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HEMLATA K. POKHARNA, Ph.D. |
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Dr. Hemlata Pokharna is a Researcher at the University of Chicago. She continues to teach courses on spirituality and Medicine at the University of Chicago. Currently she is the director of Journeys of Life: A Program to promote Health, Wholeness and Dis-ease prevention.
Born and raised in India, she received much of her religious instruction from Jain monks and nuns who emphasized inner peace and self discipline. In United States she also received extensive training at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, the Center for Nonviolent Communication, and the Focusing Institute including training in Alternatives to Violence, Conflict resolution and Mediation.
The Journeys of
Life program evolved from Dr. Pokharna’s quest for inner peace and harmony
in the western environment, to which she had immigrated from India for advanced
Biochemistry studies in 1985. She believes that body, mind and soul are the
integral elements of the human condition, which means that spiritual health and
wholeness should be an integral part in health promotion programming. The term
spiritual health is being used here to mean the ability to live in the wholeness
of life. The consequences of disconnectedness on physical and spiritual health
can be devastating. However, people can learn skills in life that lead to
connectedness on three levels, connecting with self, connecting with others, and
connecting with a larger meaning or purpose.
She provides training to develop these skills. The program trains participants to develop skills to connect with self through Meditation and Focusing, and connect with others through Nonviolent Communication.
Her mission is a
statement of her journey of life as a Jain Indian woman and scientist which is
to educate, inspire and empower people in the world to discover healthy and
harmonious ways of being with themselves and being together. Her mission and the
program include different ways to live, learn and share the principles of
reverence and respect for life.
773-955-2414