Exploring Nature, Culture and Inner Life

Mark Renneker, MD, Michael Lerner, and Others Clinical Advocacy Public Forum As part of the first clinical advocacy conference at Commonweal October 11-14, this public forum brought ideas, experiences, and findings of the conference to a discussion with the larger New School and Commonweal community. This was a special day of presentations and discussions on clinical advocacy — bringing together clinicians, educators, patients, families, and researchers to share and explore the principles and methods of improving clinical care for patients with cancer, cardiac, vascular, and autoimmune disorders. Mark Renneker, M.D.: Introduction to Clinical Advocacy Dwight McKee, M.D.: Patients’ Use of Novel Natural Compounds (download PDF of presentation) Raymond Chang, M.D.: Integrative Use of Cancer Immunotherapies Penny Block, Ph.D.: Psycho-Oncologic Therapies Michael McCulloch, L.Ac., M.P.H., Ph.D.: Integrative Use of Chinese Medicine (download PDF of presentation, and link to original Pine Street Clinic studies) Gwen Stritter, M.D.: Preventing Breast Cancer Recurrence Sandee Birdwell, M.D. and Mark Renneker, M.D.: Summary of Findings Will Kennedy, D.O., Hospice and Palliative Medicine Specialist, Portland, OR (download PDF) Mark Renneker, MD Dr. Renneker used to be an oncologist at UCSF and then Cal Pacific before starting his research and patient advocacy practice. He founded it because he realized that there is far too much information about fighting cancer, and innovative treatments both in western medicine and in integrative treatments, for any doctor to stay on top of while practicing medicine full time. So Dr. Renneker stopped practicing as a doctor and dedicated himself to keeping abreast of treatment from all around the world for fighting cancer. He consults with patients, particularly those with serious or advanced cases of cancer, and helps them develop attack plans, find second opinions, and identify new treatments. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

Mark Renneker, MD, Michael Lerner, and Others Clinical Advocacy Public Forum As part of the first clinical advocacy conference at Commonweal October 11-14, this public forum brought ideas, experiences, and findings of the conference to a discussion with the larger New School and Commonweal community. This was a special day of presentations and discussions on clinical advocacy — bringing together clinicians, educators, patients, families, and researchers to share and explore the principles and methods of improving clinical care for patients with cancer, cardiac, vascular, and autoimmune disorders. Mark Renneker, M.D.: Introduction to Clinical Advocacy Dwight McKee, M.D.: Patients’ Use of Novel Natural Compounds (download PDF of presentation) Raymond Chang, M.D.: Integrative Use of Cancer Immunotherapies Penny Block, Ph.D.: Psycho-Oncologic Therapies Michael McCulloch, L.Ac., M.P.H., Ph.D.: Integrative Use of Chinese Medicine (download PDF of presentation, and link to original Pine Street Clinic studies) Gwen Stritter, M.D.: Preventing Breast Cancer Recurrence Sandee Birdwell, M.D. and Mark Renneker, M.D.: Summary of Findings Will Kennedy, D.O., Hospice and Palliative Medicine Specialist, Portland, OR (download PDF) Mark Renneker, MD Dr. Renneker used to be an oncologist at UCSF and then Cal Pacific before starting his research and patient advocacy practice. He founded it because he realized that there is far too much information about fighting cancer, and innovative treatments both in western medicine and in integrative treatments, for any doctor to stay on top of while practicing medicine full time. So Dr. Renneker stopped practicing as a doctor and dedicated himself to keeping abreast of treatment from all around the world for fighting cancer. He consults with patients, particularly those with serious or advanced cases of cancer, and helps them develop attack plans, find second opinions, and identify new treatments. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

Mark Renneker, MD, Michael Lerner, and Others Clinical Advocacy Public Forum As part of the first clinical advocacy conference at Commonweal October 11-14, this public forum brought ideas, experiences, and findings of the conference to a discussion with the larger New School and Commonweal community. This was a special day of presentations and discussions on clinical advocacy — bringing together clinicians, educators, patients, families, and researchers to share and explore the principles and methods of improving clinical care for patients with cancer, cardiac, vascular, and autoimmune disorders. Mark Renneker, M.D.: Introduction to Clinical Advocacy Dwight McKee, M.D.: Patients’ Use of Novel Natural Compounds (download PDF of presentation) Raymond Chang, M.D.: Integrative Use of Cancer Immunotherapies Penny Block, Ph.D.: Psycho-Oncologic Therapies Michael McCulloch, L.Ac., M.P.H., Ph.D.: Integrative Use of Chinese Medicine (download PDF of presentation, and link to original Pine Street Clinic studies) Gwen Stritter, M.D.: Preventing Breast Cancer Recurrence Sandee Birdwell, M.D. and Mark Renneker, M.D.: Summary of Findings Will Kennedy, D.O., Hospice and Palliative Medicine Specialist, Portland, OR (download PDF) Mark Renneker, MD Dr. Renneker used to be an oncologist at UCSF and then Cal Pacific before starting his research and patient advocacy practice. He founded it because he realized that there is far too much information about fighting cancer, and innovative treatments both in western medicine and in integrative treatments, for any doctor to stay on top of while practicing medicine full time. So Dr. Renneker stopped practicing as a doctor and dedicated himself to keeping abreast of treatment from all around the world for fighting cancer. He consults with patients, particularly those with serious or advanced cases of cancer, and helps them develop attack plans, find second opinions, and identify new treatments. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

erry Mander The Capitalism Papers: Fatal Flaws of an Obsolete System Join Michael Lerner in a conversation with Jerry Mander about his new book, in which he researches, discusses, and exposes the momentous and unsolvable environmental and social problem of capitalism—in the vein of his bestseller, Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television. Mander argues that capitalism is no longer a viable system and that capitalism, utterly dependent on never-ending economic growth, is an impossible absurdity on a finite planet with limited resources. Climate change, together with global food, water, and resource shortages, are only the start. Jerry Mander Called the the patriarch of the anti-Globalization movement by The New York Times, Jerry Mander was founder and is a distinguished fellow of the International Forum on Globalization. He also spent 15 years in the advertising business as president of Freeman, Mander & Gossage, including producing the famous Sierra Club campaigns of the 1960s that saved the Grand Canyon. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

William Rosenzweig Food: Business, Movement, or Both? Join Michael Lerner for a conversation with William Rosenzweig about sustainable living and ethical business. William is the Republic of Tea’s founding CEO, and also co-author of the bestselling book The Republic of Tea: How an Idea Becomes a Business, recently named one of the 100 best business books of all time. William Rosenzweig William is currently co-founder and Partner at Physic Ventures, a venture capital firm supporting science-based companies focused on health and sustainability. Will currently works closely with EnergyHub, GoodGuide, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, Own, Recyclebank, Revolution Foods, and Yummly. As an entrepreneur, Will has been involved as a founder and executive of more than a dozen early-stage ventures. Will was founding CEO (and Minister of Progress) of The Republic of Tea, an award-winning specialty tea company that is credited with creating the premium tea category in the United States. He has played key leadership roles at Nakamichi, the TED Conference, Odwalla, Leapfrog Toys, Brand New Brands, Hambrecht Vineyards and Wineries, Kingdom of Herbs, and Winetasting.com. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

Robert N Bellah Religion in Human Evolution: From the Paleolithic to the Axial Age ~Co-presented with Point Reyes Books~ Join Michael Lerner for a conversation with Robert Bellah—a great sociologist of religion—about religion in human evolution. Robert N. Bella Robert is a renowned author, international speaker, and Elliott Professor of Sociology Emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley. His last book, Religion in Human Evolution: From the Paleolithic to the Axial Age, is a work of extraordinary ambition—a wide-ranging, nuanced probing of our biological past to discover the kinds of lives that human beings have most often imagined were worth living. In it Bellah offers what is frequently seen as a forbidden theory of the origin of religion that goes deep into evolution, especially but not exclusively, cultural evolution. Robert’s website has more information. Robert Bellah died in July 2013. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

Michael Tilson Thomas in conversation with Eric Karpeles The New School at Commonweal is very pleased to present this conversation between San Francisco Symphony Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas and Commonweal Board Member Eric Karpeles. Informal and wide-ranging, the conversation will be accessible to music-lovers of all degrees, and in keeping with Commonweal’s ongoing commitment to exploring the role of healing and the arts. Michael Tilson Thomas Just recently becoming the longest-reigning conductor in the San Francsico Symphony’s 100 year history, Michael repeatedly leads performances of intensely powerful music-making in programs full of emotional depth and staggering clarity. The orchestra is playing with virtuosic ebullience these days and the term “golden era” has been increasingly used to describe the institution’s current state of being. Thomas works from an encyclopedic breadth of musical history which helps listeners make connections and understand the context of a piece to great effect. A tireless educator, Thomas created a series of fascinating musical portraits of composers known as “Keeping Score” which air on PBS. In terms of impact, the orchestral academy Thomas created, New World Symphony, has been very significant to the artistic, personal, and professional development of outstanding young instrumentalists since 1987. Thomas is also the principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, a composer, and a concert pianist. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

Kate Munger and the Threshold Choir Making Kindness Audible through the Gift of Song Threshold Choir is a network of a cappella choirs of primarily women’s voices: a community whose mission is to sing for and with those at the thresholds of living and dying. Founded in 2000 by Inverness resident Kate Munger, beauty and strength now bloom in the more than 100 choirs worldwide who provide singers at no cost when invited to the the bedsides of folks who are struggling. During this event, Kate talks with Commonweal Executive Director Susan Braun about Threshold Choir—the practice, the history, and the future. There will be opportunities for the audience to join with choir members to become a spontaneous Threshold Choir: coming together to sing a few of the many songs in their repertoire. Kate Munger Kate has devoted herself for over 35 years to creating non-hierarchical, collaborative models for spirited and contemplative group singing, joyful community building, creative problem solving, and deep fellowship through rounds and parts singing. In 2000 she founded the first of now more than 100 Threshold Choirs worldwide. This singing ministry has re-imagined what true service can look like: healing the giver as it offers comfort, presence and ease for the receiver. Kate lives, swims, works, and sings along the shores of Tomales Bay in CA where she lives with her husband, son, and daughter-in-law and her precious grandsons Dillon and Rory. Find out more about The New School at tns.commonweal.org.

Brother David Steindl-Rast, an 86-year-old Benedictine monk renowned for uniting Christianity and Buddhism, shares his profound journey of gratefulness. He discusses how everyday tasks can lead to spiritual richness and the importance of redefining spiritual language for modern audiences. Brother David emphasizes the unity of humanity and divinity, advocating for interfaith dialogue. He also reflects on transformative experiences at Esalen, personal growth, and the joy of community through his prison ministry, encapsulating his philosophy of living life with gratitude.

Join Brother David Steindl-Rast, an 86-year-old Benedictine monk who bridges the gap between Christianity and Buddhism. He discusses the transformative power of shared meals in spiritual practice, urging a more inclusive understanding of the Eucharist. Delving into the importance of gratitude, he highlights its role in overcoming struggles and fostering global community. Brother David also tackles the urgent need for personal responsibility in addressing the ecological crisis and emphasizes embracing life and death with trust and compassion.