Roshi Joan will speak to some of the psychosocial effects of climate change and the role of moral suffering and integrity as we address health issues related to the climate catastrophe. She will briefly explore four valences of moral suffering, and then unfold some of the deep health issues related to our climate catastrophe. She …
Continue reading “Integrity and Moral Suffering in Relation to the Climate Catastrophe and Health”
It is no longer an enigma that climate change is drastically and detrimentally changing our world; glaciers are shrinking, sea levels are rising and our fellow beings are struggling to survive. How do we maintain hope in the face of such enormous, seemingly unfathomable adversity? What role do the stories we tell and the compassion …
This plenary session will consider the key major challenges we face during and after the pandemic and social unrest from the lens of social, affective and contemplative neuroscience and from public health. Insights from these disciplines will be applied to consider possible interventions and solutions for some of the key challenges we face today. The …
Equanimity is often mistaken for indifference. In fact, equanimity is the very quality that is needed when the stakes are high and you are deeply concerned about the outcome. It allows us to recover perspective and balance in order to see clearly and act with wisdom. Like all contemplative virtues, it can be trained. In …
Continue reading “Meditation: “Cultivating Equanimity” and Contemplative Arts”
This session will feature talks on how contemplative and mindfulness-based training can help to enhance social connectivity and aid in the development of individual and societal flourishing in vulnerable and marginalized populations, including older adults, African Americans and people living with chronic medical conditions. David Creswell Mindfulness training to decrease loneliness and enhance social connectivity …
Could transforming our mental states create a better world? This audacious proposition lay at the heart of the Science & Wisdom of Emotions Summit presented by Mind & Life and The Awake Network Foundation on May 2-5. Reflecting growing interest in the cultivation of emotional well-being, more than 100,000 people in 140 countries gathered for …
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re pleased to profile Mind & Life grantee and Fellow Tish Jennings, a pioneer in mindfulness and education and social-emotional learning whose research over two decades has fostered greater teacher well-being and more compassionate classrooms. America faces a growing teacher shortage, made only worse by the pandemic. According to …
Continue reading “From Teacher Burnout to Teacher-led Reform”
Our March conversation, “Transformative Change: Where Research and Action in the World Meet,” features Doris Chang and Reggie Hubbard, with musician Grant Jones. We discuss the tendency for research and ‘real-world’ practice to get siloed. What can contemplative scientists and changemakers working to advance social justice learn from and share with each other?
Even before the coronavirus hit, the United States was considered one of the most stressed out countries in the world. Fear and anxiety brought on by the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem, with 8 out of 10 adults citing the pandemic as a significant source of stress in their lives. Researchers have been studying …
Continue reading “Coping with Loneliness & Stress: The Role of Mindful Acceptance”
Chronic pain is a major source of human suffering, and chronic low back pain (cLBP) is among the most prevalent, costly, and disabling persistent pain conditions. There is an urgent need for safe and effective treatments for cLBP and a greater understanding of the mechanisms whereby these treatments confer their therapeutic effects. Contemplative practices, including …
Continue reading “Conscious Connected Breathing for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Pilot RCT”
