New Dialogues Between Buddhism and Science
A Weekend Conference at Serenity Ridge, Feb. 18-19, 2012
We invite you to join us at Serenity Ridge on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18-19, 2012, for a very special event: a one-and-a-half-day conference with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and academic presenters associated with the University of Virginia, New York University, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and others to be announced.
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 and behavior.
In this weekend event researchers will present their work related to the impact of contemplative meditation practice on behavior and the mind, as well as examine new areas of research to be explored between scientists and contemplatives. The conference format will be casual and open-ended, leaving plenty of time for questions, answers, and lively dialogue.
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will participate actively in the dialogue, as well as lead group meditation practice at various points in the program.
The preliminary list of presenters includes:
- Michael J. Baime, M.D., director of Penn Program for Mindfulness and director of Mind Body Programs, Abramson Cancer Center, Philadelphia.
- Alejandro Chaoul-Reich, Ph.D., assistant professor, Integrative Medicine Program, Dept. of General Oncology, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston; and associate faculty, McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, the University of Texas Medical School, Houston.
- Scott Clearwater, Ph.D., physicist and head of The Three Doors Research Committee.
- Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., director and professor, Integrative Medicine Program, Dept. of General Oncology, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston; and professor, Dept. of Behavioral Science, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, University of Texas.
- David Germano, Ph.D., director of SHANTI (Sciences, Humanities and Arts Network of Technological Initiatives) at the University of Virginia; and co-director of the UVA Tibet Center.
- Zoran Josipovic, Ph.D., director of Contemplative Science Lab, Psychology Dept., New York University, and founding director of Nonduality Institute, New York.
- Edward F. Kelly, Ph.D., president of Cedar Creek Institute and research professor with UVA’s Division of Perceptual Studies.
- David E. Presti, Ph.D., professor of neurobiology at the University of California, Berkeley.
- Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, founder and spiritual director of Ligmincha Institute.
- Jonathan Shear, Ph.D., Department of Philosophy, Virginia Commonwealth University
Hours: Saturday 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Cost: $135 (includes meals, accommodations extra)
Register now >
Photograph: Presenters at the October 2010 Buddhism/Science conference at Serenity Ridge