Compassion is emerging as a major focus in the new field of contemplative science, which integrates scientific research with contemplative practice, exploring its real-world applications such as health, education and general well-being. Standardized protocols, such as Stanford University’s CCT (Compassion Cultivation Training), UCSD’s Mindful Self-Compassion, and Emory University’s CBCT (Cognitively-Based Compassion Training), are today offered …
What’s happening in (and to) my brain when I meditate? This question is asked time and time again by individuals undertaking contemplative practices, journalists writing articles about mindfulness, and scientists trying to figure out what is happening on a neurobiological level during these practices. A growing number of studies have been published in an attempt …
John Makransky will enter participants into two contemplative practices from his Sustainable Compassion Training (SCT) approach for developing stable care and compassion. In this contemplative session, we will do a meditation of receiving care as a kind of empowerment. We are empowered to participate in the perspective and flow of care and compassion first by …
Indian classical music is rooted in the ancient philosophy of nada-yoga, or union through sound. Both theoreticians and practitioners appreciated the immediate appeal of music and song, but they also understood sound, particularly the elaboration of ragas, as a vehicle for spiritual growth and ultimately a path to moksha, or salvation. Ragas are unique melodic …
The Mind & Life Institute’s International Symposium for Contemplative Studies (ISCS) seeks to encourage and help shape a cohesive interdisciplinary field of contemplative studies in which basic and applied science, scholarship, education, the arts, and contemplative traditions collaboratively develop an integrated way of knowing.
In 2016 we gathered the most innovative thought leaders and present their ground breaking research in neuroscience, psychology, clinical science, the humanities, philosophy, and education – all with the goal of advancing our understanding of the mind, reducing human suffering, and enhancing our well-being.
Mawlana Rumi said, “Earth, water, fire and air are God’s servants. To us they seem lifeless but to God they are living.” The four elements are known in Sufism as shahid al-wujud, “witnesses of being.” In this session we will practice a time-honored Sufi method of inner purification involving the attunement of the body and mind …
Pain is a multidimensional experience that involves interacting sensory, cognitive, and affective factors, rendering the treatment of chronic pain challenging and financially burdensome. The widespread use of opioids to treat chronic pain has led to an opioid epidemic characterized by exponential growth in opioid misuse and addiction. The staggering statistics related to opioid use highlight …
In the Kabbalah tradition, the human body is understood to be a microcosm of the totality. As such, coming into deeper contact with our flesh is seen to be the primary vehicle through which we experience the living presence that animates all of reality. In this session, we will explore an ancient technique of sensing …
This two-part workshop will explore the practice of centering prayer from both a theological and neurological perspective, with an emphasis on how this no-frills method of meditation in the Christian tradition differs from the standard ‘entry-level’ mindfulness practice with which it is often confused. Each session will include teaching and a short practice.
