Listen to today's radio program about natural magic

Listen to Doug Foresta’s interview today, Natural Magic with Thomas Moore, in which Moore "discusses tips for increasing imagination and enhancing your emotional wellbeing. He also discusses the evolution of his work, and the connection between imagination and 'enchantment' and how you can live an 'enchanted' life!" This linked page to Empower Radio offers streaming audio of today’s program.

Explore spirit and soul in Santa Fe this October

Thomas Moore teaches a weekend workshop for the New England Educational Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico this fall, 26-28 October 2012: Spirituality and Care of the Soul in Psychotherapy. Symposia are held at Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza Hotel.

"This symposium will focus on the calling to help people in physical, emotional, and spiritual trouble. Participants will reflect on their own spiritual journeys and explore ways of meditation and contemplation. They will learn the difference between soul and spirit and see how they can blend psychological counseling with spiritual guidance. Participants will examine the shadow elements in psychotherapy and spirituality both personally and theoretically. They will explore the role of dreams and the arts in therapy, and, finally, they will consider ways to care for themselves spiritually and emotionally and prepare themselves for the deep work of psychotherapy"

Registration is Friday at 7:30 a.m.
The workshop is Friday through Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Individual Registration Postmarked by 23 July 2012: $539 U.S.
Individual Registration Postmarked after 23 July 2012: $589 U.S.
Group discounts and additional symposia discounts are available.

How should writers respond to the future of books?

The future of books occupies Thomas Moore in today's Huffington Post blog entry, "All Books Are Sacred ". Moore is concerned about loss through the transformation of books into electronic devices:

"One problem I have with e-books is that they are not books. They only look like books. Dictionaries say that the word "book" goes back to the word "beech," the wood first used for writing down ancient runes. A traditionalist like me would say that you need paper or another wood product to have a book.

In our modern way of thinking, we believe we can separate the contents of a book from the material it's written on and bound with. We think of a book as information. But anyone who loves books knows that the book is what you hold in your hand and put on a shelf. A library honors a book and easily turns into a sacred place, not too far distant from the sanctuary where I held the big red book against my little head."

He claims,  "A library is not an information center, it's a chapel for books. Your home library, as small as it might be, is also a chapel made sacred by the book itself."

Let's ensure we keep our doors open if only a crack

Thomas Moore's May-June 2012 column, "The Door Ajar", for Spirituality & Health magazine recommends keeping our doors slightly open to allow the flow of life.

"Many people say they are looking for new ideas, inspiration, and a new life, but their doors are closed. They want the new life on their own terms and are unwilling to listen to what “the heaven” may recommend. They want the reward, but they’re not comfortable having any gap in their defenses or being open to the appearance of something new.

I think it’s useful to get over the fear of having your door ajar. On a daily basis, you can practice at having your door at least partially open. Get accustomed to asking a friend, “What do you think?” You’ve opened the door a crack. When deciding where to go or what to do with someone, wait for that person to make a suggestion and be willing to follow. When your tastes or fears or need to control come into play, hold them back, relax, and try something new. These are all exercises in keeping your door ajar."

He doesn't recommend the door be wide open — just open enough to satisfy Emily Dickinson:

"The Soul should always stand ajar
That if the Heaven Inquire
He will not be obliged to wait.”

Cape Cod is a supportive place for Moore's course

Register now for Thomas Moore's symposium Spirituality and Care of the Soul in Psychotherapy with the New England Educational Institute to be held at Four Points By Sheraton Eastham, 3800 State Highway, Eastham, Massachusetts 02642 on Cape Cod from Monday 9 July to Friday 13 July 2012. Classes are from 9:00 a.m to 12:15 p.m. which allows for exploration of the Cape and its environs. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn and to live the course offerings.

Symposium Schedule for the Week

Day	Topics
Monday	Healing the whole person: body, soul and spirit  Ideas about the soul  Distinguishing soul and spirit  Asklepios and using dreams in psychotherapy
Tuesday	A brief introduction to Carl Gustav Jung  Jung and James Hillman  Archetypal psychology and psychotherapy  "Secular" arts and literature
Wednesday	Spiritual counseling  The model of the healing Buddha  Narrative, myth and ritual  Spiritual themes in the arts  Art and therapy
Thursday	Shadow issues in psychotherapy  Money, eros and power  Myths of Hermes and Aphrodite
Friday	Spiritual and emotional support for the therapist   Nature, friendship, contemplation  The physical environment of healing  A personal education in spirituality and the arts

Individual tuition for this course is $589 U.S. Discounts apply for additional courses and group registration. Continuing Education credits are available.

Barque coverage:
25 Nov 2011 "Attend a week-long course with Moore in 2012"

Moore at Healing Journeys conference next month

Today South Carolina's GreerToday.com posts an article about the Healing Journeys national conference in Spartanburg, South Carolina next month, Saturday 23 June and Sunday 24 June 2012 at Spartanburg Methodist College. Thomas Moore opens the conference according to the article:

"Thomas Moore, author and educator will be the keynote speaker on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Moore holds a Ph.D. in religion and most of his 15 books deal with deepening spirituality in every aspect of life. He lectures on holistic medicine, spirituality, psychotherapy and the arts. Moore’s latest book is Care of the Soul in Medicine. Other books include The Guru of Golf, 18 stories about the game of life using golf as the root metaphor, and The Book of Job, a commentary on the story of Job."

This conference, free to attendees, is designed to give encouragement and educational information to people with any type of cancer and to those close to cancer survivors. Visit the Healing Journey site for registration information: http://www.healingjourneys.org/overview-spartanburg-conference.

Barque coverage:
20 Apr 2012 "Changes in health may be turning points for soul "

Moore considers professional ethical challenges

Thomas Moore offers a day-long professional workshop Friday 11 May 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Monadnock Covenant Church, 90 Base Hill Road., Keene, New Hampshire under the auspices of MAPS Counseling Services: Spirit & Soul in Psychotherapy: Ethical Challenges & Clinical Applications. This program is for licensed social workers, mental health counselors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists and pastoral counselors. During the workshop, practitioners learn to:
* Integrate spirituality in their clinical practice;
* Recognize potential ethical problems;
* Develop skills to be more holistic and effective with clients.

Cost:
$150.00 for professionals.
$100.00 for students with I.D.
Lunch is not provided. Several restaurants are near the training site.
Continuing education credits are available.

Register online with PayPal or credit card, or send a cheque.

Barque coverage:
20 Mar 2012 "Workshop about spirit and soul in psychotherapy"