Nothing will sustain you more potently than the power to recognise in your humdrum routine, as perhaps it may be thought, the true poetry of life – the poetry of the commonplace, of the plain, toil-worn woman, with their loves and their joys, their sorrows and their griefs.
– Sir William Osler
In order to enrich the conference theme of honouring the art of palliative medicine, the conference organisers at the upcoming Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (ANSZPM) 2016 Conference in Perth, Western Australia have created a specific room for self reflection.
The Reflection Room will provide a nurturing space for conference participants to consider the human connection that we all experience as palliative care clinicians, and the impact this has on our own personal growth. The room will contain powerful art pieces that depict resilience in the face of dying, which aim to help delegates reflect on their experiences over the course of the conference, undertake guided mindfulness, or most importantly, just be.
Have you been to another conference recently where self-reflection, mindfulness and art featured strongly in the program? Was there space set aside for delegates to practice these activities amidst all the hustle and bustle of the conference program? Was it useful for you?