Investigating the Mind 2005: The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation

Tue Sep 27 15:00:56 UTC 2005

Dear All

some of you (or some of your students) may be interested to know about this 
public event and about the Mind and Life Institute.

With best regards
Elizabeth De Michelis

===========================

The Mind & Life Institute presents: MIND & LIFE XIII
Co-hosted by Georgetown University Medical Center and
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

The Dalai Lama will participate fully in all sessions

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN - GOOD SEATING STILL AVAILABLE - SEE WEBSITE FOR
DETAILS!

Investigating the Mind 2005:
The Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation,
DAR Constitution Hall, Washington DC,
November 8 - 10, 2005

CME Accredited

(Jointly sponsored by The Mind & Life Institute and CME-accredited by
Georgetown University Hospital.)

For Conference and Registration Information go to:
www.InvestigatingTheMind.org

This latest Mind and Life public meeting "Investigating the Mind 2005: The
Science and Clinical Applications of Meditation" builds on the growing
interest in meditation within modern medicine and biomedical science that
has arisen over the past thirty years and further explores the emerging
clinical opportunities.

CONFERENCE SESSIONS:
1. Meditation-Based Clinical Interventions: Science, Practice, and
Implementation
2. Possible Biological Substrates of Meditation
3. Clinical Research I: Meditation and Mental Health
4. Clinical Research II: Meditation and Physical Health
5. Integration & Final Reflections

SPEAKERS:
Ajahn Amaro, B.Sc., Abhayagiri Monastery:
Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison:
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., U. of Mass. Medical School, Emeritus:
Daniel Kahneman, Ph.D., Princeton University:
Helen S. Mayberg, M.D., Emory University:
Robert M. Sapolsky, Ph.D., Stanford University:
Zindel V. Segal, Ph.D., University of Toronto:
David S. Sheps, M.D., University of Florida:
John F. Sheridan, Ph.D., Ohio State University:
Wolf Singer, M.D., Ph.D., Max-Planck-Institut für Hirnforschung:
Ralph Snyderman, M.D., Duke University Medical Center

PANELISTS:
Jan Chozen Bays, M.D., Great Vow Zen Monastery:
Joan Halifax, Ph.D., Upaya Zen Center:
Father Thomas Keating, OCSO, St. Benedict's Monastery:
Margaret E. Kemeny, Ph.D., University of California-SF:
Jack Kornfield, Ph.D., Spirit Rock Meditation Center:
Matthieu Ricard, Ph.D., Shechen Monastery:
Sharon Salzberg, R.N., Insight Meditation Society:
Bennett M. Shapiro, M.D., Merck Research Laboratories, Emeritus:
Esther M. Sternberg, M.D., National Institute of Mental Health:
John D. Teasdale, Ph.D., MRC Cog. & Brain Sci. Unit, Emeritus:
B. Alan Wallace, Ph.D., Santa Barbara Institute

Meditation is becoming Mainstream in Western Medicine and Society

Applications of meditation are now common in the treatment of stress, pain,
and a range of chronic diseases in both medicine and psychiatry, and some
approaches are currently the subject of NIH-supported clinical trials and
research studies. At the same time, the power of our non-invasive
technologies have made it possible to investigate the nature of cognition
and emotion in the brain as never before, and to begin to explore the
interfaces between mind, brain, and body, and the implications of particular
forms of meditative practices for modulating and regulating biological
pathways to restore or enhance homeostatic processes and perhaps extend the
reach of both mind and body in ways that might potentially promote
rehabilitation and healing as well as greater overall health and well-being.

Recent studies are showing that meditation can result in stable brain
patterns and changes over both short and long-term intervals that have not
been seen before in human beings and that suggest the potential for the
systematic driving of positive neuroplastic changes via such intentional
practices cultivated over time. These investigations may offer opportunities
for understanding the basic unifying mechanisms of the brain, mind and body
that underlie awareness and our capacity for effective adaptation to
stressful and uncertain conditions.

Mind and Life Dialogues

Mind and Life Institute XIII is the latest in a series of dialogues between
scientists, the Dalai Lama, and other Buddhist contemplatives on areas of
mutual interest at the intersection of western empirical science and the
contemplative traditions and their associated methodologies, psychologies,
and philosophies. Prior to 2003, all of these meetings have been held in
private; however books describing them have been published and are widely
available.

Investigating the Mind 2005: The Science and Clinical Applications of
Meditation is the second Mind and Life Dialogue that will be open to a large
audience, consisting primarily of people working in the fields of medicine,
clinical psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, as well as students in
these fields.