This is great stuff spiritually speaking, especially the Viktor Frankl
book, Man's Search for Meaning, I highly recommend this book to others.
And go to www.self-healingexpressions.com for more creative ways and
free information to express yourself
GBYAY Anne Breen

-----Original Message-----
From: American Brain Tumor Association <info@...>
To: anne91547@...
Sent: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 7:00 am
Subject: ABTA Tips for Living and Coping
March, 2008
The Tips for Living and Coping (TLC) Bulletin, offering resources and
suggestions to help with the challenges of living with a brain tumor
diagnosis, is sent monthly to our subscribers. Let us know what topics
you want to read about in future TLC columns. We would like to hear
from you!

Spirituality
This month we explore the importance of spirituality and the role it
can play in helping you to face the challenges of living with a brain
tumor diagnosis. While religion is often defined as a set of beliefs,
practices and rituals in an organized setting such as a church,
synagogue, temple, or mosque spirituality is generally thought of as
broader, more individualized and tied to values and meanings. Many
people are opening up to the spiritual side of themselves, whether they
are religious in the traditional sense, or not. Despite our different
backgrounds and traditions, spirituality can speak to what connects us
to each other and also to what may lie beyond ourselves.

Some believe that spiritual practices, such as prayer and meditation,
can offer therapeutic benefits, ranging from improved immune system
functioning and illness recovery, to lowered stress levels. Though
studies have looked into both the mechanism and the efficacy of such
practices, investigations into the possible medical benefit of
spiritual practices continue, and, to date, are inconclusive.

And yet, spiritual practices and beliefs can still be a powerful
resource. Spirituality is a deep well from which we can draw strength
and wisdom. It brings us face-to-face with the mysteries of life. Our
spiritual values speak to what is within us and can offer hope and
comfort in difficult situations.

In his ground-breaking and highly influential 1963 book, Man’s Search
for Meaning, Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor,
wrote that knowing the ‘why’ of our circumstances can help us to bear
any ‘how.’ The Dalai Lama has said, “It is under the greatest adversity
that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for
oneself and others.” Both are referring to the power of spirituality to
transform our experience and help us find wholeness in the midst of
illness and the limitations it places on us.

There are many ways to draw upon your spirituality if it is a part of
your life you would like to explore. Below we offer three suggestions.

Open yourself to beauty. A nature walk, gardening, listening to your
favorite piece of music, visiting an art museum or finding a spot to
watch the sunset are all wonderful ways of bringing beauty into your
life.
Give yourself time for the three R’s: reflection, rest and relaxation.
In our fast-paced world, time for these elements is often in short
supply. It can be especially hard trying to fit them in between doctors
appointments or caregiving responsibilities. But, they are very
important and add a dimension to life that can be easily missed.
Reach out and expand your perspective. Community is important.
Connections with friends, family, support groups, or your local house
of worship can nurture your spirituality. Additional ways of reaching
out include reading, re-connecting with a hobby or interest, or
learning something new. Use your imagination and creativity. You might
be surprised at what you find.
The resources listed below may also prove helpful:

Words of Gratitude. Robert A. Emmons and Joanna Hill. (Introduction by
Brother David Steindl-Rast). This book explores the depth and power a
spirit of gratitude can have on our lives, in times of darkness as well
as in times of celebration. The authors cite the beneficial effects of
gratitude on health and relationships and offer lessons to cultivate
gratitude from multiple faith traditions. Also available in abridged CD
version. Templeton Foundation Press, 2001.

My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging.
Rachel Naomi Remen. Contains stories the author heard from her
grandfather, an orthodox rabbi, on the importance of love and the
blessings of ordinary existence. The stories bring healing lessons to
daily life. Riverhead Books, 2001.

Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. Thich
Nhat Hanh. Written from a Buddhist perspective, this book includes
meditations, personal anecdotes, exercises and stories to show how we
can find joy and inner peace in the day-to-day situations that pressure
and challenge us. Bantam Books, 1992.

Beliefnet: www.beliefnet.com, an interactive online magazine offering
information about different faiths, health and healing, prayers, daily
inspirations, recipes, houses of worship locators and other
spirituality-based resources.

Inspiration Peak: www.inspirationpeak.com, a web site offering stories
for adults and children, quotes, poems, prayers, essays and other daily
sources of inspiration and spiritual wisdom. Includes an online forum
for sharing ideas.

“Prayer and Spirituality in Health: Ancient Practices, Modern Science.”
CAM at the NIH, Winter 2005 Newsletter. An article of the National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) that explores
scientific approaches to studying the relationship between prayer and
spirituality and health.

American Cancer Society offers a fact sheet on Spirituality and Prayer
that provides information on the history of spirituality, evidence of
its benefit and a list of additional resources.

CancerCare addressed this topic in their Ask CancerCare Series, May,
2007. Questions regarding prayer, support services available through
houses of worship, and how spirituality can be used as a coping
technique, are answered by a social worker in this column. You can
also read their fact sheet on Strengthening the Spirit which provides a
concise, easy to understand views on how each of us is a spiritual
person, and how to connect to that side of our being.

We hope this has offered some helpful insights on the topic of
spirituality. If you have any questions or would like additional
suggestions, please call 800-886-2282 and ask for our Social Work
department. Please also take a moment to visit our Social Work webpage,
Care and Support. While visiting, be sure to read our latest addition
of “The Caring Column,” a monthly column designed to answer your
questions. Click here to read more.

If you have enjoyed receiving our monthly Social Work update, perhaps
you would like to subscribe to our monthly e-news bulletin, to keep
current about the latest news in the world of brain tumors. Send your
request to info@.... You can also read previous editions here. We
look forward to hearing from you!

On another note, we are looking for volunteers for the 2008 Path to
Progress being held on Saturday, April 26th, at Montrose Harbor in
Chicago. If you’re able to help at the event this year please visit
our website at http://www.abta.org/ and click on Path to Progress
5KRun/Walk to sign up as a volunteer or email Peggy Kasprzak at
Peggy@.... You can also contact Peggy by phone at 847-827-9910.
Please be aware that if you are participating in the event, you will
not be eligible to volunteer.

The American Brain Tumor Association funds brain tumor research and
offers services to patients and family members in the U.S. and
throughout the world. Help us spread hope by supporting ABTA in its
mission.





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because it was sent to you by a friend.
If you find it to be of value, please forward it to others who may be
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TEL: 800.886.2282 Email: info@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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March, 2008
The Tips for Living and Coping (TLC) Bulletin, offering resources and
suggestions to help with the challenges of living with a brain tumor
diagnosis, is sent monthly to our subscribers. Let us know what topics
you want to read about in future TLC columns. We would like to hear
from you!
Spirituality
This month we explore the importance of spirituality and the role it
can play in helping you to face the challenges of living with a brain
tumor diagnosis. While religion is often defined as a set of beliefs,
practices and rituals in an organized setting such as a church,
synagogue, temple, or mosque spirituality is generally thought of as
broader, more individualized and tied to values and meanings. Many
people are opening up to the spiritual side of themselves, whether they
are religious in the traditional sense, or not. Despite our different
backgrounds and traditions, spirituality can speak to what connects us
to each other and also to what may lie beyond ourselves.

Some believe that spiritual practices, such as prayer and meditation,
can offer therapeutic benefits, ranging from improved immune system
functioning and illness recovery, to lowered stress levels. Though
studies have looked into both the mechanism and the efficacy of such
practices, investigations into the possible medical benefit of
spiritual practices continue, and, to date, are inconclusive.

And yet, spiritual practices and beliefs can still be a powerful
resource. Spirituality is a deep well from which we can draw strength
and wisdom. It brings us face-to-face with the mysteries of life. Our
spiritual values speak to what is within us and can offer hope and
comfort in difficult situations.

In his ground-breaking and highly influential 1963 book, Man’s Search
for Meaning, Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor,
wrote that knowing the ‘why’ of our circumstances can help us to bear
any ‘how.’ The Dalai Lama has said, “It is under the greatest adversity
that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for
oneself and others.” Both are referring to the power of spirituality to
transform our experience and help us find wholeness in the midst of
illness and the limitations it places on us.

There are many ways to draw upon your spirituality if it is a part of
your life you would like to explore. Below we offer three suggestions.


Open yourself to beauty.  A nature walk, gardening, listening to your
favorite piece of music, visiting an art museum or finding a spot to
watch the sunset are all wonderful ways of bringing beauty into your
life. 

Give yourself time for the three R’s: reflection, rest and relaxation. 
In our fast-paced world, time for these elements is often in short
supply. It can be especially hard trying to fit them in between doctors
appointments or caregiving responsibilities. But, they are very
important and add a dimension to life that can be easily missed.

Reach out and expand your perspective. Community is important.
Connections with friends, family, support groups, or your local house
of worship can nurture your spirituality. Additional ways of reaching
out include reading, re-connecting with a hobby or interest, or
learning something new. Use your imagination and creativity. You might
be surprised at what you find.


The resources listed below may also prove helpful:

Words of Gratitude. Robert A. Emmons and Joanna Hill. (Introduction by
Brother David Steindl-Rast). This book explores the depth and power a
spirit of gratitude can have on our lives, in times of darkness as well
as in times of celebration. The authors cite the beneficial effects of
gratitude on health and relationships and offer lessons to cultivate
gratitude from multiple faith traditions. Also available in abridged CD
version. Templeton Foundation Press, 2001.

My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging.
Rachel Naomi Remen. Contains stories the author heard from her
grandfather, an orthodox rabbi, on the importance of love and the
blessings of ordinary existence. The stories bring healing lessons to
daily life. Riverhead Books, 2001.

Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. Thich
Nhat Hanh. Written from a Buddhist perspective, this book includes
meditations, personal anecdotes, exercises and stories to show how we
can find joy and inner peace in the day-to-day situations that pressure
and challenge us. Bantam Books, 1992.

Beliefnet: www.beliefnet.com, an interactive online magazine offering
information about different faiths, health and healing, prayers, daily
inspirations, recipes, houses of worship locators and other
spirituality-based resources.

Inspiration Peak: www.inspirationpeak.com, a web site offering stories
for adults and children, quotes, poems, prayers, essays and other daily
sources of inspiration and spiritual wisdom. Includes an online forum
for sharing ideas.

“Prayer and Spirituality in Health: Ancient Practices, Modern Science.”
CAM at the NIH, Winter 2005 Newsletter. An article of the National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) that explores
scientific approaches to studying the relationship between prayer and
spirituality and health.

American Cancer Society offers a fact sheet on Spirituality and Prayer
that provides information on the history of spirituality, evidence of
its benefit and a list of additional resources.

CancerCare addressed this topic in their Ask CancerCare Series, May,
2007.  Questions regarding prayer, support services available through
houses of worship, and how spirituality can be used as a coping
technique, are answered by a social worker in this column.  You can
also read their fact sheet on Strengthening the Spirit which provides a
concise, easy to understand views on how each of us is a spiritual
person, and how to connect to that side of our being.

We hope this has offered some helpful insights on the topic of
spirituality. If you have any questions or would like additional
suggestions, please call 800-886-2282 and ask for our Social Work
department. Please also take a moment to visit our Social Work webpage,
Care and Support. While visiting, be sure to read our latest addition
of “The Caring Column,” a monthly column designed to answer your
questions. Click here to read more.

If you have enjoyed receiving our monthly Social Work update, perhaps
you would like to subscribe to our monthly e-news bulletin, to keep
current about the latest news in the world of brain tumors. Send your
request to info@.... You can also read previous editions here. We
look forward to hearing from you!

On another note, we are looking for volunteers for the 2008 Path to
Progress being held on Saturday, April 26th, at Montrose Harbor in
Chicago.  If you’re able to help at the event this year please visit
our website at http://www.abta.org/ and click on Path to Progress
5KRun/Walk to sign up as a volunteer or email Peggy Kasprzak at
Peggy@....  You can also contact Peggy by phone at 847-827-9910.
Please be aware that if you are participating in the event, you will
not be eligible to volunteer.

The American Brain Tumor Association funds brain tumor research and
offers services to patients and family members in the U.S. and
throughout the world. Help us spread hope by supporting ABTA in its
mission.
























You received this communication because you previously subscribed or
because it was sent to you by a friend.
If you find it to be of value, please forward it to others who may be
interested.

Forward to a Friend | Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Update My Profile
 
















If you are having trouble viewing this message, please let us know at
info@....

American Brain Tumor Association, 2720 River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60018
TEL: 800.886.2282 Email: info@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
© American Brain Tumor Association All Rights Reserved.