PRESS-RELEASE

Omega Press Release

September 8, 2008

Omega to Host Women Courage Conference

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Omega to Host Women & Courage Conference

Focus on 'Expressing Women's Wisdom in the 21st Century'

RHINEBECK, NY - Omega Institute today announced that it will hold a weekend conference dedicated to examining the ways in which women are redefining courage around the world. The conference, which will be held September 12-14, 2008 on the Rhinebeck, New York campus, brings together groundbreaking speakers across several fields, including Christiane Northrup, Isabel Allende, Queen Afua, Loung Ung and others.

"We are living in a time when women are taking courageous leaps in all walks of life. This conference is about both inspiring women to have courage as well as redefining courage itself," said Carla Goldstein, director of the Women's Institute at Omega.

Each year the Women's Institute at Omega sponsors events that explore the role women play in shaping the world. This year's featured conference - Women & Courage - takes a closer look at what it means to be courageous in the 21st century, as we are faced with issues of environment, health, politics, war, and an increasingly complex world in which we raise our children.

"We want to enlarge what courage means by going beyond the mythic stereotype of the warrior who destroys to include the bridge builder who heals," continued Goldstein. "So many of the relationship building qualities that women bring to the table are the qualities that the world needs now, and this conference is designed to help inspire women to step more fully into their own power in their personal, professional, and public lives."

Through keynote talks and workshops, conference participants have a unique opportunity to join a diverse community of women who are redefining courage all over the world.

The conference is open to men as well as women. To register please visit, eOmega.org or call 800.944.1001. A limited number of media passes are available. Please contact Chrissa Pullicino at 845.266.4444, ext. 233 if you would like to cover the event.

FEATURING:

Christiane Northrup, MD, is the author of several best-selling books, including Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause. Her work helps women create health, wellness, and empowerment in their lives and in the world.

Isabel Allende's many books, including The House of the Spirits and Paula, have sold more than 51 million copies and been translated into 30 languages. Born in Chile, she is a lifelong advocate for human rights, a passionate speaker, and the founder of the Isabel Allende Foundation.

Elizabeth Lesser is cofounder and senior advisor of Omega Institute, and author of The Seeker's Guide and Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow. She has been creating conferences and trainings for women at Omega for many years.

Queen Afua is cofounder of the Heal Thyself Natural Living Center in Brooklyn, New York, and author of Sacred Woman: A Guide to Healing the Feminine Body, Mind and Spirit, and other books that blend spiritual and ancestral healing with alternative medicine.

Loung Ung is a survivor of Cambodia's killing fields and an activist for the elimination of land mines. Her best-selling memoirs, First They Killed My Father and Lucky Child: A Daughter of Cambodia Reunites With the Sister She Left Behind, are riveting accounts of courage and the resilience of the human spirit.

Tara Brach, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, the author of Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha, and one of the most well-respected women teaching Buddhist meditation in the West.

Sarah Peter is an artist whose work is in many collections worldwide. She has been an active philanthropist for many years, focused primarily on mental health and women's issues, and has given critical support to the Women's Institute at Omega.

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About Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
Founded in 1977, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies is the nation's most trusted source for wellness and personal growth. As a nonprofit organization, Omega offers diverse and innovative educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal and social change. Located on 250 acres in the beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega welcomes people to its workshops, conferences, and retreats in Rhinebeck, New York, and online at eOmega.org.