Historically, health care and spiritual care have emphasized the relief of suffering. Recent years have seen exciting ideas and approaches to help people move beyond "not suffering" into life with greater wholeness, meaning, dignity, and joy.
What is "life well-lived"? What are the elements that help people experience greater happiness, satisfaction and joy? How can we — as providers of health care and spiritual care and as community members and friends — support others and ourselves in the journey toward flourishing and joy? The purpose of the 2012 Nevola Symposium is to cultivate attitudes and skills, for ourselves and others, to promote flourishing and joy.
At the symposium, we will:
- Learn from an international expert and pioneer in exploring connections of spirituality and health;
- Explore the roles of motivation, connection, love, meaning, hope and transcendence in promoting well-being and flourishing.
- Consider approaches arising from various spiritual and psychological traditions for cultivating resilience and joy.
- Offer opportunities to nurture our well-being and joy through movement and the visual arts.
- Explore what enables some people to experience moments of joy and deep connectedness even when living with serious illness or when approaching death. and
- Offer opportunities to experience many self-care approaches, since our ability to care for others is often rooted in our own groundedness and well-being.
We hope you come away with experiences, creative ideas and skills you can bring back to your work or community.
As always, this symposium honors the memory of Thomas Nevola, MD, an energetic and devoted young physician whose personal and professional passion for spirituality and health care was — and continues to be — inspirational.