Finishing 2007 strong and looking ahead to 2008...

A very special thanks to our speaker Ezgi Sorman for her enlightening and entertaining talk. It was a fantastic way to finish our 2007 season. I think it's safe to say that we were all drawn in by Ezgi's magical journey from Turkey to Gordon Gekko greed to Deepak Chopra's words of wisdom to island meditation to us. Thanks for sharing such a personal journey and then many words of enlightenment.

The Interfaith Experience will return in January of 2008. We look forward to bringing you more spiritual food for thought on Friday nights. While our January speaker hasn't been confirmed as of yet, I am pleased to announce that visionary artist Alex Grey will bring his incredible artistic vision to share with us on February 22nd (please note that this is the second to last Friday of the month as opposed to our usual last Friday schedule).

Have a great new year and we look forward to seeing everyone in January!

Our Next Event - Nov 30th

Our final event in 2007 on November 30th will feature Ezgi Sorman. Ezgi is a Life Transition Expert and founder of My Bliss and Balance Wellness Programs for the Modern Soul. Ezgi brings to her work as a Transition Expert 10 years in financial advising, wellness consulting, and extensive experience in personal transition. Being a close student of Dr. Deepak Chopra and a Chopra Center Certified Meditation Instructor as well as a long-standing affiliate of Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, Ezgi knows what it takes to live a well and balanced life in today’s hectic, modern world. With her latest program “The 6 Steps to Trance.Mission Your Life,” Ezgi helps individuals to make their life transitions with fun and ease—and has it all happen effectively. Ms. Sorman is also the creator of the Members Only Guided Meditation Call Circle. Whether working with Ezgi one-on-one, taking part in one of her seminars, or joining her calls, each participant receives Ezgi’s gifts of deep knowledge, compassion, and open-heartedness. Ms. Sorman is dedicated to making the world a better place by promoting individual authenticity, silence of the mind, and the belief that we always have all the time in the world to start over again, to give our life another chance.

Columbia University Interfaith Event Nov 25th

The Center for the Study of Science and Religion of Columbia University is hosting an interfaith event at Riverside Church on November 25th from 1pm-3pm. The program is called "Living in Peace with 'The Other' - Peaceful Co-existence among Christians, Muslims and Jews." It should be a great event and it is free of charge. For more info about Columbia's great events go to http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cssr/.

Friday Night Special

We look forward to bringing you the Venerable Nicholas Vreeland this Friday night at the Rubin Museum of Art. Kick off your weekend with some Buddhist insight from Ven. Vreeland who just returned from Washington DC where His Holiness the Dalai Lama received the Congressional Medal of Honor which is the highest award which can be accorded by Congress to a civilian.

If you want to read an interview with Ven. Vreeland, you can read this article from Beliefnet.com:
http://www.beliefnet.com/story/224/story_22489_1.html

Looking forward to Friday!

HH Dalai Lama and October 26th...

We're all looking forward to our next event on October 26th with the Venerable Nicholas Vreeland, the Director of the Tibet Center. Right now the Venerable Nicholas Vreeland is busy with His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to New York this weekend. The Dalai Lama will be speaking at Radio City Music Hall for 3 days (12th-14th). I'm sure that Ven. Vreeland will have many great insights from this event as well as from his life as a Buddhist monk. If you are interested in attending the Dalai Lama's talks, there are still tickets remaining - please check out www.dalailamany.org/index2.html for more information.

Thanks to everyone

Thanks to everyone for making our opening night a great success. Thanks to our speakers Revs Allan and Susanna who brought great knowledge, experience and artistic/poetic flavor to the evening.

One question that was brought up was where can you begin your interfaith "studies." One of my favorite books is a great place to start. It is called "Essential Spirituality: The Seven Spiritual Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind" by Roger Walsh. I've read it 4-5 times and love it every time. Roger looks to find the common threads through the world's major religions and takes some key practices to apply to your life today. Do you have any suggestions or favorites? Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post.

Here's the review from Amazon.com:
Psychiatrist and philosopher Roger Walsh looks at seven common practices of the world's major religions to tease out a guidebook for contemporary spirituality. With gleanings from Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, Walsh offers seven chapters devoted to enlightenment. For example, "Practice 1" discusses how readers can reduce cravings and find the soul's desire (very relevant in an increasingly materialistic world). Once Walsh has laid out the goals and reasoning behind each practice, he offers an array of exercises, such as how to "Examine the Experience of Craving" or "Reflect on the Cost of Craving." Although this format is overtly self-help, Walsh has brought forth a wise and highly respectable book that integrates some of the best practices that the world's religions can offer. The introduction by the Dalai Lama gives Walsh great praise for helping readers become purer in motivation so that they can lead a more fulfilling life in service to love and compassion. --Gail Hudson

Opening Night....

has arrived!!! We look forward to seeing everyone tonight at the Rubin Museum of Art. For those of you that arrive early, the Rubin's K2 Lounge starts at 6pm. Happy hour is from 6-7pm with Contemporary and Global Sounds spun by guest DJs.

Opening Night with Rev Allan Lokos and Rev Susanna Weiss

We're extremely excited to have Reverends Allan Lokos and Susanna Weiss for our opening night speakers. They will be discussing universal themes that are found throughout the ancient traditions. Allan and Susanna are co-founders of the Community of Peace and Spirituality (www.interfaithhome.org) located on the Upper West Side. Both of them are interfaith ministers and Allan has studied meditation for ten years with numerous teachers including Sharon Salzberg of the Tibet House, Thich Nhat Hanh and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. They also have theatrical roots in NY as Allan was an opera and Broadway singer and Susanna was a professional dancer. We look forward to hearing about their own spiritual journey from artist to minister; and also their many thoughts on interfaith and universal themes of religions.

Come join us at the Rubin Museum of Art, Friday September 28th at 7pm on the 6th floor! Seating is limited so please email interfaithexp@templeofunderstanding.org to reserve your seat.

If you're interested in learning meditation, Allan teaches a free class (donations gratefully accepted) on Thursday nights at 2672 Broadway (102nd St). For more info please visit: http://www.interfaithhome.org/services.htm#meditation

Fall 2007 Schedule

September 28 - Opening Night!

Revs. Alan Lokos and Susanna Weiss: husband/wife, interfaith ministers, Broadway singer/professional dancer

The Reverends will discuss universal themes amongst different faiths drawing upon their years of experience in ministry, meditation and the fine arts. Please join us for a lively presentation and discussion on the meaning of Interfaith and the universal themes amongst spiritual traditions as they affect us in our everyday lives.

October 26

Rev. Nicholas Vreeland: Monk, World Traveler, Buddhist

How does one go from life on the international fast lane to life in a Buddhist monastery and back? Ask October's guest speaker The Venerable Nicholas Freeland. Son of an American Ambassador, grandson of legendary Vogue editor, Diane Vreeland, and now Director of the Tibet Center, Rev. Vreeland knows the challenges of melding faith and work, all the while remaining true to something greater than himself. Join us for an entertaining, enlightening and hope-filled discussion.

November 30th

Ezgi Sorman: Spiritual Life Coach, Meditation Instructor, Metaphysician

"We always have all the time in the world to start over again, to give our life another chance" is a key concept that November's guest speaker, Ezgi Sorman wants you to know. The importance of reconnecting with everything (family, community, nature) is the other. Join this remarkable woman--former financial consultant and disciple of Dr. Deepak Chopra--in an expedition to reclaim, reconnect and reconstitute that which is most important.

Coming soon...

The Interfaith Experience

What's faith got to do with it? Everything! 95% of the world's population associates with one or another spiritual or religious belief system. The influence is incalculable and awareness of its effect in the workplace, invaluable. Join The Interfaith Experience and meet contemporary artists, thinkers and leaders who will provide insights on the role of faith (the history, meaning and modern thought) in the creative and intellectual process.

Look for our Facebook page launch in the coming days.

The Interfaith Experience events will be held at the Rubin Museum of Art at 150 W. 17th Street in NYC.

The Temple of Understanding (co-sponsor of The Interfaith Experience) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit & NGO in Consultative Status with the UN Economic & Social Council. The organization's mission is to promote cross cultural and inter-religious cooperation through education and dialogue.