For more info on Swedenborg Library programs, click the "more info" link in the box above.

A new discussion group, using "A Book About Us" (how the stories and characters of the Bible represent our lives) will begin on Monday, June 10 at 6 pm in the Swedenborg Library. The program will be led by the Rev. Dr. George Dole. To borrow a copy of this book, click here: Borrow "A Book About Us"

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Community programs that may be of interest at other locations
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IANDS: CHICAGO CHAPTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEAR DEATH STUDIES:

Saturday, May 11, LAURA ALDEN KAMM, near-death experiencer, Well-known energetic healer, Author, Teacher, and Intuitive will speak from 3-5 pm.

Laura Kamm grew up in rural Ohio. A world traveler at a young age, she tromped through 16 countries by the time she was 8. After high school, Laura headed to the Ohio State University. Shortly thereafter, she ended up working at the headquarters for the Commander-in-Chief for the North Atlantic Fleet. She married, had two children, and continued to pursue a scholarly vision of creating architecture with an anthropological influence which would infuse the work of her heroes: Margaret Mead, Joseph Campbell, and Frank Lloyd Wright.

While attending Indiana State University in 1982, Laura’s life was transformed when she awoke one morning with a searing pain in her head. Within 11 days she was totally blind. Several hours later, she died in an ambulance.

Laura crossed over to the Other Side and had an extraordinary near-death experience. Her life and mission were forever changed. She recovered from this traumatic illness, partially blind and with a rare and precise gift of inner sight. She described to her neurosurgeon how she physically saw particles and ribbons of colors within and around everything, to which he replied, “Laura, it will be 100 years before Western science finds out what really happened to you.”

Early on, a schism formed between her experiences and skills, and the mainstream world. Laura felt far-flung from what life was supposed to be. But what was life supposed to be? She saw a black hole between science, religion, philosophy, and contemporary spirituality and mysticism. There is an unwillingness to speak of one’s direct experiences with God that fall outside the lines of acceptable dogma. She began to envision intelligent, compassionate conversations about living with hope and fulfillment in our flattening world while being consciously engaged in spirituality and its inherently beautiful, yet, challenging experiences.

Her book, Intuitive Wellness, and audio programs, Unlocking Your Intuitive Power: How to Read the Energy of Anything and Color Intuition, begin to address the questions she asked as a child—who or what is God? For almost thirty years she has engaged in work that keeps her in direct contact with spirituality, never losing her thirst for discovering cross-cultural applications of religion and mysticism, and exploring how science has been empowered to make or break a spiritual point but cannot diminishing one’s personal experience.

As a structural and medical intuitive, she has worked with countless individuals around the world, from all strata of society. Doctors have called Laura a “walking MRI” for her laser-like accuracy in intuitive assessments. She is a popular radio guest and the host of, Laura Kamm Live; words along the way. She has served on research panels, including the National Institute of Health-funded studies on remote healing with HIV/AIDs patients. Laura has also worked with the complementary medicine unit at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. Her work has been highlighted in Body + Soul and Better Health and Living magazines, and she is the “Intuitive Development Expert” for Sounds True web channel.

When Laura is not writing, lecturing, teaching, on the radio, or working with private clients, she relishes time spent with her two adult children. She is a life-long student of anthropology/sociology, a gardener, and a practitioner of meditation, yoga, and various eastern arts, including calligraphy.

IANDS support and study group meets the second Saturday of the month, 2-5 p.m. Lectures begin at 3 pm. Near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences, losses, research. All are welcome. Suggested Donation - $20. No one is turned away.

IANDS meeting location: Frank Auditorium in Evanston Hospital, 2650 Ridge Ave. (& Central), Evanston, IL.

For information on the next meeting of the Chicago chapter of the International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS), visit Chicago IANDS.

NOTE: If you have to miss the above program, The Swedenborg Library has a copy of Facing Death that may be viewed in Library during business hours.

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IONS--CHICAGO COMMUNITY GROUP presents:

MAY 19, 2013: Waking Up Early
Inspired by IONS' experimental educational program for teens, World-View Literacy, we bring in a panel of diverse young people as our teachers to share their beliefs and their own developing paradigms. It is easy, as we age, to believe we know from experience, but our point of view can become limited, fixed, rigid and full of blind spots. We may cling to the need to be right, and become uncomfortable with paradox and uncertainty. In this program we will invite fresh points of view from the youth of today as we envision the world of tomorrow.

IONS programs are held on the 3rd Sunday of the month, from 2:45 pm until 5:30pm (guests often want to linger and share until 6 pm). Location: The Ethical Humanist Society, 7574 N. Lincoln Ave., Skokie, Illinois. Enter from parking lot. Fee: $10.

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A Fellow Seekers Workshop Presentation: "The Gateway Voyage"
Offered for the first time in the Chicagoland area. (This program has been offered at IONS in California in the past, as part of the partnership between IONS and The Monroe Institute)
The Gateway Voyage is the flagship program of TMI - a 6-day residential program that introduces participants to HemiSync sound technology that supports and enhances different states of consciousness. For many, this is a life changing experience.

The Gateway Voyage is a method of discovery where you can explore different states of consciousness through direct experience.
By exploring our internal world, we are able to understand in greater depth the nature of our own reality and our relationship to the universe. We utilize an audio-guidance technology as a tool to access these levels of awareness which assists you in knowing that you are more than your physical body. We invite you to find out for yourself and let the Gateway Program guide you on your own personal voyage inward.

The Program will be presented at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus. You will stay in comfortable rooms and dine on good and healthy food. There will be time to explore the beautiful grounds and enjoy nature as spring unfolds.

When: Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 3:00 PM to Friday May 17, 2013 at 9:00 AM
Cost: $1595.00: includes tuition, all program materials, and room and board.
Where: Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus 2710 S. Country Club Road Woodstock, IL 60098
Contact: Robert Holbrook and Marinda Stopforth
at The Monroe Institute
630-353-0487
focusfreest8@aol.com
www.monroeinstitute.org

For more information on upcoming programs by The Chicago Community Group of the Institute of Noetic Sciences visit IONS upcoming programs.
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CHICAGO SUBURBAN IONS:
CS-IONS is a community group affiliated with the California based IONS. We usually meet on the 2nd Sunday of each month from 1-3pm at the First United Church of Oak Park, 848 Lake St., Oak Park, IL, to discuss topics on consciousness and healing, extended human capacity, and expanded world view. We have been very fortunate to have stimulating guest speakers at each of our meetings this year. For more info, see Chicago Suburban IONS

Contact: Marta Carlson 630-366-0550 info@cs-ions.org

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EVOLVING YOUR SPIRIT magazine has announced a new web radio program. Debbie Mackall and Maggie Wilkins talk about the energies going on today, as well as how we are responding, some of the things we can do, etc. Join in the conversation at Evolving Your Spirit radio.
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FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, Chicago:
The church holds a Taizé worship, every Friday from 6-6:45 pm in Dixon Chapel, 2nd floor at 77 W. Washington St. (at Clark) in Chicago. A service of light and darkness, reflective music and meditation is offered by Rev. Wendy Witt and music director Erik Nussbaum.

Saturday evening worship is held in Dixon Chapel on the second floor, every Saturday at 5 pm.

For more information on all upcoming worship services and programs of the First United Methodist Church, in the Chicago Temple Building at 77 W. Washington St., Chicago, see First United Methodist Church

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The RUACH CENTER
The Ruach Center is a mystical community dedicated to expanding spiritual consciousness and a real experience of God. Much like the spiritual communities that mystics such as St. Francis of Assisi and Paramahansa Yogananda created, we assist people in finding truth and a real relationship with God inside. Our meditations, services, devotions, classes and seminars support the deepening of our experience of God. Only through a direct experience can you know really anything. Christian Mysticism is the spiritual process of seeing, feeling and knowing God at the center of one’s being. For more information, see Ruach Center
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Peace on Earth Film Festival
Community Movie Nights are part of the year-round outreach programming of the Peace On Earth Film Festival. All are supported and approved by the filmmakers whose films set the tone for inspiring dialogue, the key to all of the DFP programming.
To see the winning films of this year's Peace on Earth Film Festival or if you'd like information about any of the year-round outreach programs, visit Peace on Earth Film Festival. Programs can be modified to fit the needs of your school or community center. Contact them at dfp@peaceonearthfilmfestival.org or call 773.273.1598.
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The Swedenborg Library in Chicago sponsors programs and retreats on spiritual topics, hosts Common Ground lectures, and maintains on loan (see all items under "books" in the left-hand column) the works of the 18C Swedish scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg.

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If you are seeking to purchase works by Swedenborg, visit the Swedenborg Foundation's online bookstore, at Swedenborg Foundation.

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The Swedenborg Library is affiliated with the General Convention of Swedenborgian Churches in the U.S., whose central administrative office is located in Newtonville, Massachusetts.

People of all faiths, including skeptics of religion, are welcomed to Swedenborg Library programs - it enrichs understanding and conversations!

We are located on the 17th floor at 77 W. Washington St. (at Clark) in Chicago's "Loop," opposite Daley Plaza. For more information, call 312-346-7003.

The Library is regularly open on Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 4 pm, during/after scheduled programs, and by appointment. Note that the books found in the book catalog list at left (navigational list) are available on loan from the Library.

If you plan to attend a Swedenborg Library program taking place after 4 pm on weekdays, or on a weekend day, we have made arrangements for discounted parking ($9) at the self-park garage located 172 W. Madison St. (1.5 blocks west from the 77 W. Washington and one block south.) The garage is on the north side of Madison between LaSalle and Wells. Parking after 4 pm is normally $14 at this lot.

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New and on loan from the Library:
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The History of New Thought by John Haller Jr. NEW THOUGHT is both a movement and a uniquely American philosophy, one that emphasizes the power of the mind over matter and challenges its followers to visualize their way to health and success. Historian John Haller's exploration of New Thought covers both the people and the organizations involved, and the way their ideas were embraced and disseminated, illuminating an important but little-studied facet of American culture. Dr. Haller is professor emeritus of history at Southern Illinois University; he will speak on this new book at the Swedenborg Library on Friday, March 15 at 7 pm.


Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife by Dr. Eben Alexander. Dr. Alexander has been an academic neurosurgeon for the past 25 years, including 15 years at the Brigham & Women's and the Children's Hospitals and Harvard Medical School in Boston. In this book, he recounts his personal experience of seven days in a coma that resulted from his brain being attacked by a rare illness. His recovery was a medical miracle, but even more miraculous was his journey beyond this world and his encounter with an angelic being. To learn more about Dr. Alexander, see Dr. Eben Alexander.



Getting into Heaven--and Out Again by Albrecht Gralle. In this light-hearted tour of the afterlife, Albrecht Gralle takes aim at some hard-hitting questions: What is it like in heaven? What about hell? What happens to people who have suffered horribly in this life? How do we reconcile that suffering with the idea of an all-loving God? Is there sex in heaven? What about tea? During pauses in the tour, Gralle delves into his own struggles with faith, speaking directly with people who wonder how a modern, rational person can believe in the absence of proof. The result is a thoughtful take on the meaning of our lives on earth that is grounded in the writings of Swedish scientist-turned-seer Emanuel Swedenborg.


Paranormal: My Life Researching Near Death Experience by Raymond Moody MD. Released in February, this autobiography of the researcher who coined the term "near death experience" interweaves his life story with key findings from his areas of paranormal research, including near and shared death experiences, past life regression, and scrying (mirror gazing.)

The Art of Intuition:Cultivating Your Inner Wisdom by Sophy Burnham. With exercises and step-by-step instructions, this inspiring book guides readers in developing their intuitive powers and learning to trust the knowledge they gain from their insights. Burnham tells the stories of individuals who have "seen without seeing," illustrating the workings of what she calls our "intuitive hearts." This book will be the basis of a workshop at the Swedenborg Library on April 27, 2013.





Radical Forgiveness by Colin Tipping. Is there a divine purpose behind everything that happens? If you're williing to embrace that possibility, every aspect of your life can change. This is the theory behind Colin Tipping's revolutionary method for experiencing the freedom, peace, and renewed energy that come with radical forgiveness. In this volume, Tipping provides a step-by-step instruction in what begins as a healing process and culminates in an entirely new way of living in the world.
Colin Tipping was born in England and taught at London University before immigrating to the United States in 1984. With his wife, JoAnn, he cofounded the Georgia CancerHelp Program and Together-We-Heal, Inc.



How I Would Help the World by Helen Keller.
Humanitarian Helen Keller (1880-1968) was stricken with a disease that left her blind and deaf at only nineteen months of age. the story of how her teacher, Anne Sullivan, was able to break through and help her learn to communicate became an inspiration for millions. Keller quickly learned to read and write, and later became the first blind and deaf person to earn a college degree when she graduated from Radcliffe College.

In this small volume, Keller writes about the inspiration she received from reading Swedenborg, and its application to modern life.






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The Swedenborg Library is now displaying canvas reproductions of the Louis Comfort Tiffany Angels of Revelation that represent the seven early Christian communities mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. The original windows were created in 1902 for the Cincinnati New Jerusalem Church which was dismantled in the 1960s to make way for Interstate 71. Visit during regular hours, or call 312-346-7003 to arrange an appointment.
At left, Philadelphia, one of seven angels created by the Louis Comfort Tiffany Studio in 1902.




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For information about Emanuel Swedenborg, the 17C scientist and theologian, and his works, see these links:

A listing of books and articles on Swedenborgian thought, built and is maintained by Ian Thompson, a physicist at University of Surrey and University of California at Berkeley.

The Swedenborg Foundation, source of published works by and about Swedenborg. Many of these books are available through the Swedenborg Library in Chicago.

The denomination office for the General Convention of Swedenborgian Churches in the U.S.

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FOR INFORMATION ON UPCOMING PROGRAMS AT THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY, CLICK HERE: Upcoming Programs

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Architect Daniel H. Burnham was a reader of Swedenborg throughout his life, and a member of the Chicago Society of Swedenborgian Churches. In 2009, the City of Chicago is celebrating the centennial of the 1909 Burnham Plan of Chicago. For a full list of Burnham Plan Centennial events, visit Burnham Plan Centennial Events See the search feature in the left column to search by lectures, exhibits, etc.

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PAST PROGRAMS AND SPEAKERS:
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FILM NIGHT July 2010: FOOD, INC.
We recommend this important documentary on how our food system has changed in the past few decades. Cassie Green, owner of the organic market Green Grocer Chicago, was on hand to discuss organic options in Chicago after we viewed the film. To connect with Green Grocer Chicago, visit Green Grocer Chicago.

FILM NIGHT October 2009: Make No Little Plans: Daniel Burnham & The American City This new film by The Archimedia Workshop was presented at the Swedenborg Library on October 23, 2009. For more information, or to order a copy of the DVD from The Archimedia Workshop, visit Daniel Burnham Film


Burnham Plan Centennial: As a planning partner of the Burnham Plan of Chicago Centennial, the Library sponsored programs about architect, planner and Swedenborgian Daniel H. Burnham during 2009. In October 2009, Dr. Kristen Schaffer, associate professor of architecture, North Carolina State University, and author of Daniel H. Burnham, Visionary Architect. presented Finding Burnham in the Archives: Spiritual Revelations & The Plan of Chicago at IIT and Northwestern University, co-sponsored by the Swedenborg Library. Burnham's views on architecture and his ideas for the city are more fully revealed in his notes, letters and drafts than in the published Plan of Chicago. These materials enrich our understanding not only of the public architect and planner, but also disclose the religious beliefs and moral values of the private man. To see Burnham's original draft of the Plan of Chicago, visit the Art Institute of Chicago's Ryerson Library, or click here: Draft of the Plan of Chicago The Swedenborg Library also partnered with the Art Institute of Chicago to present this lecture as part of the "Voices" program in March 2009.

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Some of our past speakers and their topics: ___________________________________________________
Julia S. Bachrach, author of the award winning book The City in a Garden: A Photographic History of Chicago's Parks, has served as the historian and preservationist for the Chicago Park District for more than 12 years and has led hundreds of popular tours of the city's hidden treasures. Julia has a master's degree in landscape architecture and is co-editior of The Alliance for Historic Landscape.

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Marc Ian Barasch - Field Notes on the Compassionate Life - A Search for the Soul of Kindness
Marc Ian Barasch presents a riveting, persuasive argument that compassion powerfully transforms our psyches, our relationships, our health, and our society. What if, he asks, the driving force of human progress is not \"survival of the fittest\" but rather \"survival of the kindest\"? With a keen balnce, hope, and skepticism, Barasch tells of his encounters with empathetic apes; with meditating monks in brain labs, with a man who donated a kidney to a stranger and another who forgave his daughter's murderer; and with astronomers trying to send a missive to E.T., that we're not only clever but kind.

Marc Ian Barasch is a writer, editor, and television producer. He has been an editor at Psychology Today, Natural Heatlth and New Age Journal. His emphasis on political and cultural issues won a National Magazine Award.
His last book, Healing Dreams, was hailed by the Washington Post as \"lucid...courageous...trailblazing.\" It won the Nautilus Award for Best Psychology Title 2001. His previous book, Remarkable Recovery, a study of spontaneous remission was a Literary Guild Main Selection. He is the author of the award-winning classic, The Healing Path, about which Dr. Larry Dossey has wirtten, \"if you read one book about the mind-body connection, make it this one. It is a beacon of science, spiritualiy, and sanity.\"
In the television field, Barasch was writer/producer of the Emmy-nominated One Child, One Voice an international TV special for the Turner Broadcasting System. He has produced and wirtten telelvison specials for England's Channel Four and the Discovery Channel.
Barasch was educated at Yale University . He has taught at Naropa University , where he was one of the founders of the M.A. psychology program.

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Denise C. Breton is Executive Director of the Living Justice Press and the author of numerous books, includingThe Mystic Heart of Justice: Restoring Wholeness in a Broken World, The Paradigm Conspiracy: Why Our Social Systems Violate Human Potential and How We Can Change Them, Love, Soul and Freedom: Dancing with Rumi on the Mystic Path, and The Soul of Economies: Spiritual Evolution Goes to the Marketplace. The last three were co-authored with Christopher Largent.

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Herbert Bronstein is a member of the Common Ground faculty and Senior Rabbi Emeritus, North Shore Congregation Israel. He is the editor of "Liturgies for the Reform Movement," and lecturer at Lake Forest College. A Scholor of comparative religions, he is a trustee for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions.
. He has spoken at the Swedenborg Library on "The Three Messiahs" of the Abrahamic tradition, on ecology, and on American Jewry and Israel.

Sophy Burnham spoke on "Angels Among Us" and led a workshop on forgiveness for the Swedenborg Library in November 2012. Burnham is a healer and intuitive; she has written 13 books including the best-seller "A Book of Angels." She also lead a workshop on intuition at the Library on April 27, 2013. For more information on Sophy's work, visit Sophy Burnham

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The Mystical in Our Lives: An Exploration by Way of Kabbalah with Rabbi Menachem Cohen
Mystical things happen everyday in our lives. Running through the world's many religious and spiritual traditions are teachings and practices geared to help us tune in to the mystical nature of the world we inhabit. Participants of all faiths will use practices and meditations of Kabbalah to help them perceive the mystical in their lives and in the spiritual tradition they follow.

Rabbi Menachem Cohen is the founder of the Mitziut Jewish Community of East Rogers Park, Chicago, a community that seeks significance and renewal in our tradition, and of Congregation B'nai ha Midbar, the organized Jewish presence at Burning Man. For 10 years he has studied and practiced Jewish healing prayer with Rabbi Douglas Goldhamer, who is the founder of Hebrew Seminary of the Deaf and has studied Jewish Shamanic Healing with Rabbi Gershon Winkler at the Walkingstick Foundation and at Elat Chayyim.

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Phil Cousineau is a writer, filmmaker, photographer, and cultural historian. He is the author of 16 books, including Once and Future Myths, The Art of Pilgrimage, The Way Things Are: Conversations on the Spiritual Life with Huston Smith and the upcoming The Olympic Spirit. Among his many film credits are: The Hero's Journey: The World of Joseph Campbell, Ecological Design: Inventing the Future, and a collaboration with Huston Smith, A Seat at the Table: Struggling for American Indian Religious Freedom.

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John DeBerry, Bereavement Counselor and Consultant: Managing the Holidays.
As challenging changes enter our lives, celebrating the November-December holidays can be different than in years past. Such changes or "living losses" may include: the loss of a loved one, the losses/changes in vision, hearing and mobility. Illness and aging can affect our quality of life. As John DeBerry says, "Change is inevitable, growth is optional."

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Rev. Dr. George Dole is an ordained Swedenborgian minister with degrees from Yale, Oxford and Harvard. After serving at the Cambridge Church he joined the faculty of the Swedenborg School of Religion in Boston . He has worked extensively on translations of Swedenborg's work.

At the Swedenborg Library, he has led classes on Swedenborgian theology.

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Barbara Geiger presented her findings from her biography of Chicago landscape gardener O.C.Simonds (Low-Key Genius: The Life & Work of O.C.Simonds) in a program at The Cliff Dwellers Club sponsored by the Swedenborg Library in October 2011. Geiger is a landscape historian who has taught at the Illinois Institute of Technology, DePaul University, and the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.

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Mercy Gilpatric was a Dominican sister for 10 years and taught in various high schools owned by the Sinsinawa Dominicans. After she left the order, she continued teaching in Chicago , married and had two children. She began a career in publishing as an editor, writer, and marketing and executive management that spanned more than 30 years. She is the author of several publications, writes a regular column in Marriage magazine, and has presented many workshops and seminars. Most recently, she has taught at Hope College ( Holland , MI ) in their HASP (Hope Association for Senior Professionals) program on topics related to the thinking of Carl Jung.

Some of Mercy's programs at the Swedenborg Library:

Women Entering the Red Tents
We took a look at some of the women mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures to gain a better understanding of the role of women in our Judeo-Christian culture. The remarkable work of fiction, The Red Tent, describes the life of Dinah and the Jewish tradition of women gathering in the Red Tent during the time of their menstruation. While in the company of all the women of the community, rites of passage were celebrated and stories shared. A red tent was recreated, and participants gathered for ritual and stories.

The Scope and Themes of Folk and Fairy Tales
Women have always been the storytellers around the hearth or the kitchen table. Psychoanalyst Clarissa Pinkola Estes'exploration of folk stories sheds light on various aspects of what it means to be feminine. We examined several of these stories and others that can be described as youth tales, middle age tales, and elder tales and explored their application to our contemporary world.

Goddesses in Every Woman
Women are growing more aware of the powerful forces within them that influence their attitudes and behaviors. Psychoanalyst Jean Shinoda Bolen has written books on this topic including Goddesses in Every Woman and Goddesses in Older Women. The ideas in these books were used to explore the archetypes at work in women of all ages and how these archetypes are a source of dignity and pride for today's women.

Synchronicity: Inner Guide Meets External Circumstances
Synchronicity, when important things emerge within the ordinary circumstances of life—did you ever wonder about the circumstances that lead to your parents meeting each other? What about a book you read that changed your attitude or direction in life? How about the circumstances that brought you to the job you have. Chances are synchronicity was part of the process. We explored these happenings and their meaning, and were introduced to the inner guide that influences our personal lives through the surprises, big and small, that occur in ordinary life with extraordinary consequences.

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Jack Gilroy, a scholar in process philosophy, has taught at St. Louis University and Marquette University. He resides in Chicago. In September 2010, he presented an overview of William James' philosophy, sharing the podium with Lake Forest College's Ron Miller.

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John Haller Jr, emeritus professor of history and medical humanities at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is the author of a dozen books on subjects including race, sexuality, and the history of medicine. He is the former editor of "Caduceus: A Humanities Journal for Medicine and the Health Sciences" and, until his retirement at the end of 2008, served for eighteen years as vice president for academic affairs for the Southern Illinois University system. On October 22, 2010, Dr. Haller spoke on his new book, Swedenborg, Mesmer, and the Mind/Body Connection: The Roots of Complementary Medicine, and in March 2012, he discussed his latest work, "The History of New Thought: from Mind Cure to Positive Thinking and the Prosperity Gospel.

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Fatima Imam, assistant professor of history at Lake Forest College presented The Sufi Way: Seeking Nearness to the Divine in February 2013. The Sufi way in Islam seeks nearness to the divine through various paths (tariqas). Union with God is the ultimate reality according to spiritually minded individuals in Islam. She discussed basic tenets of Islamic spirituality and mysticism, touch on some famous Sufi orders from Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, and the Indian sub-continent, and reflect on ways in which Sufism helped to create hybrid cultures where art, language, music, and literature thrived.
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Sunny Dawn Johnston, author of Invoking The Archangels: A 9-Step Process to Heal Your Body, Mind, and Soul discussed her process at the Swedenborg Library in June, 2012. For information on her program, see Invoking The Angels.
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Jim Kenney, a director of the 1993 and 1999 Pariliaments of the World's Religions, is a leader in the movement for interreligious understanding and cooperative common action. A co-founder and director of Common Ground, Kenney is the editor of the journal Interreligious Insight. (See Interreligious Insight
Some of Jim's many Common Ground programs and books discussed at the Swedenborg Library:

Ten Reasons for Global Hope
For many, ours is a time of despair. The “news of the world” seems consistently disheartening. But where and how can we discover the alternative point of view? Where are the sources of global hope? This lecture will explore ten very strong arguments for a more positive global outlook.

Anatomy of a Wikileak
Is the Wikileak phenomenon a cultural positive or a global negative? What is a Wiki? And how does Wikileaks work? Transparency? Security? Journalism? Espionage? And what does it mean to live in an age of Internet insecurity?

Einstein's Opponents
Today, the Theory of Relativity -- along with Quantum Mechanics -- is the essential substrate of modern theoretical physics. But when Einstein first took the world stage, he had many resolute detractors. Researcher Milena Wazeck (NYU) has recently published a comprehensive study--Einsteins Gegner (Einstein's Opponents)--of the anti-relativity group that was active in the 1920s and of one of its most outspoken members, the physicist Ernst Gehrcke. Jim related this fascinating story, particularly in light of the parallels between the tactics of the Einstein deniers in the '20s and those creationists and climate-change skeptics in our own time.

God Evolves?
Robert Wright is a savant in the field of evolutionary psychology. His The Evolution of God is a landmark in the exploration of the development of theology. He’s a skeptic and almost a believer. But he excels and tracing the how human conceptions of God have evolved over time and, in the process, proved quite adaptive.

Suffering and Happiness in the Buddhist Perspective.
Buddha began his very first sermon by describing the nature of human "dissatisfaction," its origins, its cessation, and the path to that blissful end. What is often ignored is the strong Buddhist message about happiness. In this program, Jim discussed up both aspects of human experience as we explore the existential ground of Buddhist thought.

Jamestown
400 years later, we're finally beginning to understand the fabled colony at Jamestown . The settlers' ordeal was extraordinary, as were their accomplishments. And recently, new discoveries have illuminated the complexity of that great gamble and great gain. In this program, we took a closer look at this all-but-forgotten American adventure.

Post-American America
Can we imagine an American future in which \"America\" is less central to our political thinking than \"the world\" is? It's a concept that lies at the very heart of 21st-century approaches to global cultural evolution. But what are the implications for patriotism, nationalism, ethnicity, and culture?

All in the Family: the Indo-European Languages
The Indo-European language \"superfamily\" includes nearly 450 languages And dialects spoken by about three billion people, including most of the major language families of Europe and western Asia (Bengali, English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish, to name just some of the most prominent members). Jim served as our guide for a fascinating linguistic world tour. Kenney touched upon the major sub-groups, the science of languages, and presented some fascinating aspects of our local (German-English) branch of the family.

The Alphabet Vs. The Goddess
In Leonard Shlain's, The Alphabet Versus the Goddess, he argues that the invention of writing - particularly alphabetic writing - is directly linked to a drastic decline in feminine values, women's status, goddess veneration, appreciation of nature, and representative art. For example, the European witch hunts followed closely on the invention of the printing press. The return of the image through the mediums of photography, film, television and the Internet have brought about a sharp rise in the values denigrated during the 5000 year reign of patriarchy and literacy.

Putin's World: Russia Today
Is Vladimir Putin a democratic reformer forced to proceed slowly, an ardent Russian nationalist, a KGB trained autocrat, all three, or something altogether differnt? Jim drew on his extensive experience as a student in and frequent visitor to Russia to illuminate the current situation in the former Soviet Union .

Three Great Moments in Buddhism
The Mahayana Buddhist tradition has an extraordinarily rich and complex history, distinguished by over twenty major schools of interpretation and practice. Jim discussed three of the greatest teachings to emerge from that tradition, in May 2012.

War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning
Chris Hedges' powerful new book has been assailed by some, but hailed by many, many more. It draws on his own experience as a veteran war correspondent as well as on the literature of war, Hedges crafts a compelling argument about the destructive and corrupting effects of war on society, politics, culture, and humanity. The book is a work of terrible power and redemptive clarity whose truths have never been more necessary.

Evolution, Creationism, and Intelligent Design: Whither Science?
The news is filled with talk of “Intelligent Design”. How does this new concept fit into the larger context of the evolution wars? Is “ID” a stalking-horse for creationism? Or is it a reasonable alternative scientific theory? Jim provided some very clear answers, strongly inclined toward the science-as-science side of the debate.

The Knights Templar, with Jim Kenney
The Da Vinci Code intrigued millions of readers with its glimpse of a world of secret societies and intrigues. While most of that plot was imagined, one element stands out as authentic and indubitably fascinating: the Knights Templar. Kenney discussed the history, mystery, and speculate about the uncertain dimensions of the Knights Templar, one of the most famous of secret societies, and traced the course of the Order and its Knights, from their roots in the Holy Land , to their famous persecution on Friday 13, 1307, to their reputed reemergence at countless significant points in history.

Why is Michael Pollan "Defending Food"?
The author of the bestselling The Omnivore’s Dilemma is at it again. In response to the thousands of readers of Omnivore who asked him what they should eat, Pollan wrote In Defense of Food.

He takes on the “food” industry (most of what we eat isn’t food), nutritionism (he thinks that ideology has made us less healthy), and the erosion of our cultural appreciation of the shared meal. So what does he suggest? “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Jim discussed the arguments raised in Omnivore, in Pollan’s groundbreaking 2007 article, “Unhappy Meals,” published in the New York Times, and with his powerful In Defense of Food.

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Reverend Tom Lane -The Way of Ch'an / Meditation Practice
In the seventh century of our era, the Buddhist meditation heritage made its way from India to China , where it interacted with the indignenous Chinese philosophy of naturalness and spontaneity. The result was an incisive form of spiritual practice known as Ch'an, rendering into Chinese accent the ancient Sanskrit word for meditation, dhyana. Ch'an is the parent of the various Zen schools. (Zen is the Japanese pronunciation of \"Ch'an\".)
Tom Lane explored the meaning and experience the methods of meditation as developed by Ch'an, and told the stories and poetry of the ancient masters; participants learned to sit, walk, and bow as they did. The emphasis of the sessions was on nurturing mindfulness and serenity, which the practitioner then carries back into daily life, touching others with compassion, joy, and peace.

Rev. Tom Lane became attracted to Buddhism during a trek in the Himalayas of Nepal, the homeland of the Buddah. He is a director of The Buddhist Council of the Midwest, and inter-religious ventures such as the Chicago Buddhist-Catholic Dialogue and the Niagara Foundation and the Ch'an Institute located in Chicago's Chinatown . He is currently residing in China , where he is teaching English.

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Christopher Largent taught philosophy and comparative religion at the University of Delaware for 23 years and lectures across the U.S. , Canada , and the U.K. His work has been featured by the Leading Edge International Research Group and The Global Renaissance Alliance. His books include The Soul of Economies, The Paradigm Conspiracy: Why Our Social Systems Violate Our Potential & How We Can Change Them, Love, Soul, and Freedom: Dancing with Rumi on the Mystic Path. He was chosen by Rodale Press to do an article for the highly regarded 9/11 work, From the Ashes: A Spiritual Response to the Attack on America. He has authored a number of books with Denise Breton.

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Erik Larson, author of the bestsellers Isaac's Storm and The Devil in the White City, has written for Harper's, The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly and Time Magazine. He is a former staff writer for The Wall Street Journal.

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Rev. Jim Lawrence Burning Hearts: How Mystical Readings of the Bible Reveal a Multi-Layered Spiritual Universe. Rev. Jim Lawrence is Dean of the Swedenborg House of Studies, at the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley , California .

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Jerrol Leitner, Jerry Leitner holds an M.A. in Theology, from St. John University, Collegeville, MN; and an M.A. in English from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL. He is retired from 40 years of teaching English and Theology at St. Viator High School, Arlington Heights, where he was the English Dept. chair. In 2011 and 2012, Jerry has discussed:

Emily Dickinson's God
Henry David Thoreau: America's Conscience.
"I Ate the World:" Ralph Waldo Emerson's Spirituality

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Dr. Wayne Martindale, Ph.D. English, University of California, Riverside, teaches at Wheaton College. His personal interests include C. S. Lewis and his circle. C.S. Lewis, taught at Oxford; he became an Anglican in midlife, and authored many books on spirituality, including "The Screwtape Letters." Dr. Martindale discussed C.S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce" at the Swedenborg Library in February, 2013.

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Russell Lewis "The 1893 Columbia Exposition". Russell Lewis has been on the staff of the Chicago Historical Society for seventeen years, and is currently the Director of Research and Collections. Russell is responsible for ensuring that the more that twenty million objects and documents in CHS's collection are preserved and are made accessible to all the citizens of Chicago . He is an expert on the history of the Collumbian Exposition.

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Ron Miller: Ron Miller, Ph.D. (1938-2011) was widely recognized for his ability to communicate the meaning of sacred texts to people of all backgrounds. He had lectured at hundreds of churches, synagogues, and mosques throughout the United States. He was the chair of the Religion Department at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest Illinois, where he had taught for thirty years> Ron was a co-founder of Common Ground, an adult education group for interfaith religious study and dialogue since 1975. He was vice president of the Inter religious Engagement Project 21 prior to his passing in May 2011.

Miller was the author of many books and articles, including Healing the Jewish Rift, The Hidden Gospel of Matthew (Skylight Paths), The Gospel of Thomas: A Guidebook for Spiritual Practice (Skylight Paths), Dialogue and Disagreements: Franz Rosenzweig's Contribution to Jewish-Christian Dialogue (University Press of America), and Wisdom of the Carpenter (Ulysses Press). For more information on Ron Miller, visit Ron Miller.

We were honored to host these programs by Ron Miller over the past several years:

The Ambiguity of Atheism
What exactly is the essence of this multi-form proclamation of non-faith called "atheism"? And how can a person of faith engage in a meaningful dialogue with this protean non-creed so prevalent in current books and conversation? These questions guided our discussion.

William James and the Varieties of Religious Experience
The Western intellectual scene has long been viewed as one of conflict between religion and science, and much of James’ continued popularity has no doubt been due to his sympathy for the former despite his background in the latter. But it seems more accurate to say that as a pragmatist and ‘radical empiricist,’ James insisted that every field of human experience, from physics to psychical research, be appreciated for its unique contribution to our lives. A century after his death, James still has much of value to say about recurring debates between partisans who would force our experience into neat but distorting intellectual pigeonholes.

Unpacking the Parables of Jesus
Jesus taught in a Jewish literary genre called a mashal. This includes several genres in the English language: parable, proverb, allegory, and aphorism. We explored some of Jesus's parables, seeking to find there a key to Jesus's own religious consciousness and the message he sought to share with others.

The Letter of James. Ron sees The Letter of James as a clue to the diversity of early Christianity and a link to the Historical Jesus as well. Participants learned about some of the provocative issues emerging from this new attention to the Letter of James.

How is God Present in Our Lives?, Ron Miller and Jack Gilroy
Ron and Jack introduced Process Thought of Alfred North Whitehead, John B. Cobb Jr., and David Ray Griffin, compared to classical doctrines.

The Paradox of Paul
The second most important person in Christianity after Jesus himself, Paul remains an enigma. Does he faithfully transmit the message of Jesus or does the Messenger become the Message? Was he the only interpreter of Jesus, and if not, why did the other interpretations fall by the wayside? How can we best appreciate his contribution without falling captive to his limitations? These are just a few of the provacative questions raised by the paradoxical figure who has become almost synonymous with Christian orthodoxy.

A Revolution in Religion?
The German philosopher Karl Jaspers spoke of an "axial age" some twenty-five hundred years ago, a time when there was a revolution in the nature and understanding of the religious enterprise. Is another such revolution occurring in our time? And, if so, what are some of its parameters and promises?

Sex and Spirituality
Most of our major sacred traditions arose in a time of patriarchy when women and sexuality were relegated to procreational roles. Males were the desired offspring and female infanticide was not uncommon. Homosexuality played no useful role in this reproductive model. All of our religions are undergoing profound change today and a re-visioning of the role of sex, gender, and reproduction is in order. Brian McNaught worked for some fifteen years with a program integrating sex and spirituality and his novel, Sex Camp, provides a distillation of the wisdom of that experience. These insights guided our discussion of issues that lie at the heart of some very heated religious conversations in our contemporary world.

A Guide to Adult Spirituality: The Thomas Gospel
There are many religious institutions today that provide good religious schools for children but leave adults spinning on the same religious merry-go-round for decades. How are religious institutions addressing the spiritual needs of adults? Is there coherence between the way adults see the world and the way they relate to the narratives of faith presented to them through religion? What is needed to provide a framework for an adult spirituality? The ancient but only recently discovered Gospel of Thomas was used address these questions. Many of the gospel's teachings seem to capture the voice of Jesus himself; from that voice, Miller focused on concrete ways for individuals and groups to discover more developed paths of spiritual living. The Gospel of Thomas: A Guidebook for Spiritual Practice by Ron Miller was one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2004 by Spiritualiy and Health magazine.

What Are We Praying For?
The question has an intended double meaning. Why do we pray at all? Do we believe in an interventionist God who occasionally dabbles in our mundane activities? And what kinds of things do we pray for, if we pray? Good weather, winning a game, solving world hunger? And are there other forms of prayer that are not petitionary at all? And if so, what are they?

Biblical Errancy: Why the Gospels Aren¹t the Gospel Truth
The watershed dogma dividing mainline Christians from evangelical and fundamentalist Christians is biblical inerrancy, the belief that the Bible is without error of any kind. This dogma leads people to some very dangerous ideas about God, sacred texts, families, gender issues, political stances,and ways of relating to people from other religious traditions, other countries, and other cultural backgrounds. The gospels are not 'gospel truth'. If they are understood as giving us actual transcripts of Jesus¹s teachings, then there is no way to move beyond a ³Jesus² who is patriarchal and anti-Semitic. The issue of errancy vs. inerrancy lies at the heart of virtually every serious theological discussion taking place in our world today.

Does Organized Religion Have A Future?What shape is American religion taking? What challenges do mainline religious organizations have to meet? These questions were among those discussed in April 2011.

When Religion Lies
The Latin motto reminds us: Corruptio optimi pessima. (The corruption of the best things is the worst kind of corruption.) Nothing corrupts like religion and our current age has seen the corruption of religion on several fronts. The deceits of televangelism continue to multiply. Catholic bureaucracies continue to cover up the abuse of children.
It is through a culture of lies that religion has suffered a loss of credibility in the eyes of many of the formerly faithful, while the equally harmful lies of the Religious Right lure people to a false sense of security and salvation. What are we to make of it all in a time of cultural tension and transition?

Revisiting Thich Nhat Hanh
From his work for peace during the Vietnam War to his latest book, Creating True Peace, this remarkable Buddhist monk has become a strong voice for centered living in a world living more and more on the surface of life. His teachings are practice and draw us to that hidden center of all religion, the deep mystical core where true dialogue can be shared and where compassion can be experienced.

Does Suffering Disprove God?
Bart Ehrmann evolved from a Moody Bible fundamentalist to a liberal biblical scholar. And now, in his latest book, he reveals that he has become an agnostic. He finds himself unable to reconcile the idea of a God who is all-knowing and all-powerful with the suffering in our world. Although he does not embrace atheism, he identifies with the author of Ecclesiastes, enjoying the life we are given but uncertain about any statements attempting to locate that life in a larger context. Is there a viable response to his position within the context of religious faith?

The Devil You Say?
In his new book, The Rite, author Mike Baglio follows a California priest to Rome where he will train for a year to be an exorcist. The book explores the difference between psychological pathologies and what the Church considers genuine demonic possessions. Ron discussed modern exorcist practice and surprised those attending by sharing his knowledge and insights of the real events that inspired the original movie, "The Exorcist."

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Dr. Raymond A. Moody MD, a pioneer in researching near-death experience, Dr. Moody's seminal work in 1975 Life After Life changed the way death and dying is viewed. Dr. Moody studied philosophy at the University of Virginia, where earned his BA, MA and PhD in the subject. In 1976, he was awarded an M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia. After obtaining his M.D., Dr. Moody worked as a forensic psychiatrist in a maximum-security Georgia state hospital.

In 1998 Dr. Moody was appointed Chair in Consciousness Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is the author of 11 books that have sold more than 20 million copies; Glimpses of Eternity focuses on the testimony of witnesses to near death experience rather than the resuscitated themselves. In April 2011, Dr. Moody presented two programs at the Swedenborg Library, discussing his research into near death and shared death experiences.
Dr. Moody has recently released his autobiography, Paranormal: My Life in Pursuit of the Afterlife. For information, see HarperOne, Paranormal

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John Moulder is a rare hybrid in the world of jazz - a musician and a priest - with equal commitments to both worlds. The Chicago Tribune called him \"one of the most accomplished jazz guitarists in Chicago.\" John has performed extensively with leading jazz musicians around the country and with his own band at the Chicago Jazz Festival and regularly at the Green Mill. He serves St. Gregory's parish.

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Sarah Odishoo: Goddess is a Verb: The Divine Feminine in Action—in Literature, Film
This program explored images of the goddess in ancient mythology, and how those myths have been translated into literature and contemporary cinematic images. Examined were those aspects of the feminine using Jungian psychological theory to identify the goddess archetype and its historical characteristics in order to reveal contemorary images of the divine feminine with its ancient patterns.
Sarah Odishoo, a professor of English at Columbia College Chicago, teaches Mythology and Literature. Her poetry and short stories have been published in many journals, most recently in 13th Moon, River Teeth, and The North Atlantic Review. She was a writer-in-residence at Woodstock Arts Guild, New York in 2002.

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Gina Otto is a poet and photographer and recent author of the best-selling children's book, Cassandra's Angel. Marianne Williamson called the book \" a beautiful affirmation of the Truth and Love within every child's heart.\" Leo Buscaglia said \"I shall treasure Cassandra...keep sharing your magic.\"

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Paul Quinn - Tarot: Embracing the Symbols of the Sacred Self
Long before Tarot cards were used for prediction, it is widely believed the images were used to transmit concepts of spiritual evolution that - had they not been hidden in a "harmless pack of cards" - would have been deemed heretical by the Roman Church. Today, the Tarot's rich mystical legacy continues to go unnoticed amidst its more popular association with occult mischief, hokum and party entertainment.

In this inspiring and interactive presentation, Paul Quinn explored the Tarot as a vibrant catalyst for personal and spiritual development, and in the spirit of synchronicity, discussed only those cards that were randomly drawn by participants throughout the evening.

In 2012, Paul presented Synchronicity, Tarot & the Joy of Wonder at the Swedenborg Library. In this program, he explored the value of expanding our capacity for awe and wonder, for a richer appreciation of life.

Paul Quinn is an intuitive who brings to his work as a reader and teacher of the Tarot a lifetime study of metaphysics, mysticism, dream symbols, and Jungian psychology. He is the author of Tarot for Life, now in its second printing (Quest Books). Quinn is a former professional actor and an experienced presenter and facilitator, having for many years led Communications Skills training domestically and internationally for IBM, Xerox, McDonald's, Bosch, Unisys, and many other companies. He has been listed as a "top talent" by Chicago Magazine.

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Rev. Dr. Jonathan Rose was the articulate college chaplain who made so much of Swedenborg's thought crystal clear in Splendors of the Spirit: Swedenborg's Quest for Insight. He has since moved on to work as Series Editior for New Century Edition of the Works of Emanuel Swedenborg. Before taking on this magnum opus, he worked as Professor of Religion and Sacred Languages at Bryn Athyn College in Pennsylavania, and is also an ordained clergy of the Swedenborgian New Church .

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Ahmad Sadri, PhD is the chair of World Islamic Studies at Lake Forest College, and a professor of sociology. He is the author of Max Weber's Sociology of Individuals and translator of the Persian Book of the Kings scheduled for release in May 2013. He has presented programs on the poetry of Rumi, and in 2013, a discussion of Mark Lilla's The Stillborn God: Religion, Politics and the Modern West (published 2007.)

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Kristen Schaffer, PhD. - Burnham, Swedenborg, and The Chicago Plan, co-sponsored with National-Louis University.
Understanding the 1909 Plan of Chicago has in large part been determined by point of view and availablility of information. By simply looking at the published Plan, modern architects reacted against the classical architecture depicted in the rendered perspectives but appreciated the clarity of Burnham's vision of the city.
The draft reveals an expansive social program for the less advantaged citizens of Chicago, one that was omitted from the final published version. This knowledge permits us to interpret and assess the Plan in terms of a disguised social agenda that still lingers in the text. And research into Burnham's Swedenborgian religious beliefs expands our comprehension further.
Knowledge of Burnham's Swedengborgianism enables us to ponder Burnham's intentions for the city and its citizens. It adds depth of understanding to the man and his work, allowing us to better explore his motivations. Knowing about his faith, and its emphasis on usefulness, allows us to assess his sincerity. Such an awareness and understanding focuses our attention more on his desire to serve and improve the city he loved, and less on his external successes.
Kristen Schaffer lectured at the Graham Foundation on June 29, 2005.

Dr. Kristen Schaffer is a professor of architectural history at North Carolina State University . She has a Ph.D. from Cornell University and her expertise is 19th and 20th century American architectural history. Dr. Schaffer previously taught in the School of Architecture at Syracuse Universtiy. Dr Schaffer has authored Daniel H. Burnham-Visionary Architect and Planner and is currently writing a second Burnham book on The Plan of Chicago.


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May Eagle Seyle—Feng Shui: Harmony in Your Home
Our homes and offices are an extension of who we are. They say who we are. They can support us and nurture us or they can make life difficult. In this workshop, Seyle explored ways to apply Feng Shui principles to your home which help you create a healthier, more creative and abundant life.

May Seyle has been studying and practicing Feng Shui for seven years. She is a student of Katherine Metz, an internationally recognized Feng Shui teacher and is also a student. She is also a disciple of Grandmaster Lin Yun who introduced Black Sect Feng Shui to the United States more than 20 years ago.

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Ann McNamara Smith: Evolutionary Psychology: Why are you the way you are?
One of the sacred tenets for most of the 20th century has been that each person is born a \"blank slate\" – meaning that the mind has no innate qualities. Each individual then is molded, informed, shaped and directed by his or her environment. The new discipline called “Evolutionary Psychology” makes use of breakthrough findings in biology and neuroscience to modify that doctrine. While biology is not destiny, it nevertheless has a great impact on our emergence: on why we become who we are. Join this evening’s presentation/discussion and encounter a fascinating new field of scientific inquiry.
Ann McNamara Smith is associated with Common Ground. She holds an MA in Religion, Yale Divinity; is the Director of Ethical Cartography (Charts and Maps for Moral Discourse; Scholar in Residence, University of Chicago.

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John Stolfo: Who Was Rudolf Steiner and What is Anthroposophical Spiritual Science?
The life and work of Rudolf Steiner, one of the modern era's most intuitive and practical thinkers, and an influential individual, was the focus for this lecture. Steiner (1861–1925) founded Waldorf Education; he is being discovered anew today as questions of life quality, insightful living and thinking become increasingly more urgent globally.

John Stolfo, an art professional since 1990, is an active member of the Rudolf Steiner branch of the Anthroposophical Society in Chicago . He owns and directs two businesses, Studio Auror and Lazure Architectural Painting Co., both based in the Fine Arts Building. He will offer this glimpse as a fellow collaborator in the pursuit of the free spiritual life in day to day living.

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Brother Wayne Teasdale, Ph.Dis a leading spokesperson for the global interfaith movement. Ordained as a Christian Sunnyasi monk by Father Bede Griffiths in 1986, he has championed dialogue between Chirstians and Buddhists and is a close friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He is the author of two books, The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World's Religionsl and A Monk in the World: Cultivating a Spiritual Life .

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Linda Voyles, RN: Mandala Meditation, and The Dream Giver
Author Bruce Wilkinson’s storytelling approach in The Dream Giver, designed to motivate you to achieve your dreams, is the basis for this condensed workshop.

Linda Voyles, RN, author, speaker, and Certified Dream Coach, is author of Simply Successful Surgery: a holistic approach to a conventional procedure. In addition to her work as a surgical nurse, Linda has studied with dream coaches Marcia Wieder, author of Making Your Dreams Come True, and Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, best-selling author of The Dream Giver. Linda has led seminars on the Dream Giver process and coaches people toward finding and achieving their lifetime dreams.

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Voices: George Inness and Emanuel Swedenborg at The Art Institute of Chicago / Price Auditorium

This special VOICES program featured a two-person reading from the writings of the great American landscape painter George Inness and his key inspiration, the noted Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian, Emanuel Swedenborg. Slides and music traced Inness’ thinking about form and light and his process of investing his work with particular meaning. A tour of Inness’ work in the American Gallery followed the performance.
This program was co-sponsored with the Swedenborg Library of Chicago.


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Rev. Wilma Wake is a pioneering minister in the Swedenborgian movement, having built a ministry from scratch and opened a church in Portland , Maine where she now serves. She is director of Field Education and associate professor at the Swedenborg School of Religion in Newtonville , Massachusetts , and more recently completed the 2-year course in spritiual direction with the Shalem Institure.

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John Wasik, is the author of The Audacity of Help: Obama's Economic Plan and the Remaking of America AND The Cul-de-Sac Syndrome: Turning Around the Unsustainable American Dream.. He has lectured across the U.S. and has appeared on NBC, NPR, PBS, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, FOX and on radio stations across the world; his column for Bloomberg News reaches readers on five continents. In November 2012, John discussed "Economic Inequality and the Future of our Country." In February 2012, John discussed "Nikola Tesla: Genius Inventor, Visionary and Mystic." 2011, John presented "Federal Budget Blues: What Congress Is Doing to Our Future." For more on his recent book,see Audacity of Help or John Wasik.

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