Past Events

‘Spirits’ Launched! - July 2008

Lifting your spirits: seven tools for coping with illness, the latest publication from the Janki Foundation for Global Health Care, was launched on 10th July, 2008 at Kings College, London.

Written by Jan Alcoe, Lifting Your Spirits (LYS), is a timely and essential guide for anyone coping with serious illness and came about when Jan used the ‘seven tools’ written about in the Values in healthcare: a spiritual approach programme to help her cope with her own illness.

Dr Craig Brown set the scene for the ethos and vision of LYS and Jan Alcoe spoke personally about her experiences for two years after being diagnosed with cancer. She commented on the de-personalised approach, and at times, ‘military’ language used around illness and healthcare, and how this jarred with her deep wish to treat her body and health holistically. ‘From the time of seeing my GP to having a diagnosis and treatment, all I seemed to be doing was waiting’ said Jan, as an introduction to how she reached a point of teaching herself to take part in her own healing.

Managing an unfamiliar role, and the changes it was bringing, Jan took time to reflect on her priorities, spent time in nature and followed creative pursuits and in doing so, discovered new skills and greater spiritual awareness. As she gained strength, she was inspired to share her ideas and wrote the book to support others struggling with serious illness.

Guest speaker, Dr Harvey Zarren, a cardiologist from USA, founder and medical director of Healing your Heart and Healing with Hope support programmes for cardiac and cancer patients respectively, shared some thoughts around illness, physiology and the effects of stress. Medical care quite rightly focuses on physical disease, but who, Dr Zarren asked, deals with the emotional fallout - the cognitive, spiritual, and social consequences of illness? Recovery requires a team effort from both doctors and patients in order for true healing to occur.

Jan experimented with some of the meditations and exercises in Values in healthcare and found she felt safer, more in control and lighter despite the anticipated treatments. She developed her own reflections and activities and also called on friends and they helped her compile two CDs of music, meditation and visualisations which are included in the publication Lifting your spirits: seven tools for coping with illness.

The afternoon was interwoven with beautiful songs from Lou Beckerman, nurse, singer and herself a healer. Her butterfly designs provide the cover illustration of the booklet and 2 CDs.

Finally Sister Jayanti shared a message from Dadi Janki, President of Janki Foundation, and her vision for the project, before guiding everyone on a brief but powerful visualisation to lift them to their own calm, healing spirit…..

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Peace - benefit from being calm, November 2006
An opportunity to explore and experience a module from the Values in Healthcare: a spiritual approach programme.

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Valuing Compassion, September 2006
This seminar was an opportunity to explore and experience the Compassion Module of the innovative training programme Values in Healthcare: a spiritual approach developed by the Foundation.

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Arab Health 2006, Exhibition & Congress, January 2006
A stand at the largest healthcare event in the Middle East.

Arab Health Online

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Take Care, January 2006
A one day event supporting healthcare professionals.

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The Feel Good Factor, January 2004
The aim of this event was to explore the state of ‘well-being’ from medical and spiritual perspectives. A greater comprehension of cultivating ‘well-being’ in the 21st Century could contribute to reducing stress, frustration and burn out, common in the healthcare professions.

See Report

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The Healing Power of Illness, January 2003
This event explored the link between attitudes and illness. Is illness something to bear or is it a messenger of change? Discussed from both the practitioner’s and user’s perspective, it was highlighted that everything we go through in life has its own significance and meaning.

See Report

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Older & Wiser, January 2002
The seminar explored the many different aspects of spirituality associated with ageing. The later years were seen as a time of great spiritual growth as well as relaxation and a celebration of wisdom borne out of experience.

See Report

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“Make values and virtues the basis of your life, instead of people or things”
Dadi Janki,
President of The Janki Foundation for Global Health Care

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Building Bridges, January 2001
In a seminar linking spirituality and mental health, each presenter considered whether there could be a completely new approach to the health, mental health and well-being of the individual in society, based on spiritual consciousness.

See Report

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Dying - A Healing Art, November 1999
Participants commented that this seminar inspired hope and raised the possibility of letting go of common negative notions surrounding death, as well as exploring the process from psychological, philosophical and spiritual perspectives.

See Report

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Reflective Practitioner, January 1999
A symposium at The Royal Society of Medicine brought together nearly 200 health professionals including consultants, GPs, nurses and hospital managers to explore the concept of reflective practice. Psychodynamic, values-based and spiritual concepts were explored in order to assist the practitioner to implement good practice.

See Report

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Retreats

Values in Healthcare - Facilitators Training weekend, November 2006
Residential retreat mainly for those who have purchased the Values in Healthcare Pack or who have a group of staff for whom they are interested in running the programme.

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Healing Attitudes, June 2003
This retreat promoted discussion, awareness and understanding of how thoughts, attitudes, feelings and inner well-being are linked to health and disease. Attended by approximately fifty participants, of whom half were NHS professionals.

See Report

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Core Values in Health Care, May 1999
A participant-centred retreat, held in Oxfordshire. Creative processes, including ‘Appreciative Inquiry’- a non-judgemental form of interviewing - were utilised to access personal and shared core values. Over 50 core values were identified in the plenary session including Integrity, Humility, Love, Compassion and Connectedness.

See Report

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For detailed reports on any of the above seminars or retreats, please click the appropriate Report