Contemplative SCienCe SympoSium Beyond Confines - integrating sCienCe, ConsCiousness and soCiety october 25 - 27, 2019, fürstenfeldbruck, germany Contemplative Science Symposium 2019 1 Welcome and Greetings on Behalf of Mind & life europe and all those who were involved in organizing this syMposiuM, we are delighted to welCoMe you to the ConteMplative sCienCe syMposiuM ‘Beyond Confines - integrating sCienCe, ConsCiousness and soCiety’. we have selected this overarching theme, and we hope to pose such and more questions, the different topics we will be examining, as we and offer, through our distinguished speakers recognize that in our world of increasing pro- and panelists, some indications for your own fessional specialization and focus, we need to thought processes. it is at the intersection of undertake sustained and deliberate efforts to modern science and established contemplative explore the value of interrelationships, collab- practices, and by engaging first person reflec- orations, and unlikely partnerships. it is when tive methods with third person scientific ap- we extend beyond our own personal and pro- proaches, that we can go beyond confines in fessional confines that we engage in what can these areas. it is our hope that in this process become a surprising alchemy of complex ap- we can contribute to human flourishing and the proaches that may be, and likely are, needed reduction of suffering. for deep systemic change. Both inter- and intra- thematic dialogue are needed to achieve a per - Beyond that, the symposium offers you oppor- spective that is both broad and deep, just as tunities for different experiences, whether yoga, a combination of introspection and contempla- contemplation, singing, dance or discussions. tion can fructify scientific inquiry, and vice versa. we hope you can take full advantage of the this helps us move beyond confines, and this is architecture and structure of these few days. our hope and the purpose of this symposium. we have gathered an outstanding group of di- verse presenters and practitioners from differ - the six topics - politics, nutrition, economics, ent fields and professional and scientific disci- philosophy, neuro-and cognitive science and plines to share with us over the coming days, education - form a set of engagements and dis- and engage, challenge and inspire our own ciplines that in a number of respects are defining thinking and ultimately our actions. if this can for society. each is complex in its own right, and be enriched and supported by the discussions, it is our hope that we can explore innovations, meetings and encounters that often are a part of alternatives and developments, backed by re- such gatherings, the purpose of the symposium search and science, as well as empirical evi- will be reached. dence, in each area. at the same time we hope to better understand how these domains can the Content Committee has therefore tried to effectively engage and fructify each other. create an event bringing together scholars, practitioners, artists and contemplatives and each domain is multifaceted and has profound where senior researchers and scholars as well systemic dimensions. yet we also recognize and as students and contemplative practitioners wish to legitimize the necessity of personal en- have a forum for engaged debate, exchange gagement and action, and the consciousness and encounter on these important themes. and state of mind that inform these engage- ments. it is here that personal transformation as a former Cistercian monastery, veranstal- that includes contemplative practices can en- tungsforum fürstenfeld was a place where hance and benefit traditional approaches. outward worldly distractions were replaced by quiet contemplation and reflection on the na- in other words, parallel to innovations in these six ture of the human being and its relationship to domains we can also ask: who is doing the in- a higher order. in a vastly different and contem- tegrating of science, how do we think about and porary context, we experience the value of ac- relate to our own consciousness and how can tively combining reflection and contemplative we connect these insights within our societies? practices with the exigencies and full demands 2 Contemplative Science Symposium 2019 Contemplative Science Symposium 2019 3 greetings froM fÜrstenfeldBruCK of current life and science, rather than with- from the symposium: 1) a new friend, colleague dear symposium presenters and guests, drawing from them. it is indeed the integration or collaborator, 2) a new idea or inspiration that and interconnection of science and conscious- you can utilize and integrate in your profession on behalf of the district of fürstenfeldbruck i in the south of germany, this former Cistercian ness that we feel will bring us beyond our con- or daily life, and 3) inspiration and a decision would like to welcome you here. i am very de- monastery is also a place of spirituality and con- fines and forward with societal issues. towards a new project, goal or activity. lighted that fürstenfeldbruck can host you as templation. May this be a source of inspiration renowned scholars and experts from all over the for the symposium. i wish you valuable insights we hope that in these few days we can actively once again, our warm welcome and best re- world. the event forum fürstenfeld is not only and a pleasant stay! encourage you to take away at least three things gards, one of the leading event and conference centers Martina dreChsler Deputy District Administrator aMy Cohen varela Cornelius pietzner Chair of the Board Managing Director “ The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. ” ~ Albert Einstein 4 Contemplative Science Symposium 2019 Contemplative Science Symposium 2019 5 The Six Fields of the Symposium politiCs eduCation nutrition neuro- and Cognitive sCienCe over the last 10 years, forms of contemplative ‘Beyond confines’ – the need for a connected food and nutrition are at the heart of human and during the 21st Century, neuroscience and the practice have found their way into the domain of education. planetary wellbeing and existence. the world cognitive sciences have become increasingly im- government, particularly in the form of mindfulness health organization (who), the directing and portant for our understanding of what it is to be training programs undertaken by legislators for education is at the heart of efforts to meet the coordinating global authority for health within the human. however, the shift in perspective from their own health, wellbeing and self-management. challenges that face us in the 21 st century, and united nations system, broadly defines “health molecules, cells and networks to issues of mean- the fruits of this personal practice have since is deeply tied to all the themes of this sympo- as a state of complete physical, mental and so- ing, value and understanding have not left these led some politicians to become interested in the sium. traditional education has only partially cial well-being and not merely the absence of discipline(s) unaffected. neuro- and the cogni- transformative potential for contemplative training addressed what it means to be fully educated, disease or infirmity”. tive sciences currently compose one of the most interventions at both interpersonal and policy lev- focused as it is almost exclusively on cognition important fields in this perspectival shift, and are els. Mindfulness training has now been delivered and knowledge, assessed by tests, within an By researching the effects of contemplative major actors in the transdisciplinary research nec- in various forms in 10 national legislatures, includ- ethos of individualistic competition and future practices and introspective methods on the hu- essary to move beyond confines and out of es- ing denmark, france, iceland, ireland, sweden personal gain. in the face of growing evidence, man mind and brain, contemplative science may tablished disciplinary silos and approaches. this and the netherlands. participants have reported classical education looks increasingly outdated be able to demonstrate that relatively simple panel brings together four innovative researchers that the training helps them to develop attention and out of synch with the needs of current so- practices such as meditation and mindfulness who, each from their position, have challenged control (including listening ability), impulse control, cieties. the pressures it creates only add to the can improve our mental health and social well- how and why one conducts neuroscience. perspective-taking and kindness. burgeoning mental health crisis in the young. being. its application can be harnessed further we can and must do better by building an ed- to explore the untapped potential of contempla- the panel will focus on how mental exercise one of the first mindfulness courses for elect- ucation that connects us with ourselves, with tive practices in regulating food and eating hab- and contemplation affects neural processes, ed officials was established in the British par- others and with the planet. its, lifestyles and overall health. and what that tells us about general workings liament in 2013, which, after about 18 months, of the brain. Collaborations between neuro- led to the formation of an all-party parliamenta- our presenters will argue that in a rapidly chang- there is an increasing awareness of the impor - scientists and expert