How do we place ourselves in the climate crisis? Are we at home? Do we search for roots denied us or taken away? Can we quiet our busy minds and bodies to receive more than visitors do; to hear the plants and trees, to sense another, to protect and love as do inhabitants? How can …
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How to Give the Future a Chance: Mind, Earth, and Climate Change
We humans are creatures of bounded rationality and finite processing capacity, and it is understandable that we focus attention first on the here and now. And yet, many individual and social issues (from sufficient pension savings, to healthy eating, to sustainable economic growth) require increased attention to the future costs and benefits of possible courses …
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A Conversation with Christiana Figueres: The Case for Stubborn Optimism
Christiana Figueres is renowned for having delivered the seemingly impossible. During her tenure as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2010-2016, she brought together national and sub-national governments, corporations, activists, financial institutions, communities of faith, think tanks, and technology providers to jointly deliver the unprecedented, historic Paris climate …
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Keynote and Q&A: “Contemplative Studies: An Ecological Methodology for Multidisciplinarity”
Building on the conception of ‘ecological phenomenology’ that Maria Heim and Ram have developed, and which he has written about in his recent book, he will share that there is a deep ‘ecological’ conception of being human in the contemplative traditions that could provide a paradigm for looking at the disciplinary and reflexive phenomenology of …
6 Days, 28 Speakers, 1 Powerful Message: The Climate Crisis, It’s a Relationship Problem
Even the best-intentioned efforts to stem the climate crisis often fail to address root causes; namely, our disconnection from one another and the earth. Could solutions to this and other climate-related challenges lie within the human mind? More than 900 scholars, scientists, contemplatives, students, and activists from 30+ countries convened online for Mind & Life’s …
2021 Online Speaker Series
This six-day speaker series explores how the union of contemplative traditions, indigenous wisdom, and science can lead to greater awareness of the interconnectedness of all life, and reignite our collective responsibility as stewards of our planetary future.
5 Reasons Not to Miss Mind & Life’s 2021 Summer Research Institute and Speaker Series
We’re hearing more and more about the devastating impacts of the climate crisis. Instead of being something that’s ‘out there,’ it’s here. And while climate change is top of mind among many scientists, policymakers, activists, and concerned citizens, not enough time is spent exploring the role of the human mind in both contributing to the …
Creating the Future We Want: The Role of Contemplative Practice and Climate Action
Contemplative practice has played an important role in my own journey to cope with the climate crisis and take action on a personal level. A lot of my practice focuses on nurturing contentment. In relation to the climate, this means examining whether I really need new things and being happy with what is sustainable.
The Dalai Lama, Greta Thunberg, and Leading Scientists Share Urgent Message to Protect the Planet
The Dalai Lama and climate activist Greta Thunberg met—for the first time—alongside prominent climate scientists to deliver a shared message: We must act swiftly to address climate change, and particularly the threat of climate feedback loops, before it’s too late. An audience spanning the globe tuned in to the free, livestream event hosted by the …
The role of the contemplative ecological education system in the development of social-emotional competencies during early childhood
In today’s world problems of low attention span, impulsivity and hyperactivity are affecting 2-7 % of children, with India reporting a higher than global estimates at 11%. Disturbances in regulating attention is believed to have a detrimental effect SEL competencies. Traditionally, the educational setups of ancient India were located in natural surroundings. Contemplative practices, and …
