October Workshop with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
‘New Directions in the Dialogue Between Buddhism and Science’
Please join us at Serenity Ridge for an enlightening one-day workshop with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and presenters associated with the Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) at the University of Virginia.
Buddhism has long been viewed not only as a spiritual pursuit but also as a science of the mind, backed by millennia of scholarly study and highly disciplined meditation practice. Many Western scientists now acknowledge that Buddhism has revealed key knowledge about the nature and capacities of human consciousness. Yet, many core elements of the Buddhist teachings, including the belief in rebirth, still have not gained a place in contemporary mainstream science.
Here in central Virginia we have not only a thriving Buddhist community, but also a well-established academic group at the University of Virginia (Division of Perceptual Studies, a research unit within the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences) that for many years has been conducting scientific research into precisely these deeper and more controversial aspects of the mind. The research findings point toward the need for Western science itself to expand beyond its current framework. 
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The main purpose of the October meeting is to bring this groundbreaking scientific work to the attention of the local Buddhist and Bon Buddhist community, while also helping the researchers become more familiar with Ligmincha Institute and its activities. Interested observers from Central Virginia and beyond are also cordially invited to attend. The format will be casual and open-ended. Individual researchers will present brief overviews of their work, leaving plenty of time for questions and answers. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will participate actively in the dialogue, as well as lead group meditation exercises at various points throughout the day.
Topics to be covered include:
- Cases of the reincarnation type — Jim B. Tucker, M.D., associate professor with DOPS
- Evidence for post-mortem survival — Emily Williams Kelly, Ph.D., research assistant professor with DOPS
- Near-death experiences — Bruce Greyson, M.D., Chester F. Carlson Professor and director of DOPS
- Psychic powers or “siddhis” — Edward F. Kelly, Ph.D., president of Cedar Creek Institute (http://cedarcreekinst.org) and research professor with DOPS
- Experiences teaching neuroscience to Tibetan Buddhist monks in India — David E. Presti, Ph.D., professor of neurobiology at the University of California, Berkeley
- Guided meditations led by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, founder and spiritual director of Ligmincha Institute
Fee for workshop: $95. Includes lunch, accommodations extra.
Location: Ligmincha's Serenity Ridge retreat center in Nelson County, Va. Directions >Hours: 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Register online now >
