Australian Institute for Consciousness Studies

I wish to introduce my readers to an exciting leading-edge initiative emerging in Australia. Recently appointed as a Director of the Australian Institute for Consciousness Studies,I am passionate about the vision and work of our international collaborative and wish to share something of AICS with you.

About AICS

"The Australian Institute for Consciousness Studies has been established as a nexus for advancing interdisciplinary understanding of consciousness that combines scientific and contemplative investigatory knowledge. It is a non-sectarian organization that reaches out to the scientific and academic communities, a variety of contemplative traditions, and the general public. AICS activities focus on research and education into the nature, origins, and potentials of consciousness."

What we do

"The aims and overall direction of the AICS closely following the Santa Barbara Institute: to bring the contemplative traditions such as Buddhism into conversation with the modern world by establishing scientific research projects on meditation and its effect on brain functioning [as well as psychology and behaviour, for that matter]. AICS has three main objectives:

1. To establish collaborative research projects between scientists, psychologists, philosophers and contemplatives.
2. To provide retreat facilities for people from around the world to learn meditation and engage in short and long term retreats.
3. To create educational programs to facilitate integration of the findings from our research projects.

The AICS research projects emphasize the integration of scientific approaches to the study of consciousness with contemplative methods. By expanding the studies of consciousness to include first-person investigations, science will have access to an entirely new set of data from which to study the nature of consciousness. Thus science will, for the first time, have access from an entirely new perspective. Moreover, the AICS educational programs focus is on the cultivation of human flourishing through exceptional mental health and balance, bringing the physical and psychological benefits of training awareness to ever-broader segments of the community." (Source: http://australianinstitute.org/about/)

I look forward to working creatively and constructively with all like-minded researchers, contemplatives of all traditions, scientists, and clinicians alike, to develop and advance a contemplative science of mind for human and world flourishing. You may contact me at chriskang@optusnet.com.au or c.kang1@uq.edu.au