” The Flag of Humanity,”

This Sunday, February 9, Bruce Benson will be speaking about, and showing,” The Flag of Humanity,” and detailing the evolution of the concept and the flag itself. He believes it’s about time we had a flag, or symbol, that celebrates the commonality of being human. Bruce Benson is a Canadian columnist for the Hendersonville Times-News. He lives in Hendersonville when he is not employed as a commercial fisherman. He is also the author of a recent book about the 40 days in 2009 he spent in Giza, Egypt, picking up trash near the great pyramids.  He will gladly answer any questions about the new flag, or about the wide range of topics he has written about in his column.

Diabetes: How To Be Helpful Without Becoming the 'Food Police'”

Our warm, winter sessions continue on February 2 when the topic will be "Diabetes: How To Be Helpful Without Becoming the 'Food Police'” Join Melissa Melum, registered nurse and certified diabetes educator, for a discussion of diabetes intended to provide a basic understanding that will allow people to provide knowledgeable and appropriate support for friends and family members with this illness.  Although not intended as a diabetes education session for people with diabetes or pre-diabetes, some pointers for meaningful monitoring and lifestyle intervention will be presented. Diabetes is a complex and multi-faceted illness, with no two patients identical with regard to needs and management approaches. However, with a board understanding of the issues, people can provide appropriate support without interfering with patients’ lives or providing misinformation.

 Melissa became a Certified Diabetes Eductor seven years ago. Before partial retirement to North Carolina, she worked as an RN, CDE at Kaiser Permanente in Maryland and at a Joslin Center affiliate at University of Maryland.

"The Gift – A Sound Mind For Life"

On January 19 "The Gift – A Sound Mind For Life" will show how to improve memory, increase focus, and prevent or delay Alzheimer’s. Our returning   presenter, Dr. Suka Chapel-Horst, is an author and wellness educator. She is also the developer of Primary Brain Repair, the First Response for Optimal Health and Wellness.

On January 26 there'll be "A Forum On Forums" led by the O'Keefes, who'd like attendees' suggestions for future programs – topics to discuss, ideas for presentations, potential speakers, etc. Would YOU be willing to present or lead a Forum discussion? How can we increase attendance at forums? Do you have any other suggestions for the forum? Your ideas will help us continue to having interesting and informative forums. Please come, bring friends and ideas!

"Consciousness, Death and Rebirth."

On January 12 Jim Nourse will present "Consciousness, Death and Rebirth."  Fifty years of research in transpersonal psychology, including studies of the near-death-experience, make a compelling case that the materialist position that consciousness is the product of brain chemistry is untrue. We are on the verge of a revolution in the collective awareness of humanity that will establish eternal life and paranormal phenomena, not as articles of faith, but as experiential facts. Jim Nourse, Ph.D. has devoted his 40 year professional career to the study and application of ancient spiritual and healing practices in the modern clinical setting. His work at the Center for Integrated Health and Healing in Brevard combines his training and experience as a clinical psychologist, acupuncturist and time spent with Native American and Hawaiian teachers. He is the author of Simple Spirituality: Finding Your Own Way, and the newly released Opening the Aloha Mind: Healing Self, Healing the World with Ho’oponopono.

"A White Stone Ceremony To Start the New Year,"

Forum's new year begins this Sunday, Jan. 5 at 9:15 when the topic will be "A White Stone Ceremony To Start the New Year," What’s  in a name? The start of a new year is a time of beginnings. Join the O'Keefes for a special ceremony and gift to inaugurate a new you in 2014. Based on Revelations 2:17, “To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone on which is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.” Come join us, receive a white stone from the Holy Land and find your New You!  

"End of Year Spiritual Celebrations"

This Sunday, December 29, in "End of Year Spiritual Celebrations" led by Romella Hart-O’Keefe and Ed O’Keefe, Forum coordinators, two of the most popular end-of-year rituals and spiritual practices (Bowl Burning and World Healing Meditation) will be explained and experienced. Bowl Burning is a ritual cleansing whereby we are guided to privately write on a sheet of paper events and actions that we have done or that have happened to  us or loved ones during the past year that we  would like to erase, overcome, or have disappear from our experience. These papers are then collected and ceremoniously burned. The World Healing Prayer, first produced and spread worldwide by writer/lecturer John Randolph Price and the Quartus Foundation in 1986, is recited by millions of people in many countries at the same time each year, on December 31. We will be celebrating the prayer early on December 29. This will be the 28^thyear for this celebrated prayer.

"Feng Shui – The Bagua Map"

This Sunday, December 8, Judith Nourse, RN will discuss "Feng Shui – The Bagua  Map." Feng Shui is a language of symbols, a philosophy that tells us how our surroundings are affecting every aspect of our lives – our relationships, our spiritual connection, our finances, even the quality of our sleep, our health and wellbeing. The bagua map is a diagram that is superimposed over a floor plan to reveal how Nourishing Ch’i, the life force or energy field that we live in, flows through a home, a building, and even individual rooms. Judith returns to explain the use of this tool. Be prepared for ‘aha moments’ as you begin to associate the bagua with what’s happening in your life. Judith became interested in Feng Shui when she learned that, at its core, it’s all about health and wellbeing. She is a graduate of the Western School of Feng Shui, and combines this school of philosophy with the Tibetan Buddhist approach in her consulting practice.