Rothko Chapel

Art & Activism: An Evening with Peter Sellars The arts play an important connecting role in society in ways that other sectors cannot. Artists can move through a variety of environments using music, performance, visual arts and other media to address difficult topics, challenge cultural stigmas, bring diverse people together, and provoke new ways of thinking that can lead to powerful social and political changes. In a time of censorship, political bullying, and polarization between people, where do the arts stand today, locally and nationally? What is the role of the arts as commentator and catalyst for social justice? And what is the responsibility of cultural institutions and patrons for preserving the arts as a voice for the public? In partnership with Houston Grand Opera and in conjunction with their initiative Seeking the Human Spirit, join the Rothko Chapel for a conversation exploring arts and activism in society today from the perspectives of the artist, cultural institution and funder. The conver

International Women's Day Observation The Monument Quilt display on Chapel grounds, 10am-8pm Twilight Meditation inside Chapel, 6-7pm The theme for International Women’s Day in 2018 was “Press for Progress” – the worldwide campaign calls for changing stereotypes, promoting positive visibility of women and celebrating the achievements of women. Responding to this theme and the #MeToo movement, the Chapel hosted a small display of The Monument Quilt, a quilted collection of stories from survivors of rape and abuse. The Monument Quilt is organized by FORCE, a Baltimore-based activist collective dedicated to upsetting rape culture. In the evening we hosted a Twilight Meditation facilitated by Claire Villareal from Dawn Mountain Center for Tibetan Buddhism, along with Shanti Flagg, FORCE's Studio Director, sharing quilting stories from the many woman all over the U.S. who are survivors of sexual and domestic abuse. Join as we unite in advocacy and support of women around the world. Shanti Flagg was onsite befo

Fali Engineer, Zoroastrian Tradition Wednesday March 7, 2018 Pay What You Can, suggested value $10 For the month of March, the Rothko Chapel presented a meditation in the Zoroastrian tradition. Led by Fali Engineer of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston, this session explored the contemplative practice of Ahura meditation. At present the demands of life are greater than our ability to cope. This results in stress, anxiety, fear and worry, affecting our health and well being. The best antidote for stress is deep rest. This meditation gives rest twice that of sleep. It is easily learned, as it involves no concentration. The effortless process allows the mind to quiet levels, which is a welcome relief from incessant thinking. This quieting of the mind conveys deep rest to the body for stress relief and relaxation. About the presenter: Fali Engineer is a Zoroastrian by birth and was educated in India, worked in Pakistan and retired in the US in 1987. He learned this style of meditation in 1975 and has since

Concept of the Divine Series A Hunger for Wholeness Ilia Delio in conversation with Bill Kerley Ilia Delio, a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC, who bridges the spheres of science and religion shared her personal concept of the Divine and how that has changed over time, as she moved from a scientist in academia to a nun within the Catholic Church. She discussed how her spiritual belief system has informed her own evolution and contributions to her community. Following her lecture, Delio engaged in a rich conversation with Houston counselor and spiritual teacher Bill Kerley, as they delve into Delio’s most recent insights on the spiritual evolution of human beings in the age of technology from her forthcoming book A Hunger for Wholeness: Soul, Space, and Transcendence. This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Program Participants: Ilia Delio, OSF is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC and American theolog

Brandi Beckett and Simon Cox, Daoist Tradition Wednesday, February 7, 2018 For the month of February, the Rothko Chapel presented a meditation in the Daoist tradition. Led by Brandi Beckett and Simon Cox of Wudang Houston, this session explored Daoist Inner Alchemy from the San Feng lineage. The Daoist Inner Alchemy is a form of Daoist meditation centered around becoming familiar with the energies and energetic pathways in one’s body, breaking down the barrier between body and mind. About the presenters: Simon Cox and Brandi Beckett both spent six years living and training in China at the Wudang Daoist Traditional Kung Fu Academy. While there, they were part of an intensive Daoist studies program at the Jade Void temple, where they learned Chinese, Daoist meditation, Daoist music, kung fu, tai chi, and qigong. Simon and Brandi became lineage holders of the San Feng sect in 2012. Simon Cox is pursuing his PhD in Chinese and Tibetan religions at Rice University under Jeff Kripal. He is currently writing an

Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration "Monumental Decisions: Art, Politics, and Social Responsibility" Conversation with artist Ed Dwight, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, and Texas Southern University Art Historian and Curator Dr. Alvia Wardlaw, moderated by ABC13’s news anchor Melanie Lawson In honor of the life and work of the Rev. Dr. King, the Chapel held a lecture and conversation exploring the power of symbols in our society today. Symbols hold power in our society. Flags, monuments, memorials…what story do they tell? Whose story do they tell? What is our collective responsibility to ensure that public space is available for all people, and how do we shape the narrative of the landmarks placed in the public sphere? In the past two years, a critical narrative around public monuments’ histories and intentions has garnered national attention. Before June 2015, there were more than 700 confederate monuments in public places around the nation. Many of these pieces were pur

Suzanne Benally, the first Indigenous Executive Director of Cultural Survival, shared her personal spiritual journey as a Navajo and Santa Clara from New Mexico and how this shapes her understanding of the concept of the divine. Benally explored the meaning of the Navajo concept “Hozho,” which is centered on living responsibly in a web of relationships emphasizing reciprocity with and reverence for all beings. About the presenter: Suzanne Benally is the first Indigenous Executive Director of Cultural Survival, an organization that advocates for Indigenous Peoples' rights and supports Indigenous communities’ self-determination, cultures and political resilience since 1972. She is Navajo and Santa Clara Tewa from New Mexico. Benally was the Associate Provost for Institutional Planning and Assessment and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She was a core faculty member in environmental studies and a member of the president’s cabinet. Before starting at Naro

Hector Monterosso and Sandra Montes, Christian Tradition Wednesday, December 6, 2017 For the month of December, the Rothko Chapel presented a meditation in the Christian tradition with the theme "Search for a Place of Rest." Partnering with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, Bishop Monterroso provided a reflection in English on Posadas, a Latino tradition during Advent which involves re-enacting Mary and Joseph’s search for a place of rest in Bethlehem. Sandra Montes taught participants the traditional song used in Posadas in Spanish through call and response. Francisco Guevara accompanied the meditation on the guitar. About the presenters: Bishop Héctor Monterroso was born in Guatemala and for the last 14 years, has served as Episcopal Bishop of Costa Rica. He recently joined the Episcopal Diocese of Texas as an assistant bishop. The son of a professional soccer player, Bishop Monterroso used his own soccer prowess to help plant new churches. In addition to other duties at the Diocese he will help encourage

World AIDS Day Observance 8-8:30am Pastries and Coffee outside on the Chapel Plaza 8:30-9:30am Meditation, music and conversation inside the Chapel In commemoration of World AIDS Day, the Rothko Chapel held a morning conversation and meditation offered in partnership with Montrose Center and Legacy Community Health. Attendees gathered to show support and solidarity with the millions of people living with and impacted by HIV/AIDS. The morning observation included live music, community conversation, and guided meditation. Venita Ray, policy manager at Legacy Health, shared some important facts on the current state of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the citywide campaign she’s running to end HIV. A moment of silence, prayer and guided reflection was led by Reverend Laura Mayo, Senior Minister of Covenant Church, and music was performed throughout the experience by Michele Thibeaux (vocals), Denis Cisneros (guitar), and Jason Mitchell (cajón). Established by the World Health Organization in 1988 as the first ever g

33rd Annual Houston Interfaith Thanksgiving Service "Helping Each Other" Leaders and members of nine different faiths across the city offered prayers of thanksgiving and read sacred texts on thankfulness. A reception followed the program. The service started 33 years ago in response to the bombing of a storefront mosque. After helping to raise money to support the mosque's repairs, the Annual Thanksgiving Service co-founders George Atkinson and Garland Pohl wanted to find a way for different faith organizations to come together, as thanksgiving is a common value shared by all the major world religions. Initially, participants represented Judaism, Islam and Christianity, but within three years, Buddhists, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, Baha’i, Hindus and Jains joined the service. The creation of the event is a milestone in the development of interfaith dialogue in Houston. Participants in this year's service included representatives from Houston Baha’i Center, Texas Buddhist Association, Arya Samaj Greater Houston,

2017 Rothko Chapel Óscar Romero Award Pre-Program Double Jeopardy: Women and the Criminal Justice System Conversation with Julie Bindel and Dr. Andrea Link, moderated by Lise Olsen Women of sex trafficking face the dual realities of being victims while also being prosecuted as offenders. Julie Bindel was joined in conversation with Houston advocate Dr. Andrea Link and Lise Olsen, investigative reporter with the Houston Chronicle as they explored this topic from both local and global perspectives. The local awardee for the 2017 ORA, Kathryn Griffin Griñán, provides direct service and counseling to victims of sex trafficking in Houston. In her most recent book “The Pimping of Prostitution,” Bindel takes the debate on prostitution legislation head-on, exposing the lived realities of women in contrast with the dominant discourse in current academic and liberal feminist debates. Based on more than 250 interviews with people involved in and affected by prostitution around the world, Bindel exposes the harms of th

2017 Rothko Chapel Óscar Romero Award Pre-Program Silencing Opposition: Human Rights Violations in Burundi Former US Ambassador to Burundi, Robert Krueger in conversation with Tony Tate, Program Officer for Sub-Saharan Africa at the Fund for Global Human Rights and Dr. Methode Butoyi, Alliance for Multicultural Community Services, moderated by Dr. Kerry Ward, professor of history at Rice University, exploring the social and political dynamics of Burundi, east Africa. The international awardee for the 2017 ORA, Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, works with wrongly incarcerated individuals in Burundi. About the presenters: Mwalimu Methode-Alain Butoyi, PhD was born and raised in the Cibitoke province of Burundi. Butoyi came to the US in July 1971, on a Fulbright scholarship to pursue his studies at UCLA. In April 1972, two months before he was to return home, selective genocide started in Burundi. The US State Department renewed scholarship and he completed an MA and PhD in French and African Studies at UCLA. He taught

2017 Rothko Chapel Óscar Romero Award Ceremony Keynote address by Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis French Translation Services sponsored by Master Word Services, Inc. Rothko Chapel's biennial Óscar Romero Award--named after Archbishop Óscar Romero of San Salvador who was assassinated on March 24, 1980, because of his vocal opposition to the violent oppression of his fellow citizens--has been given every two years since 1987 in recognition of courageous, grassroots human rights advocacy. Building upon the topic of ending mass incarceration addressed at our 2017 Spring Symposium, the Chapel will honor two recipients, one internationally and the other locally selected, for this year's recognition. The international awardee is Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, Executive Director of Association for the Protection of Prisoners and Human Rights in Burundi, east Africa. The local awardee is Kathryn Griffin Griñán, a Recovery Coach & Peer-To-Peer Counselor at Been There, Done That in Houston, Texas. The pu

Dr. Harish Chandra, Hindu Tradition Wednesday, November 1, 2017 For the month of November, the Rothko Chapel presented a meditation in the Hindu tradition. Led by Dr. Harish Chandra of Arya Samaj Greater Houston, this session explored the philosophy and methods written by Patanjali in Yoga-Sutras, defining Yoga as cessation of mental transience that leads to self-realization. Dr. Chandra described three different methods of Yoga and then practiced Ashtanga Yoga. About the presenter: Dr. Harish Chandra was academically trained in engineering sciences with BTech from IIT Kanpur (India) and PhD from Princeton, specializing in theoretical combustion sciences. He engaged in engineering research from 1974-1996. He has completed intensive self-study of the Vedic concepts through wide ranging literature that includes the Vedas, Upanishads, Six Books of Vedic Philosophy, and other modern commentaries. He is an authority on the Vedic concept of mind and its control, particularly in the treatises of Samkhya (by Kapi

10.12.17 Art and Incarceration: Poetry, Theatre and Music in and about Captivity Concert, Ensemble Pi For this interdisciplinary performance, Ensemble Pi presented music, text, and theater works that focus on the rise of mass incarceration, the racial disparities it reveals, and the emotional toll it takes on inmates and their families. The evening started with the world premiere of Rikers Island by New York composer Eleanor Cory, inspired by the anthology These Are Hard Times for Dreamers. Followed by Rzewski’s minimalist masterpiece, Coming Together, composed in the wake of the 1971 prison riots in upstate New York and powerfully expressing the frustration of life behind bars and anger about injustice. Joseph Assadourian, the narrator for Coming Together, will also perform an excerpt from his tragi-comic play, The Bullpen, based on his own incarceration. The performance closed with the sublime Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time (1941), composed and performed in the prisoner-of-war camp in Gorli

Abbas Mahvash and Luke Slott, Baha'i Tradition October 4, 2017 For the month of October, the Rothko Chapel presented a meditation in the Baha'i tradition. Led by Abbas Mahvash of the Bahá'í Community of Houston, accompanied by Luke Slott, singer, songwriter and composer from Dublin, Ireland, this session explored a Baha'i perspective on the purpose of religious practice through prayer and meditation. The meditation also addressed individual and community healing after Harvey as a part of the Chapel's weekly Wednesday gathering series. Slott performed songs and prayers, then participants read Baha'i scripture on prayer and meditation, discussing how these contemplative practices lead to individual and collective development. Mahvash provided a reflection on these prayers, and consulted on their practical implications for personal and societal advancement. The group then practiced Metta Bhavana, a Buddhist method that helps cultivate loving-kindness, to help put into practice inner and external transformation

2.21.17 SOME LIGHT EMERGES artist talk and performance Presented in partnership with HGOco In collaboration with Houston Grand Opera (HGO), and in conjunction with the world premiere of SOME LIGHT EMERGES, the Rothko Chapel will present an artist talk and performance. Join composer Laura Kaminsky, librettists Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed, and others from the creative team in conversation with Rothko Chapel’s Executive Director, David Leslie, to discuss the inspiration and process behind the making of this new chamber opera. Hear never before performed excerpts from the opera by two of the cast members (and HGO Studio Artists), Yelena Dyachek and Zoie Reams. The program will be followed by a reception on the plaza. Karim Sulayman, cast member of Some Light Emerges, will be on the Plaza from 6-6:45pm to present the performance and social experiment “I trust you,” addressing the recent rise of division, fear, and hatred in our nation. View a past performance here: https://vimeo.com/193125533 About the Ope

Cantor Rollin Simmons, Reflection and Renewal in the Wake of Hurricane Harvey September 6, 2017 For the month of September, the Rothko Chapel presented a meditation in the Judaic tradition with the theme of "Reflection and Renewal in the wake of Hurricane Harvey." Led by Cantor Rollin Simmons of Congregation Emanu El, this session explored prayer, song, and meditation and addressed individual and city wide healing after the storm. About the presenter: Cantor Rollin Simmons received a B.A. with a major in Art History and a minor in Italian from Vassar College, in Poughkeepsie, NY and an M.Ed in Special Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. While in Cambridge, she was a soloist with the Zamir Chorale of Boston, performing locally and internationally. Inspired and encouraged by her cantor, Roy Einhorn at Temple Israel Boston, and her experiences with Jewish music in the Zamir Chorale, Cantor Simmons decided to pursue cantorial school. As a student at The Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at

Ann Friedman, Mindfulness for Parents and Children August 2, 2017 "We are told in school to pay attention! Yet, nobody ever teaches us how to do this. Like the adults around them, children's minds wander. Their thoughts often create anxiety: What if I fail the test? What if mom is late to pick me up? Why are mom and dad arguing? Nobody likes me." Mindfulness is a training to let go of these unhelpful thoughts and to pay attention to the present moment with kindness and curiosity. This meditation led by Ann Friedman, Ph.D., included experiential exercises that children can do with their parents at home to focus on the present moment. Learning mindfulness has been shown to help children focus their attention. It can decrease stress, anxiety and depression in both children and adults and create a sense of well-being. About the presenter: Ann Friedman, Ph.D., is a Licensed Psychologist who served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Counseling Psychology Graduate Program for over ten years. Ann

Presented in partnership with MasterWord Services, this program featuring Alejandro Chaoul and David Leslie explored techniques, tools and resources to create balance and minimize or mitigate the effects of vicarious trauma. MasterWord Services, a leading provider of language support solutions, sponsored this event as part of their third annual Wellness Connection Workshop for interpreters and anyone who experiences vicarious trauma in the course of their work. This was a special presentation by Dr. Alejandro Chaoul, Associate Professor and Director of Education at the University of Texas MD Anderson’s Friends of Integrated Medicine Program as well as a regular presenter at the Rothko Chapel, and David Leslie, Executive Director of the Rothko Chapel. This presentation introduced participants to techniques, tools and resources—including the healing space of the Rothko Chapel—to create balance within, help you adhere to professional standards or ethical requirements, and minimize or mitigate the effects of v