Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.

Susan Snyder
The Philadelphia Inquirer
February 1, 2009

Penn, Rutgers and other schools offer housing that lets students live and party without liquor or drugs.

Students flooded into the college house in Allentown on a Friday night, headed straight for the bar, and ordered drinks. The blenders whirred.

"Bottoms up," the student bartender said as drinkers tipped their cups.

Soon Muhlenberg College's campus police officers were at the party, also drinking.

After all, the plastic red cups were filled only with milkshakes. Vanilla. Chocolate. And strawberry.

No alcohol.

The house, on a quiet street near Muhlenberg's campus, is overseen by CASE (Clean and Sober Environment), a nearly two-year-old student-initiated organization that includes students in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and others who abstain.
Perhaps there's no place more difficult to live alcohol- and drug-free than America's college campuses - the first step away from home for many students, a time to experiment, a time to let loose.

Half of full-time college students, many of whom are younger than the legal drinking age of 21, binge drink or abuse prescription or illegal drugs, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Almost one in four meets medical criteria for substance abuse and dependence, the group says.

Despite the magnitude of the problem, few colleges have housing for students in recovery. Locally, besides Muhlenberg, the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers University provide it. Some schools, including Penn and West Chester University, offer "healthy living" spaces for students looking for a drug- and alcohol-free oasis.

"There's no question that colleges have started to do more than they ever did, but they are by no means doing enough," said Joseph A. Califano Jr., chairman and president of the national addiction center at Columbia. "Higher education has to get the high out of it."

At Muhlenberg, the clean-and-sober organization hold alcohol- and drug-free parties and other activities at the house. The events give students another social option and sometimes draw hundreds.

"When people come to college, it's hard to feel comfortable at a party situation where everyone is drinking and still feel like you're part of the party," said club president Amy Bauer, 20, a junior English and theater major from Rockaway, N.J.

"So things like this let people know it is possible to meet people, dance, and have a good time" without drugs or alcohol, she said. "You can be the life of the party without a beer in your hand."

Despite what experts say is widespread drinking on campuses, the demand for the special housing is small. At Muhlenberg, six students live in the college-owned house.

Penn two years ago designated a small wing of a dorm for as many as six students in recovery. It isn't full.
The Rutgers house for students in recovery has room for 20; 12 live there. Officials say numbers were kept smaller because of lack of staff. The house will return to capacity in the fall.

Knowing of the need, proponents want housing to grow both for students in recovery and those who want a substance-free environment.

"I'm confident that it will, and that other schools will catch on," said Julie Lyzinski, Penn's director for alcohol and other drug programs.

The Muhlenberg house, amid a mix of upscale and middle-class houses in Allentown's West End, looked like any other college house hosting a party. There was loud music in the basement and dancing under strobe lights. Upstairs, students chatted.

"When I was a freshman and I didn't want to drink, it was really difficult," Bauer said. "It took me a long time to feel confident enough to go to a party."

Then she met Aaron Lawson, now 21 and a senior theater and sociology major from Maine, and Philip Lakin, also 21, a senior theater and communications major from Wayne, N.J. They had just attended a program at the Addiction Studies Institute in Ohio and wanted to start a group for students in recovery, but also connect it with others on campus.

Bauer decided to join in.

"I knew there were other people out there like me, and I wanted to do something about it," she said.

The organization, which gets funding through the student council, won a campus award in its first year for best student organization. About 20 people come to the group meetings, and 50 more are on the club's mailing list.

The house has rules: No alcohol or drugs, not even medications such as Robitussin. No entering intoxicated.
The students in recovery asked that their names not be published. One student said he had difficulty when he returned to campus several years ago after going through a recovery program.

"My friends would drink on weekends. You hang out at the barbershop long enough, you're going to get a haircut," he said as he drank his vanilla milkshake.

The organization made life on campus easier, he said.

The need for alternatives is seen at Muhlenberg's counseling center. Ten percent to 18 percent of students who seek help report alcohol or drug issues, said Anita Kelly, Muhlenberg's director of counseling. Once in counseling, more students reveal that they have a substance-abuse problem, raising the percentage to about 25, she said.

At other campuses, including Penn and Rutgers, the location of the recovery housing - which is only for students in recovery - is kept secret to protect privacy.

Rutgers has been at it the longest - more than 20 years.

Lisa Laitman, director of the alcohol and other drugs assistance program, was hired in 1983 to start a recovery support group. "As the group got larger and larger, housing issues arose."

In 1988, the school agreed to open a recovery house on its main campus in New Brunswick.

Among the residents is Ryan, 19, of North Jersey, who has been there for a year and a half and is the student director. He has been in recovery since his junior year in high school and chose Rutgers because of the house.

"I couldn't see myself handling having alcohol around," he said. "This house affords me the opportunity to be on the right track."
Some schools have designated substance-free dorms or floors for students who abstain.

"I really wanted to live in a college environment that was conducive to not just studying and sleeping but also having fun," said Mark Pan, 19, a sophomore urban-studies major from San Jose, Calif., who has lived on a substance-free floor at Penn since last year.

"I enjoy going out to parties and going out in the city. I do so in a sober manner."
At West Chester, which designated several wings three years ago, students must sign contracts, pledging not to use. About 40 students live there, among the 4,000 on campus.

Marion McKinney, director of residence life, said she was not sure whether any students living in the hall were in recovery.
"If they let us know," she said, "we're more than willing to help them, but they don't have to let us know that."
of CRC Health Group, the most comprehensive network of specialized behavioral care services in the nation. For over two decades, CRC Health has been achieving successful outcomes for individuals and families.
 

Meditation really is the most wonderful tool, once you learn how to work with it. There are a variety of methods of meditating and even more purposes for which meditation can be used. During this article, you will learn a very simple method of meditating. You will also be instructed on several uses of meditation including The Stillness Exercise and Guided Meditation.
 
Let's begin with setting the scene. Although with some practice, you can meditation just about anywhere, to begin with at least, it is best to choose a quiet, peaceful place where it's not likely you will be disturbed. If you have a room designed for sacred space with an altar and so on, then that is ideal. You can however use any part of your home as long as it is quiet, or even a garden, park, or similar.
 
It is good to set a little ritual in preparation for the meditation, this acts as an anchor, i.e., a practice that, after a few times, helps to bring your mind into the state of meditation. Actions like taking the phone off the hook, hanging a sign on the door, lighting a candle and some incense, are good examples of such a ritual. You can also say a prayer affirming that you are about to meditate and that you want this meditation to be clear, peaceful and healing/empowering/informing depending on your meditational goals.
 
It is best to meditate sitting up with your back straight, however, you can lie down if you need to.
 
Once you've chosen your meditation area and performed your ritual, it is then time to meditate.

1.  Sit comfortably, with a straight back, feet flat on the ground, (use a pillow under your feet if you are too short),

2.  Focus on your breathing. Feel the breath moving in and out of your body. Do this for a few minutes, until you feel yourself relax,

3.  Check over your body for any areas of tension or tightness, then focus on that area and drop it, relax it, focus on your breath pouring into that area, releasing any tension,

4.  Slow your breathing right down, so that you are very, very relaxed,

5.  When you are ready, begin your meditation, examples are given later in the article,

6.  When you have completed the meditation, return your attention to the room or garden where you are meditating from. Notice the clothes on your skin, the chair beneath you, your feet on the floor. Then wiggle your fingers and toes to bring yourself back completely.

7.  Make sure you keep a journal of your meditative experiences, as sometimes things that show up in your meditations (just like dreams) will make more sense further down the track than they do now.

8.  Finally you may need to do some grounding exercises if you are feeling a bit lightheaded or vague. Examples of Grounding Exercises include walking around barefoot on grass, eating or drinking something, washing the dishes and stretching exercises.

This is the Meditation framework within which you can work. It may take a bit of practice, but it is worth the effort. From here, you need a few ideas on what to do with this meditational space you've created for yourself. 
 
The Stillness Exercise
The first method of meditation is sitting in stillness. This is done by simply emptying your mind. Not thinking anything. Anytime you notice a thought entering your mind, just let it go and return to stillness. This takes practice, but it's a wonderful exercise. You can start with 10 minutes per meditation and build from there. Many people meditate using this practice for 2 hours per day! 
 
Guided Meditation
This practice is done by using your imagination to follow a journey from beginning to end. It can be done many ways including having the journey recorded on tape or cd, following a guided meditation in a group, with an instructor guiding you, reading it through just like you do a book, remember it and take yourself through it, just as examples.
A lot can be done with this meditation, everything from spiritual journeys, quests, healing, chakra balancing and much more. One simple example, designed by the author, is given below. 
 
Full Moon Meditation
You are lying on your back, floating in a beautiful pool of water. All around you is ancient forest, and above you, lighting your way is grandmother moon, full and glowing brightly. The water supports you completely, the perfect temperature, you feel completely safe. You stare up at the moon, feeling relaxed and comfortable, and you begin to feel her becconing you, drawing you up to her. The feeling is lovely, and as you enjoy her calling you, you suddenly realise that you are in fact no longer floating in the water, instead, you are moving upward, gently, flowing, upwards, you look beneath you and see the canopy of trees. You feel free! You feel as though you can do anything, go anywhere. Gently, you try to somersault, and it works! Take some time to play with your new skill. Fly off to wherever you want to go. Or just twist and turn where you are.
 
When you are finished, thank Grandmother Moon for your new skill and tell her you wish to return to the earth. Slowly you move back down, until you find yourself standing on solid ground. Now return to the room you are in.
 
 
Meditation is practiced all over the world, by people of different beliefs, faiths and cultures. This is a tool that can transform and empower your life even if you only use it for as little as five minutes a day, although the greatest rewards are to be had by committing to meditation as an important part of your spiritual and self empowerment practice. 
 
Article provided by Daniella Breen
Daniella has been working with metaphysical concepts for well over 20 years.
She has a forum for the World Peace Exercise and invites any interested and respectful parties to participate. 

The way to receive life's abundance is to express it. The way to receive life's abundance is to do something creative and useful with it.

There is always something valuable that you can create with your time, your thoughts and actions. In every moment, in every situation, there is something you can do to express life's abundance.

Whatever you're able to create may not be something you particularly desire or require, but that's ok. Because there are other people who wish to have it, and who will happily pay you for it with something else of value to you.

In ways that are familiar and in ways that haven't yet been imagined, you can create value. With gratitude in your heart, and a desire to give meaning to life, you can create value.

You are surrounded by a sea of abundance. You are alive and aware and highly effective, in a universe that's overflowing with possibilities.

Through your own unique perspective, you can transform that raw, formless abundance into specific, tangible value. That is how wealth is created, and there is no limit to how much of it you can create.

  ~Ralph Marston 

from Tricia Thibodeau

Program Director, California

 _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Save the Date

The dates for the Fall 2010 Family Weekend will be September 24-26.  Please SAVE THE DATE for the weekend. We will begin the weekend with a Social Event on Friday evening.  Saturday will be filled with workshops for the family and for residents.  Sunday will offer opportunity for individual families to meet with staff to discuss your resident.  I look forward to seeing you all at our next Family Weekend

Fall 2010 Family Weekend

September 24-26

All activities will be at House 4 - 1780 Timberlake Road, Kennesaw, GA 30144

Friday, September 24

7:00 pm                        Registration for the Weekend

 7:30 pm                       Just Desserts

                                    Join us for dessert and a fun family social activity.

9:00 pm                        Graduation

For Gray D.

All HEROes will attend this event        

Saturday, September 25

8:30 am                        Coffee and Pastries/Welcome

                                    Kelly Moselle, Program Director

9:00 am-10:00 am          Meet the Staff/Q&A

10:00 am-11:00 am        Taking Care of Yourself

                                     TBD

11:00 am-12:30 pm        Why Can't They Just Stop?

                                     Jana Pearce, Program Coordinator

                                     Michael Shannon, Program Coordinator

12:30 -1:30 pm               Lunch*

 1:30 pm-3:00 pm           Addiction - A Family Disease*

                                     Jana Pearce, Program Coordinator

                                     Michael Shannon, Program Coordinator

 3:15pm-4:15 pm            Sobriety vs. Recovery*

                                     Randy Haveson, Executive Director and Founder of

 The HERO House

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm         Lessons Learned*

                                    TBD

 5:30 pm and on            Dinner on your own

Sunday, September 26         

 Open for individual meetings with Staff, schedule with us during the weekend.

"Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway."

~Mary Kay Ash