Presentation topics and speakers (Subject to change)

sl Topics Speakers B. Alan Wallace, President, Santa Developing four kinds of Intelligence for optimal 1 Barbara Institute for Consciousness mental health and balance Studies Vesna A. Wallace, Professor, Madhayamaka and Nondual Cognition in the Department of Religious Studies, 2 Kālacakratantra University of California, Santa Barbara James Mallinson, Senior Lecturer in and Classical Indian Studies, SOAS University 3 Hatha Yoga of London, and Principal Investigator of the ERC-funded Hatha Yoga Project Maria Kozhevnikov, National The importance of Yidam visualization in 4 University of Singapore & Harvard meditative practices Medical School Running head: The role of śamatha (zhi-nas) and Khenpo Namgay Wangdi, 5 vipaśyanā (lhag-mthong) in Pāli Literature and in the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha Mahāmudrā (phyagrgya-chen-po) tradition Georgios T. Halkias, Professor, The Zhitro Festival: a Tribute to the Ngagpas of 6 Centre for , Rebkong University of Hong Kong Gling-ras-pa on the supremacy of [yāna] over Walther Marco, Lecturer, 7 the Paramitā[yāna] University of Munich, Germany Jason Birch, Post Doctoral 8 Awakening by Buddhist and Śaiva Nectars Research Fellow, SOAS University of London Inder Singh Chaudhary, Neurotheology - To analyze the effect of Department of Buddhist Studies, 9 visualization of Tantric on the cognitive Philosophy & Comparative Religion behavior of a tantric practitioner Nalanda University, Tamara Ditrich, Professor, WBSY - 10 Meditation and ethics in education Penang Buddhist Society, Australia Suzanne Cochrane, Adjunct Fellow, National Institute of Neuroscience and Buddhist Practice: apparent 11 Complementary Medicine, bridges and barriers Western Sydney University, Australia Studying the Secret Wisdom: Integrating Atiyoga Eli Jellenc, Independent 12 Traditions into the Vajrāyana-Western Dialog anthropological researcher A Note on the Impact of Vajrayana on the Santanu Banerjee, Assistant 13 Nationalist Culture of Bengal at the Late Nineteenth Professor of English, Kazi Nazrul

1 and Early Twentieth Centuries. University, India

Jamie Cresswell, Director, Centre Esoteric influences in the Buddhism of and for Applied Buddhism, and Vice 14 the contemporary development of ‘Applied President, European Buddhist Buddhism’ in Nichiren schools Union Ven. Dr. Tenzin Dadon (Sonam Unveiling Feminine Presence and Expression in Wangmo) & Ven. Dr. Karma Tashi 15 Vajrayāna : Empowerment and Choedron, Vajrayana Buddhist Inspiration to Bhutanese Nuns Council of Malaysia Vajrayana Buddhism: Growing Buddhist Tradition in Ng Sai Kai, President, Selangor 16 Contemporary Malaysia Buddhist Development Council Leading as Lay: Tantric Practices of the 21st Century Dr. Christie Yu-Ling Chang & Dr. 17 in Korea Frank Yun-fu Tien and Tourists: Sharing Shingon Teachings at Kaiji Yamamoto, Barbara Seie 18 Yochi-in, Mt. Koya, Japan Morrison and Gyokan Kondo Thich Nu Hue Duc, Vietnam The value and benefits of Nyungnay practice in 19 National Bhikkuni Department of modern time Vietnam Buddhist The Function of Dhārani in Tradition; Panahaduwe Yasassi, Sr. Lecturer, 20 with reference to Sri Lankan Context University of Sri Jayewardenepura A philosophical Study of Vajrayana Buddhism and Alok Kumar Verma, Central 21 Meditation in Present Context University of Gujarat Anup Shekhar Chakraborty, Assistant Professor, Department of 22 Vajrayana as Operative in Darjeeling Himalayas Political Science & Political Studies, Netaji Institute for Asian Studies, Kolkata Ian Baker, Post-doctoral research Curating Vajrayāna: The interface of tradition and 23 associate, University of modernity Strathclyde, UK Paola Di Maio, Professor, 24 Aspects of Tantra in modern western culture Sherabling Palpung/ISTCS Tantric Buddhism in California: Transplantation and Thien-Huong T. Ninh, Assistant 25 Transformation Professor, Cosumnes River College Maria Sharapan, Department of Social Constructionism and religious experience: 26 Languages and Communication, Case of Tibetan Buddhist converts in Finland University of Jyväskylä, Finland John Clarke, Curator of Himalayan 27 The Trance walking tradition of Tibet and South East Asian Art, V&A Museum, London Dorji Wangchuk, PhD Candidate in WeChat Spiritualism: Of Changes, Relevance and 28 communication at the University of Social Media Affordances in Bhutan Macau The Mystic Kiss: Enlightened Sexuality and Feminine Eliska Vydrova, Women's Health 29 Wisdom in Vajrayāna Buddhism Mentor & Photographer

2 30 The DAKINI: An archetypal symbol of the feminine Sónia Gomes, Sorig Khang Portugal Khin Zaw, Professor, Faculty of Remaining Legacy of Green in Myanmar International Medical School, 31 (Burmese) Traditional Believes Management & Science University, Malaysia The History and Practice of Vajra Romance founding Mé-tsal Wangmo & Ja’gyür Dorje, 32 relationships on Vajrayana principles Buddhist teachers at Aro gTer Shubham Arora, School of Kāmic and Tāntric “Aphrodisiacs” in Padmaśrī’s Buddhist Studies, Philosophy, and 33 Nāgarasarvasvam Comparative Religions, Nālandā University, India Shashi Kiran Reddy, Dipankar 34 Vajra Nrithyam as a Meditative Movement Khanna Intersections of Vajrayana Buddhist Practice and Michelle Walsh, Counselor & 35 Modern Psychological Interventions researcher, University of Virginia Vajrayana and Holistic Healing: The Interface Asa Hershoff, Founder & Director, 36 Implications for Practice, Scientific Validity and Elemental Training Mindbody Wellness Institute Food Fasting from oriental sciences point of views Sandeep Shah and Elizabeth See 37 and its implementation into Vajrayana Practice Lee Borut Škodlar, Medical doctor & Professor, University Psychiatric 38 Meditative and yogic practices for mental health Clinic and Medical Faculty, University of , Phramaha Viset Sorpobdee and 39 Analytical Study of Jurisprudence in the Tipitaka Phramaha Viradej Japah Ianzhina Bartanova, FPMT 40 Secret Mantra Practice in Tibet Mongolia Buddhist Centre Françoise Pommaret, Associate Divine messengers, Buddhist adepts, shaman Professor, CLCS, RUB, Bhutan; 41 practitioners in Bhutan Stephanie Guyer-Stevens, Executive Producer, Outer Voices Puneet Misra; Bhabani Prasad KABP about yoga among students of modern 42 Acharya, Sanjay K Rai, Professor, medicine in Medical students of India AIIMS

3