Collaborative

Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) in Brisbane

2011-10-23T22:20:00.000-07:00

Mal Huxter, a team member of CMSIR, is offering the Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) training in Brisbane in November and December 2011. CEB is a new evidence-based educational program developed over a decade by Dr Paul Ekman, a world leader in the science of emotion, and Dr B. Alan Wallace, an eminent Buddhist scholar and contemplative. CEB uses mindfulness meditation and emotion regulation training to improve and enhance well-being and emotional resilience.

Details:
The CEB course runs over 42 hours in Nov/Dec 2011. Two Thursday nights and Fridays, and Three Saturdays: 17,18,19/11 and 26/11 and 1,2,3/12. Theosophical Society, 355 Wickham Terrace, Brisbane. Cost: $750 ($700 early bird before 4/11/11 and concessions available). Places limited.

Enquiries and registrations:
Mal Huxter 0431 768 299
malhuxter@gmail.com or www.malhuxter.com

Presenter: Malcolm Huxter
Mal is a clinical psychologist, long-time meditator and experienced mindfulness trainer to therapists and health professionals. Mal was both participant and co-trainer at the recent CEB Teachers' Training in Phuket. He has presented mindfulness in the clinical context to many groups and individuals over the years and developed a suite of mindfulness-based clinical resources for therapists. See a recent article comparing CEB with other mindfulness-based programs/therapies published in Psychotherapy in Australia (Feb 2011).

International Congress on Mindfulness 2011

2010-11-24T21:50:00.000-08:00

An exciting international congress on mindfulness is taking place at the University of Hamburg in August next year, featuring some of the world's leading authorities on the topic including B. Alan Wallace and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Here is what the congress webpage says:

"Mindfulness is one of the best-known Buddhist practices today. Buddhists of all traditions see it as a means to gain a deeper understanding of reality and thus to provide more inner freedom.

In the last few decades, the cultivation of mindfulness has been lifted from its Buddhist context and has been made available in secular forms, such as anti-stress programs established by Jon Kabat-Zinn. In these secular contexts to be mindful is simply to do things consciously, to be aware of the present moment. From this viewpoint it is important to focus the mind and to intensify the quality of attention in order to meet the challenges in modern society, e.g. work congestion, stress and pervasive communication.

This congress brings together a broad selection from the spectrum of today’s mindfulness practices. It explores the origins and the meaning of mindfulness in the Buddhist context as well as new applications in education, medicine and psychology. The goal is to collect the results of research from different fields and to discuss them in an interdisciplinary venue.

Spectrum of Topics
*Mindfulness in Buddism: What does mindfulness mean? How did the practice develop and how is it applied in the Buddhist context today? Representatives of Buddhist studies as well as Buddhist practitioners of various traditions will speak on this topic.

*Mindfulness and education: The application of the cultivation of mindfulness in the education of children and adolescents is a new field of research. The congress will explore the possibilities for the practice of mindfulness as an approach to stress reduction and instructional enhancement in schools.

*Mindfulness in medicine and psychology: What can be achieved by the cultivation of mindfulness in order to relieve stress, depression, pain and cancer? Scientists will report on new research and on clinical experience.

*Mindfulness and neuroscience: How does the practice of mindfulness influence the brain, in particular the mindfulness based anti-stress method developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn? How much can it contribute to physical and psychological well-being?

*Mindfulness and ethical responsibility: How can the practice of mindfulness have a positive impact on the conduct/behaviour of the individual and the society as a whole?

Around 30 speakers from Germany and abroad have accepted invitations to participate. The opening address on August 18, 2011 will be delivered by the American Buddhist teacher Alan Wallace: “What did Buddha mean by mindfulness“

The final speech on August 21, 2011 will be delivered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, patron of the Tibetan Centre."

For more information, see http://www.mindfulnesscongress.org/index.php?id=595&L=1

Cultivating the Heart-Mind: Clinical Applications of Mindfulness

2010-08-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

Our team member and clinical psychologist Mal Huxter is co-leading a two-day workshop with Buddhist meditation teacher Patrick Kearney on mindfulness-based programs for depression and anxiety . There is an optional teacher-led silent day of meditation for those wishing to immerse themselves in mindfulness practice. Here is a bit of what Mal has to say:

"Designed as a natural progression for the clinician, program leader, or student already familiar with mindfulness and related practices, this workshop blends the traditional and contemplative with the contemporary and clinical. Combining theory, practice and clinical utility through an exploration of the psychology and philosophy taught by the Buddha we will use presentations, interactive discussion and experiential exercises. An optional day of silent meditation follows the workshop as an opportunity to deepen personal understanding of mindfulness.

Aims of the workshop
- To enhance skills and understanding, as well as provide new ideas and discussion points, for therapists/program leaders who already use mindfulness as part of their therapeutic repertoire.

- To provide clarity about the contextual basis of mindfulness and related practices by highlighting their origins and development in Buddhist psychology/philosophy.

- To provide strategies for teaching mindfulness to clientele by referring to and guiding through some of the sessions of a 12 session empirically validated mindfulness-based program for stress, anxiety and depression.

- To provide access to practical resources that can be used with clients/patients.

Content of workshop
As the workshop is not introductory, the workshop will focus on mindfulness of the heart/mind and phenomena (the third and fourth foundations of mindfulness), rather than the body (the first foundation of mindfulness). The serenity practices of loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity will also be introduced. All experiential exercises will be voluntary and some will involve gentle body movements (such as Tai Chi) and postures that involve lying down on the floor.

Though mindfulness-based programs can be adapted, tailored and utilised for individual therapy, the focus of the workshop will be on using mindfulness and related practices in group-based programs.

Optional silent day of meditation
The silent day of practice is optional but highly recommended. It will follow the format of a day in a silent meditation retreat. There will be general instructions in meditation, mindfulness movements such as yoga/tai chi, both guided and silent meditation sessions, and some opportunities for
questions and discussion.

Please Note: The silent meditation day is offered on a non-profit basis. In accordance with Buddhist traditions on these days the meditation teachers are supported by Dana, which is best understood as involving the economy of gifts.

Next Courses
Adelaide, SA
Workshop: 26 - 27 August 2010, 9am - 4.30pm
Silent Day of Meditation: 28 August, 9am - 4.30pm

Perth, WA
Workshop: 16 - 17 September 2010, 9am - 4.30pm
Silent Day of Meditation: 18 September, 9am - 4.30pm

Brisbane, QLD
Workshop: 21 - 22 October 2010, 9am - 4.30pm
Silent Day of Meditation: 23 October, 9am - 4.30pm

Sydney, NSW
Workshop: 4 - 5 November 2010, 9am - 4.30pm
Silent Day of Meditation: 6 November, 9am - 4.30pm

Melbourne, VIC
Workshop: 11 - 12 November 2010, 9am - 4.30pm
Silent Day of Meditation: 13 November, 9am - 4.30pm

Cost
2 Day Workshop plus 1 Day Silent Meditation Practice AUD$550
2 Day Workshop only AUD$495
1 Day Silent Meditation Practice only AUD$60 plus dana

This workshop is an APS endorsed activity worthy of 12.5 hours of professional development."

Mindfulness: A Dialogue between Buddhism and Clinical Psychology

2010-08-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

Good news. Koa Whittingham and Chris Kang have just published their joint article in a new peer-reviewed journal "Mindfulness". See http://www.springerlink.com/content/34t6r13568725k75/?p=9abc9d82ab9d4645a42f7eff37a0eb98&pi=6 or just click on the link on the right-hand column of this blog. Here's an abstract of the article:

"Evidence for the effectiveness of mindfulness as a clinical intervention is quickly growing. Much of our current understanding and application of mindfulness within clinical psychology has arisen from dialogue with Buddhist traditions, with the notable exception of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. We wrote this article with two purposes: (1) to provide a concise review of mindfulness within the Buddhist traditions for interested clinicians and researchers and (2) to explore whether further dialogue between Buddhism and clinical psychology could enhance mindfulness as it is used within clinical psychology. We concluded that mindfulness, as it is understood and applied in Buddhism, is a richer concept than thus far understood and applied in psychology. In addition, within Buddhism the development of mindfulness must be understood in
tandem with the development of wisdom, compassion, and ethics. We suggest an operational definition of mindfulness within Buddhism. We also explore implications for clinical psychology and possible future directions for mindfulness research and practice."

Let us know what you think after you've read it.

Good for Workers, Good for Clients

2010-08-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

Our team member, Dr Wendy Ducat, presented an evaluation of a brief mindfulness training program at the recent Australian Winter School held in Brisbane. In her presentation, Wendy eloquently spoke on the rationale, theory, structure, results, and implications of a brief mindfulness training program conducted for Queensland Health staff under the auspices of the Alcohol and Drug Training Resource Unit. Wendy completed this study in collaboration with co-researcher and supervisor Dr Carla Schlesinger.

After a short guided mindfulness exercise, Wendy took the audience through the definitions and types of mindfulness in Buddhist and Western contexts, the importance of clinician mastery of mindfulness and the need for self-compassion, details on the actual program and methodology employed, and interesting data on the the results of the training program. Iin a nutshell, based on a sample size of 51 participants, results show increases in self-reported mastery, significant increase in mindfulness knowledge and confidence, increases in clinician coping and level of self-compassion, but no significant changes in general well-being. The lack of change in well-being may be attributable to a generally high level of self-care and well-being amongst the clinician population anyway, where the impact of mindfulness on this variable may not be significant. Initial feedback supports the utility of such a mindfulness training program for clinicians.

Congratulations to Wendy for her wonderful contribution to mindfulness research and application.

Australian Winter School

2010-06-15T21:21:00.000-07:00

On 22 and 23 June, Chris will be presenting at the Australian Winter School in Brisbane. Details as follows:

Plenary Presentation 22 June 2010
Mindfulness and Addictions: A Buddhist Perspective
There are a number of concepts in Buddhist literature pertaining to the issue of addictions. In classical Buddhist presentations of the four noble truths and twelve links of dependent arising, terms such as contact (Pali: phassa), craving (tanha) and clinging (upadana) rooted in mis-knowing (avijja) suggest a nexus of sensorial, volitional, affective, and cognitive-perceptual processes that might relate to what we now call “addiction”. Also relevant are the forces of habituation (kamma) and latent afflictions (anusaya-kilesa) in driving and influencing behavioural manifestations of addiction. Somatic activity of the organism (rupa-khanda) in its experienced world (loka) bound up with hedonic pleasure (kama) plays a key role in the evolution of afflictive craving and clinging that eventually leads to suffering (dukkha). This cycle of affliction and suffering can become iterative and chronic, sustained by uncontrolled conceptual proliferation (papañca). This paper will explore how these various Buddhist concepts link up to give a coherent picture of addiction, and suggest possible avenues for ameliorating addiction and suffering through integrated training in ethics (sila), mental balance (samadhi), and wisdom (pañña).

Workshop 23 June 2010
Mindfulness for Human Flourishing: Towards a Contemplative Science of Mind
Mindfulness has featured significantly in a number of “third-wave” cognitive behavioural therapies such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP), dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and captured the interest of many researchers. As fundamental understanding of the concept and practice of mindfulness continues to grow, it is fitting to explore dimensions of mindfulness found in Buddhist traditions but currently unexplored by researchers. An expanded and richer understanding of mindfulness through a dialogue of Buddhism and psychology may well offer new potentials for emancipation of human consciousness. This workshop aims to draw upon over 2,500 years of well-documented Buddhist insights into the nature of mind, mindfulness, and mind training methods, to introduce an emerging innovative framework of contemplative science. There will be exploratory discussions on how to apply mindfulness to foster human flourishing in personal and clinical contexts. Experiential guided mindfulness practice through the day will help consolidate new learnings and cultivate personal embodiment of mindfulness.

Go to www.winterschool.info for full conference program and registration. Australian Winter School is an APS (Australian Psychological Society) endorsed activity worth 9.5 CPE (Generalist) points.

Reclaiming Mindfulness Workshop

2010-05-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

On 25th of May, Chris facilitated a workshop on "Reclaiming Mindfulness: Towards a Contemplative Science of Mind for Human Flourishing" with a keen and participative group of mental health clinicians from throughout Queensland Health. The group gathered at the training room of the Alcohol and Drug Resource Training Unit (ADTRU).

A lot of material was covered, ranging from the theoretical foundations and context, to the practices and applications of mindfulness. A range of textual sources and experiential teachings from the Buddhist tradition was drawn upon to explicate the multi-faceted theory and praxis of mindfulness. Interspersed throughout the day were substantial sessions of experiential mindfulness - group practice of various mindfulness exercises that work on embodied, cognitive, emotional, conative, and attentional levels of consciousness. The emerging vision of an interdisciplinary field of contemplative science was articulated, together with information on the work of the Australian Institute for Consciousness Studies and Collaborative for Mind Science Innovations and Translational Research.

The support and assistance of Dr Wendy Ducat and Fallon Woodbury from ADTRU are gratefully acknowledged.

International Shamatha Project: Australian Contribution

2010-05-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to learn that the Australian Institute for Consciousness Studies (AICS) is now official partner of the International Shamatha Project (ISP) pioneered by Dr B. Alan Wallace. The ISP follows the lead of the Human Genome Project in an attempt to study rigorously the terrain of human consciousness and carefully map the nature, effectiveness, efficacy, change processes, developmental stages of Buddhist contemplative practices in scientifically rigorous ways.

Here in Australia, the AICS is pioneering two projects - the Australian Contemplative Science Initiative and the Tasmanian Contemplative Observatory Project. The first involves reaching out to the scientific and academic communities in Australia with quality information on the motivations and methodologies of contemplative science. It is envisaged that collaborations and partnerships between contemplatives and scientists will be central to this task. The second involves developing a state-of-the-art contemplative research, educational, and training facility in Tasmania where people can be rigorously trained in meditative practices and participate in empirical studies to yield potentially new data for scientific inquiry.

For more information, please go to http://australianinstitute.org/aics-official-partner-of-the-international-shamatha-project/

Australian Institute for Consciousness Studies

2010-04-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

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

Mindfulness in Buddhism, Yoga and Cognitive Science

2010-04-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

The term "mindfulness" does not, in my view, fully capture the meaning of the Pali word sati, or Sanskrit word smrti, or Tibetan word dranpa, or Chinese word nian, as presented in the ancient and classical texts of Buddhism, and for that matter, of Yoga. In English, the word "mind" suggests the stuff that goes on in your head or brain, suggesting cognition and intellect. But the Indian, Chinese, and Tibetan counterparts of the concept "mind" (respectively termed "citta", "xin", and "sem") includes not just the intellectual but the entire range of human experience involving cognitive, affective, volitional, and attentional processes. Mindfulness as embedded in its contemplative context thus entail awareness and cultivation of the mind in its totality, not simply in relation to cognition. Nor is it sufficient to define or explain mindfulness as a purely cognitive process, as has been the tendency in modern psychological theorising of mindfulness. Modernity has spawned multiple and often intellectually muddled understandings of mindfulness, triggered in part by writings of some modern Buddhists and in part by modern psychologists eager to leap onto the rapidly advancing mindfulness bandwagon.

If we examine the texts of Yoga, particularly the Yoga-sutras of Patanjali (2nd-3rd century CE), one finds the notion of mindfulness as smrti, translated as repeated recollection or memory. In the yogic framework, smrti or "mindfulness" is about recollecting and sustaining an active remembrance of ethical virtues such as harmlessness, wholesome mind states such as love and compassion, and most importantly, remembering the pure foundational consciousness or "seer" (purusa) that lies behind and beyond the matrix of mental constructs. This pure consciousness is first discerned and differentiated from all the activities and contents of the mind through the faculty of discriminative intelligence (viveka). In doing so, one is able to continuously attend to the pure seer behind all content and finally immerse into the cessation of all mental whirls (citta-vrtti). And this state of "aloneness" (kaivalya)of pure consciousness free from all turbulence and suffering is the meaning of Yoga.

In Buddhism, we see systematic and rigorous descriptions of mindfulness (sati, smrti, dranpa)across the Pali Nikayas, Chinese Agamas, Sanskrit sastras, and Indo-Tibetan commentaries and meditation manuals, a testimony to the intellectual input of the Buddha and the Buddhist contemplatives following him. In the emancipatory context of Buddhism, where the goal is not mere therapeutic band-aid but utter freedom of the mind characterised by permanent cessation of suffering and full flowering of wisdom, compassion, and capacity to benefit, mindfulness contains multiple dimensions and practices, not to be limited to any specific meditation technique though inclusive of formal meditation practice. Some modern proponents discount formal meditation practice as unnecessary based on the faulty reasoning that mindfulness is not a mere technique but a whole attitudinal shift. Yes, mindfulness cannot be constricted to mere technique but to suggest that any formal cultivation of mindfulness is unnecessary is pushing the logic too far, to the point of fallacy. Mindfulness requires nothing less than revolution of consciousness and to do so requires systematic, rigorous, and formal cultivation in the context of a contemplative life of mindfulness. This is attested to by the Buddha himself and all the contemplatives worth their salt in the last 2,500 years. It is unfortunate that some modernists mistakenly assume that Buddhism, being a world "religion", lacks an intellectually robust framework to account for mindfulness, thus relegating such a task to the cognitive and behavioural sciences alone. Intellectual myopia and arrogance aside, such sweeping statements do no justice to the robust science of mind to be found within the vast treasuries of Buddhist texts, many of which remain to be translated into English from Chinese, Sanskrit, and Tibetan. It is a blessing that some key texts have been translated, giving us moderns access to otherwise "hidden" wisdoms. All it takes is some humility, a genuine spirit of inquiry, and the willingness to take the trouble to study the architectonics of Buddhist epistemology, psychology,theory of reality and liberation, and most importantly to actually practice and come to experience Buddhist mind science first hand.

We are, I believe, on the cusp of a new revolution - a revolution of consciousness, of wisdom, of compassion. And the coming decade of mindfulness is going to be an integral part of this revolution. As a Collaborative, we stand ready to embrace this revolution with both arms, hearts wide open, minds spacious and inquiring, motivated by the singular wish to actualise our primordial purity of consciousness in order to be of greatest service to all sentient beings.

Academic and Professional Presentations

2010-03-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Chris Kang will be busy with several key presentations over the next few months,introducing the vision, rationale, and principles of mindfulness in the context of an emerging contemplative science of mind. With this year of 2010 marking the beginning of what some commentators term the "decade of mindfulness", it seems pertinent and relevant to reflect anew on the art and science of mindfulness - sensitive to the multiple nuances, dimensions, connections, and contexts of theory and application. For this purpose, Chris will be speaking on and facilitating experiential exploration of mindfulness in these presentations:

Finding Common Ground: Mindfulness in Buddhism, Yoga and Cognitive Science. Mindfulness Meditation Trial Focus Group. The University of Queensland. April 2010.

Reclaiming Mindfulness: Towards a Contemplative Science of Mind for Human Flourishing. Alcohol and Drug Training Resource Unit Professional Development Workshop. Queensland Health. May 2010.

Mindfulness and Addictions: A Buddhist Perspective. Plenary Presentation. Australian Winter School Conference. Alcohol and Drug Foundation Queensland. June 2010.

Mindfulness for Human Flourishing: Towards a Contemplative Science of Mind. Professional Development Workshop. Alcohol and Drug Foundation Queensland. June 2010.

Do look out for more news and developments on these and possibly other events of our Collaborative. Stay blogged to our page.

Mind Science for Human and World Flourishing

2010-02-24T17:17:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our Collaborative.

We are a group of researchers and practitioners deeply engaged in the art and science of mindfulness - seeking to explore, innovate, empirically test, and educate health professionals, educators, teachers, teams, organizations and the general public on, cutting-edge developments in contemplative science. Our vision of the emerging field of contemplative science seeks to integrate the experiential wisdom and rigorous reflexive praxis of contemplative traditions with the methodological precision of cognitive and neuro-sciences, to offer innovative approaches to working with human malaise and actualising human potential, supported by evidence-based translational research. Our mission is:

To work towards the alleviation of life's suffering and opening up the full potential of the mind, in the service of human, life, and world flourishing.

Our Team currently comprises:
Dr Mark Chappell, Senior Lecturer, Griffith University (Psychophysics and Statistics)
Dr Ian Coghlan, Research Fellow, Monash Asia Institute (Tibetan Buddhism)
Dr Chris Kang, Honorary Research Advisor, The University of Queensland (Buddhist Studies)
Mal Huxter, Clinical Psychologist, Lismore NSW

Stay tuned to our blog as we progressively unveil our work and share with all our readers the exciting new horizons of mind science and contemplative technology.