TruthBook Religious News Blog

Boulder author and speaker Joan Borysenko will kick off a five-part lecture series that will bring to Fort Collins some of the leading speakers in New Age spirituality.

A medical scientist and psychologist who co-founded and directed the Mind-Body clinical programs at two Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals in the 1980s, Borysenko will speak at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 about the connection between love and physical health. See http://lightworksevents.com/

It's a connection that has been scientifically demonstrated in recent years, said Borysenko, who was part of research teams that conducted groundbreaking research in the mind-body connection.

"What we know in terms of good health is that a sense of connection to each other is the single most important mind-body skill for good health," she said.

In her lecture, Borysenko plans to offer guests concrete ways to cultivate more love, gratitude and forgiveness in their lives.

"What does (a sense of connection) look like? It's the practice of gratitude, the practice of forgiveness, the practice of being in the moment and making the mind your ally rather than your enemy. I'll talk about specific tools they can use to do that."

Other speakers in the series "Five Evenings with Extraordinary Speakers," which stretches throughout the spring, include Byron Katie, Gary Renard, Neale Donald Walsch and John Holland. They will address wide-ranging spiritual topics such as clarifying your relationship with God, loving your life as it is and contacting the spirit world.

"These are best-selling authors and are on the top list of speakers around the country," said Donna Visocky, whose LightWorks Productions is presenting the speakers. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Kristi Visocky Memorial Foundation, which provides scholarships to young women.

"They have had a big impact on me. I wanted to share this. I wanted other people to get the same information I did," Visocky said. "What I see is that there is much more to life than what we see. There is way more to God and the universe than what we are looking to in our day-to-day lives."

Fort Collins resident Cindy Haraway is among those who have bought tickets for the series.

"I'm surprised that such top speakers are coming to Fort Collins and at such an affordable price," Haraway said.

Here are the other speakers who will follow Borysenko in the series:

* Byron Katie, 7 p.m. Feb. 28 -Author of the best-selling "Loving What Is" and "I Need Your Love - Is That True," Katie had developed a program she calls The Work to help people to find peace by learning not to fight reality. Her lecture is titled "Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life."

* Gary Renard, 7 p.m. March 28 - Renard's book "The Disappearance of the Universe," recounts his experience being visited by two reincarnated saints and offers new insight on some of the lessons of the popular self-study spiritual program "A Course in Miracles." Renard offers perspective on illusions, past-lives, religion, sex, politics and forgiveness

* Neale Donald Walsch, 7 p.m. April 20 - Walsch's "Conversations with God" series of books has been translated into 27 languages. Walsch seeks to free humanity from some of its beliefs about God, life and each other.

By KELLI LACKETT
KelliLackett@coloradoan.com