Exploring Buddhist and scientific perspectives and research on the theme “Embracing Hope, Courage, and Compassion in Times of Crisis,” the Mind & Life Institute will host an online dialogue between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and stress scientist Prof. Elissa Epel and emotions researcher Assoc. Prof. Michelle Shiota on 8 December.
“Hosting the discussion will be Mind & Life president Susan Bauer-Wu, with moderation by Buddhist scholar John Dunne, and translation provided by Thupten Jinpa,” the Mind & Life Institute said in an announcement shared with BDG. “Crises often illuminate the need for radical change. What is the role of activating hope in pursuing a positive vision of the future? Can action come with a heavy heart, and before we have a clear vision of the radical changes needed? How can we cultivate joy amid adversity?”
Elissa Epel is professor and vice chair of theUniversity of California San Francisco’s Department of Psychiatry. She studies how stress resilience and mindfulness interventions can protect well-being as well as transforming climate distress into climate action. Michelle Shiota is an associate professor of psychology and director of the Substance Use and Addiction Translational Research Network (SATRN) at Arizona State University. She studies positive emotions, emotion regulation, emotional processes in close relationships, and emotion-related mechanisms of behavior change.
“Mind & Life Conversation: Embracing Hope, Courage, and Compassion in Times of Crisis” will be held at the following times:
Auckland: 4:30pm, Wednesday 8 December
Canberra: 2:30pm, Wednesday 8 December
Seoul, Tokyo: 12:30pm, Wednesday 8 December
Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei: 11:30am, Wednesday 8 December
Bangkok, Jakarta: 10:30am, Wednesday 8 December
New Delhi: 9am, Wednesday 8 December
Moscow: 6:30am, Wednesday 8 December
Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Stockholm: 4:30am, Wednesday 8 December
London: 3:30am, Wednesday 8 December
Montréal, New York: 10:30pm, Tuesday 7 December
San Francisco, Vancouver: 7:30pm, Tuesday 7 December
This free event will be simultaneously translated into Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tibetan, and Vietnamese.
For full details and to register, click here
“Our world is at a crossroads. Multiple crises—from the global pandemic to climate emergencies—are profoundly impacting mental health, especially that of young people,” the Mind & Life Institute observed. “At the same time, there is much that science and contemplative wisdom can teach us about how to navigate today’s challenges and be a force for good.”
Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Mind & Life Institute was formed following a 1987 meeting between the Dalai Lama, lawyer and entrepreneur Adam Engle, and neuroscientist Francisco Varela, with the aim of bridging the divide between the empirical, materialist approach of modern science in investigating the nature of reality and improving the lives of human beings and the planet, and the advantages and insights offered by ancient contemplative and wisdom practices refined over centuries. Its mission, the institute states, is to “bring science and contemplative wisdom together to better understand the mind and create positive change in the world . . . to alleviate suffering and promote human flourishing worldwide as part of the vision of founders His Holiness the Dalai Lama, neuroscientist Francisco Varela, and businessman Adam Engle.” (Mind & Life Institute)
See more
Mind & Life Conversation: Embracing Hope, Courage, and Compassion in Times of Crisis (Mind & Life Institute)
Mind & Life Institute
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