Partners in Health: 20 Years of Health Care for Poor Haitians

Dr. Paul Farmer is the co-founder of "Partners in Health", an organization founded to care for poor, medically underserved Haitians. If you know his name, it's probably because of his work with impoverished HIV+ women (and men) living in this island nation. Paul is trained as both as an M.D. and a cultural anthropologist, and he's spent most of his career keeping poor Haitians alive under the worst of conditions. If anyone raised outside of Haiti has a grip on how to deliver high quality, culturally appropriate health care to Haitians, it's Paul.

Please consider supporting Partners in Health. You can do so by going here:

http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti/news

Here's an update from today:

http://standwithhaiti.org/haiti/news-entry/fleeing-port-au-prince/

"Dr. Patrick Almazor of PIH/ZL reported from the field last night that people seem to be fleeing Port-au-Prince as the situation in the city becomes more and more dire. In a note expressing the need to keep some resources at our facilities in the Central Plateau and Lower Artibonite Valley, he wrote, 'People are fleeing PAP whether they are sick or not.'
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My Beltane Pre-Conference is Filling Quickly...

Yesterday I learned that "Devotees of Pleasure and Play: A Passionate Path to Divinity," is over 1/3 1/2 full. Every hour will be packed with exploration, play and practice. My goal: to make sure you leave with at least a year's worth of transformational work laid out before you. You may not sleep, but you'll feel completely alive while we work and play together...and you'll see a multitude of possible paths unfold as you leave.

When this workshop fills, I will add no additional spots.

If you want in, grab your place soon. You can do so by going here:

http://www.freespiritgathering.org/beltane/registration.html

P.S. I give homework!

"Devotees of Pleasure and Play: A Passionate Path to Divinity,"

Do you hear the call of a wild, divine spirit within? Does ritual raise goosebumps on your flesh? This Pre-Conference is designed for those who experience the Divine through erotic sensuality and those called to serve deities like Aphrodite, Venus and Erzulie. Devotees of Pleasure and Play is a workshop for healers, artists, and Priests of the sensual mysteries. It is our goal to help you awaken your senses and develop a toolkit for individual growth and community service. Through role play, reflection and group exercises, we will lay the foundation for intimate work in counseling, ritual, healing, art and meditation.

Though our practice is built around the wisdom of pleasure and play, we will work hard. Each moment will be used to connect with the Divine through the medium of our senses. We will draw on the essential tools of Sensory Spirituality, using energetic and physical touch, dance and movement, voice and ambient sound, aromatics, essential oils, and beautiful garments/props. Come prepared to soak up the gifts of our delectably accelerated learning environment.

To get the most from this Pre-Conference, you should be comfortable with self-disclosure as well as group and partnered energy work. You should also be willing and able to engage in moderate physical activity. Bring a fresh, empty notebook, colored pencils or pens, a blanket and a portable chair. Wear comfortable clothes that allow freedom of movement. You can also bring your favorite working tools: bells, stones, wands, cards, aromatics and wearable art.

Although Beltane is a clothing optional event, nudity is not expected or required, and each individual will be encouraged to work within his or her own boundaries. A brief Pre-Conference questionnaire will be sent to all participants via email about a week before the event.

Presenters, what to bring and other details:
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