their opponents, routinely flouting the ad hominem principle (attacking the person rather than discussing the idea) instead of engaging in subtle, complex argument.

Self-awareness doesn't arrive on a golden cloud. It's an achievement won through pain and courage. It takes a strong heart to face certain weaknesses again and again until, through this practice of reflection, they become strengths."

Join the discussion by logging onto The Huffington Post site to leave your reflection.

Magazine encourages women to enjoy golf games

YGolf Magazine for Women includes as excerpt from the Introduction to Thomas Moore's new collection of short stories, The Guru of Golf and Other Stories about the Game of Life. Moore writes, "Just think about that hole in the ground, the object of the chase. Like a kiva. An emptiness in the earth. The empty tomb. A portal to the underworld. A goal that is nothing. Like waiting for Godot. Like sitting at meditation. Like being open to life."

The Home page also features an article about Catherine Behan in its Body & Soul section. "Finding Love on the Links" describes Behan's Golf in Love Confidence Program:

"She loves to tell women that three out of every four golfers are men. The odds are fantastic and savvy women are following her lead and approaching golf as the fantastic match making opportunity it is. Catherine created the Golf in Love Confidence Program to help women who want to attract a golfer of their own. She teaches that if you want to find a golfing soul mate, you need to BE A GOLFER.

She believes that once you have GOLF CONFIDENCE, your dating life will take on a whole new dimension! Golf is a game for a lifetime and having this great sport as the centerpiece of your relationship is an amazing asset...

This month Behan contributes "Being the Only Girl in the Foursome Rocks!" following her piece, "Boost your Confidence – Golf Alone!".

In his Introduction, Moore includes, "I especially like playing at the unassuming country course across the road from me. I’m sure the stories emerged from all the thinking I do as I play, sometimes alone, on that rugged and hilly, unaristocratic, and unforgiving course."

Moore shares ideas with radio host Debbie Mandel

Debbie Mandel interviews Thomas Moore about his new book, Care of the Soul in Medicine, Tuesday 15 June 2010 on her half-hour Long Island radio show with WGBB 1240AM. A link to this program is provided in her Turn on Your Inner Light Wellness Newsletter for June. Mandel writes, "This is a must read for those who want to partner their healing." Mandel's web site, Turn on Your Inner Light features this interview with Moore, available as an .ram file, on the site's front page.

Jackson hospital focuses on patients as people

In today's Jackson Citizen Patriot, under the headline "Allegiance Health, doctors focus on patient, not just health issue", Monetta Harr quotes Thomas Moore who spoke about soul in Jackson three years ago:

"Moore said he believes illness affects not only the body but the spirit and soul, yet most doctors focus only on the problem, not the whole person.

"Care of the soul is not the same as spirituality in medicine. Soul material is different, much more ordinary and common, yet it touches deep emotions," Moore said in a telephone interview.

"Doctors, nurses, technicians, they are all trained to take care of your body. Trained in biology and chemistry and pharmacology and not too good dealing with you as a human being. There are doctors good at dealing with people and those don't know what to do with people," Moore said."

Harr describes features at Allegiance Health that support Moore's views in Care of the Soul in Medicine (Hay House, 2010):

"Jackie Liebowitz, vice president of patient care continuum at Allegiance, said a healing environment is one of seven "values" the hospital has focused on since 1999, from allowing patients to choose what food to eat and when to eat it, to the color of walls in patient rooms.

Soft music, paintings hung on walls and in rooms and natural elements such as stone and wood are all part of the plan. Water is another element, with a new waterfall near the emergency room and fish tanks on some floors."

Moore blogs with Huffington Post about fun

Thomas Moore blogs with Huffington Post today, answering "Why fun is a serious issue". He refers to the medical stage, his own experiences and the role of folly in daily life:

"The word "fun" has its origin in the word "fool." Erasmus, that witty, theology-inclined philosopher of Renaissance Europe, claimed that life is worth living because of its foolishness. We are worth knowing and loving only because we are so often fools, intentionally or unintentionally.

I think it's legitimate to translate the title of Erasmus's most famous book, written incidentally at Thomas More's house in London, as In Praise of Fun. Here's what he says about marriage: "How many more divorces would there be if married couples didn't flatter each other, laugh things off, relax, be deceived and pretend that things are not the way they are. This is all fun!"

Modern life -- and I mean the modernist myth that shapes us -- is, in contrast, deadly serious. The fun has gone out of work, and if the fun is gone, what is left? What is left is a soulless culture, because in some mysterious way a soulful life and fun go together. When I would tell my father of my heavy schedule and impossible workload, he would always say, "As long as you're having fun."

Read the entire essay and register with Huffington Post to comment.

Thomas Moore co-offers a Spirituality CE course

Unitarian Universalist minister Wayne Walder and Thomas Moore offer a Continuing Education program for clergy and spiritual/religious professionals, called Soul Spirit Dialogues: Residential Master Classes in Deepening Spiritual Leadership with Thomas Moore, to begin October 2010. According to the program's site, "This course will delve into the essentials of religion and explore ways of grounding and advancing spirituality. It will offer a sophisticated psychology that dovetails with an intelligent and grounded spiritual life. It will also try to help leaders with their own psychological and spiritual issues." The course is open to "congregants, colleagues, students and aspirants" interested in exploring "the depth of spirituality."

It spans approximately two months, with two residential stays and home-study topics supported by online and teleconferencing components. Participants meet for two two-day residential seminars at Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center in Andover, Massachusetts. The cost for the course is $2,900 U.S. This includes accommodations and meals at Rolling Ridge. Enrollment for this course is limited to 35 participants.

Moore contributes to book about Renaissance

Thomas Moore writes the Foreword to Julianne Davidow's book, Outer Beauty Inner Joy: Contemplating the Soul of the Renaissance, published by Bunker Hill Publishing, available October 2010.

According to the publisher, "Outer Beauty Inner Joy is a spiritual book about beauty in which the author has gathered the wisdom of Renaissance writers and artists into a contemplative modern-day book of hours. Using the visual beauty of Renaissance masterpieces and the wisdom of the poets and artists of the time the author shows, in the words from Thomas Moore's Foreword, 'in visual images, words, and description, a point of view that has been utterly lost to the modern mind: the idea that divinity and humanism go together.'"

The publisher's catalogue shares, "Davidow is a writer and photographer. Her writing and photography have been published in numerous publications and she has exhibited in Italy, New York and at the Royal Academy, London. She lives in New York City and Venice Italy."

Title: Outer Beauty Inner Joy: Contemplating the Soul of the Renaissance
Author: Julianne Davidow
Hardcover: 144 pages - 60 color photographs
Publisher: Bunker Hill Publishing (Oct 16 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1593730861
ISBN-13: 978-1593730864
This book may be pre-ordered now.

Golf and laughter contribute to caring for soul

On his page with Amazon.com, Thomas Moore adds the blog entry, "The Muse is Breathing Heavily into my Ear," dated 8 June 2010, in which he describes recent writing activities and his two new books, Care of the Soul in Medicine and The Guru of Golf. Moore suggests, "These two books will speak to you if you have an illness, go to the doctor, work in a health profession, or like short stories that make you laugh."

Medical Office Today webinar with Moore is free

As noted in a Barque post last week, Thomas Moore participates in a FREE webinar on June 24 at 1:00 p.m. with Medical Office Today. It focuses on the idea that a medical office is more than just a practical space — it has a "symbolic, expressive and emotional impact on patients." Learn more about this webinar and register for it here. Webinar participants can ask questions, and as a bonus, ten webinar participants win free copies of Care of the Soul in Medicine. Register now.

BlogTalkRadio hosts Moore next Friday at 12 p.m.

Steve Maraboli of BlogTalkRadio interviews Thomas Moore about Care of the Soul in Medicine on Friday 18 June 2010 at 12 p.m. A description for this program references Moore's Care of the Soul: "By nurturing the soul in everyday life, Moore shows how to cultivate dignity, peace, and depth of character." Participate in the program live or download it after its air date. The call-in number for this show is 347.324.5573.

Thomas Moore appears on Good Morning America

Watch Thomas Moore talk about Care of the Soul in Medicine (Hay House, 2010) with Tanya Rivero on ABC News  Now's Good Morning America Health, 7 June 2010:

Soul Care:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/soul-care-10848580
6 minutes

Moore acts as resource for Meridian University

Meridian University in Pentaluma, California lists Thomas Moore as a contributing member of its Psychology faculty. The university site quotes Moore: "I have been a friend of Meridian University for several years. Meridian is friendly, intelligent, intense, complex, and perfectly focused. It provides an education which is counter to trends, feeds the soul, and pleasures the intellect." Adjunct psychology faculty also include Jean Houston, Shaun McNiff, Michael Meade and Robert Sardello.

According to the site, "Founded in 1993, Meridian University offers degree programs that educate students to engage the professions of Psychology, Business, Education, and the Arts in creative and transformative ways. These degree programs provide a cumulative, emergent, and integrated curriculum, empowering the student’s transformation both personally and professionally."

Medical Office Today hosts webinar with Moore

Check out the "What's New" section at Medical Office Today as it offers its first webinar Thursday 24 June at 1 p.m. ET, featuring Thomas Moore in discussion about his new book, Care of the Soul in Medicine. This free event explores "how healthcare professionals can care for their patients as whole persons — body, soul and spirit." It focuses on a medical office as more than just a practical space by considering its "symbolic, expressive and emotional impact on patients."

Title..Medical Office Today
Date..June 24, 2010
Time..1:00 p.m. ET (60 minutes)

Fill out the Registration Form now. Webinar participants have an opportunity to ask questions, and all participants may be entered in a drawing to win one of ten free copies of Care of the Soul in Medicine.

Watch Moore with Barry Kibrick in L.A., June 12

Barry Kibrick's interview with Thomas Moore about Care of the Soul in Medicine on the television program Between the Lines airs Saturday 12 June at 8:00 p.m. on KLCS (PBS) in the Los Angeles area. Check Between the Lines program information for additional air times.

The Colin McEnroe Show posts page about Moore

The Colin McEnroe Show, WNPR offers its 21 April 2010  audio interview with Thomas Moore, stating "The model of medicine that treats the body as a mechanism can lose sight of so many things that are vitally connected, in less obvious ways, to health." Moore talks about his new book Care of the Soul in Medicine.

Watch Thomas Moore on ABC News Now, June 7

Thomas Moore tapes a segment about Care of the Soul in Medicine with ABC News Now for Good Morning America Health, to air on national television Monday, June 7 at 2:06 p.m. ET and 5:30 p.m. ET. This segment will run approximately 7 minutes. Good Morning America Health provides tips and advice for a better life.

Thomas Moore talks healthcare with Pat Farnack

In today's opinion piece, "Pat Farnack: When you are sick", Farnack talks with Thomas Moore about his new book, Care of the Soul in Medicine (Hay House, 2010) for Bucks Local News serving Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey's Hunterdon County and Mercer County. Farnack, midday anchor at all news WCBS 880 AM and online at www.wcbs880.com, lives in Bucks County. She writes:

"Moore feels illness can be a "rite of passage." If it is approached thoughtfully, it can remind us of all the things that are truly important. He says that getting through that tough patch, though, can be quite intimidating. Our hospitals and medical centers are not geared to help humans through a time in which they are at their most vulnerable and afraid. Instead of decor that is sterile and cold, bringing in Mother Nature and making a room more cozy is something that wouldn't cost much but would make healing that much quicker and more comfortable. A bright but washable pillow from your bedroom, or a quilt around the shoulders or fluffy socks on ice cold tootsies will do a world of good for an ailing soul far from home.

Often, a sick person will tell you how much a kind word, a joke or a warm touch mattered during their hospital stay. "And often it is a person low on the totem pole" observed Moore, that really made the difference.

Doctors, nurses and other health care professionals are often so bogged down in money matters, insurance, short staffing and regulations, that it’s "almost like they forget their calling."

Just slowing down and realizing how frightened or depressed this human being in the bed might be – could make all the difference and keep despair at bay. They are looking to you to make a connection."

A link trial for the audio file is at the bottom of the opinion piece.

Join Thomas Moore at Omega, July 2-4, 2010

Watch a YouTube video of Thomas Moore exploring ideas from Writing in the Sand at a recent Kripalu workshop.
Video: 4 minutes 21 seconds
Omega's Thomas Moore profile

"Thomas Moore, PhD, is the author of Care of the Soul and 16 other books on spirituality and soulful living. Because of his deep appreciation for the world’s spiritual traditions, especially Buddhism, he often refers to himself as a "Zen Catholic."

"Moore lived in a monastic-style Catholic religious order for 13 years and has been a psychotherapist for 30 years, writing about and practicing archetypal psychology. He holds a doctorate degree in religious studies as well as degrees in theology and music, and lectures widely on spirituality, archetypal psychology, and medicine. In his book, Writing in the Sand, he returns to his roots, bringing his knowledge of religion and depth psychology to a fresh interpretation that accents the unique spirituality in the Gospels."

To register for this program, visit Jesus Spirituality & the Soul of the Gospels at Omega Institute.