Program Description
If happiness is an inner state, influenced by external conditions but not dependent on them, how can we achieve it? Matthieu Ricard presents factors that generally may increase or decrease well-being, happiness, authenticity, compassion, peace, and joy.
Happiness and joy may stimulate compassion and compassion may stimulate happiness and joy. This is ideal. This may then be noticed to be increasing positive energy, empathy, pro-social behavior, and the change within may serve as the kernel of an evolving moral-ethical framework.
Matthieu Ricard is a scientist turned Buddhist monk and a best selling author, translator, and photographer. He has lived and studied in the Himalayas for more than 35 years.
This recording is from Google Tech Talks in March of 2007
60 minutes Youtube watch?v=L_30JzRGDHI
A wellness approach in learning: act as though we don’t yet know anything more important — eliminate the inner ego voice from learning.
I pray to be released from any responsibility for making judgments and to learn as though this is all new to me. Later, I’ll review the important lesson again. Always when material is important in my life, I review the material many times.
Starting off into a new day, there is something to learn and something to share — what that is comes to me with my morning meditation — I don’t really even think about it until it comes — I remind myself, “This is my wonderful journey of self discovery. Love envelopes me and the gentle waves of peaceful waters and the light shine from my mind into the world around me.” As I face myself in honesty, open to guiding spirit, I turn my life over to God and I ask Him to allow me to do whatever I may to do His will — Thy Will, not mine be done.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama says “in today’s secular world, religion alone is no longer adequate as a basis for ethics… any religion-based answer to the problem of our neglect of inner values can never be universal, and so will be inadequate.” My religion practice is rooted in utmost fondness and enthusiasm in me. I love Jesus and being Christian. I also love all others as best I am able and this is certainly a growing condition in me, prompted by my love of Jesus’s words that make clear that we are to love God with all of our being and also love others as we would be loved. I realize that my world around me is a secular world where my religion is separate from societal norms and therefore that I must involve myself with others in ways that make me attractive; not by promoting my religion. I am to be a channel for love.
I hope that this lesson is helpful for you in your life of spiritual enlightenment — awakening the skill to foster well-being and for freedom, mastery of living in moments of serenity, inner peacefulness, joyfulness, and of course for sharing happiness.
Jesus was once asked when the kingdom of God would come. When I read what he said, I realized that the kingdom of God is not something people will be able to see and point to.
Jesus said some striking words regarding the coming of the kingdom.
An absolute; ultimate truth is that a treasure lies within each of us. We are made to need each other as though we are pieces of the kingdom come puzzle.
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“Today, in the first decade of the 21st century, science and spirituality have potential to be closer than ever… May each of us, as a member of the human family, respond to the moral obligation to make this collaboration possible. This is my heart felt plea.”
~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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Let’s contemplate… watch this:
. Program Description An introduction to the Mind and Life Institute, describing its founding and mission of building a scientific understanding of how to cultivate a mind of compassion and wisdom. Speakers include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Adam Engle, Richard J. Davison, and Helen J. Neville. Narrated by Richard Gere.
You may wonder about your reason for being here. If you have children and a spouse — live for this service and to love them. If you work, then be the one that sparks good cheer and do your work in a lively manner. If you take care of someone then do this with gratitude.
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“We are coming to the end not only of mythologies but also of ideologies and belief systems. The change goes deeper than the content of your mind, deeper than your thoughts. In fact, at the heart of the new consciousness is the transcendence of thought, the newfound ability of rising above thought, of realizing a dimension within yourself that is infinitely more vast than thought.” ~ Eckhart Tolle
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Its part of our nature to wonder about our purpose.
Its good to have a simple plan.
“There’s no reason to have a Plan B … because it distracts from Plan A.”
~ Will Smith
Program Description
At the start of the new millennium the Dalai Lama issued eighteen rules for living.
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take
immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day. 9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones,
deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Research Demonstrating Mindfulness Stimulates Beneficial Molecular Changes …………………………………………………………
Some people level criticisms at the practice of reciting affirmations (for hours on end), saying this doesn’t [always] bring about the results that speakers and the self-improvement books may promise. It turns out that there is good reason that positive affirmation may be inadequate for making significant (manifesting) changes.
This study indicates that significant positive effects are predictably going to be found by meditators that are following mindfulness practices. In fact, the study results indicate that attaining mindfulness is key to positive beneficial results.
People that suffer from inflammatory conditions (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma) probably may benefit from mindfulness meditation techniques, according to the study.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that shows rapid alterations in gene expression within subjects associated with mindfulness meditation practice,” says Davidson.
This and related investigations strongly indicate that a mind will adjust the body’s biology to fit with beliefs. In short, these studies confirm the adage that you are what you think. Since people are typically conflicted, this may seem sometimes untrue. However, I’ll post additional studies in the future — it’s no longer a cliché.
The emphasis and focus of Davidson’s current work is on interactions betweenprefrontal cortexand theamygdala and on regulation of emotion in both normal subjects and patients with affective and anxiety disorders. He’s been working extensively with meditation and particularly with developing easy to use mindfulness meditation technique.
His previously successful research studies focused on cortical and subcortical substrates of emotion andaffective disorders, including depression and anxiety. His works raised clamor occasionally for two reasons. First, his tenant that happiness is a skill that just about anyone can learn causes occasional stirring amongst patient groups for those that suffer from prolonged sadness. Second, he is a friend of the 14th Dalai Lama and this set off some a protest about the validity of his research. Looking into this, I am pleased to find that his work is impeccable and that outcome results are impressive.
How may this new research evidence be useful? First, certainly, developing a practice that includes mindfulness is a positive activity. The studies demonstrate that mindfulness is linked to improved health and is useful for managing pain. Further study is warranted and its expected that continuing research may help to define how mindfulness meditation may improve outcomes for those that suffer mentally and emotionally. Additionally, new brain imaging and chemical monitoring may lead to additional findings and methods for regulating emotion and may even be useful to diminish mental health problems such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, or major depression.
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Program Description
From Life to Lab: Early Adversity, Brain Circuitry, and the Emergence of Well-Being (by Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison) with my favorite happiness guru, Matthieu Ricard in some of the discussion on emotion and on meditation; factors that generally may increase or decrease well-being, happiness, authenticity, compassion, peace, and joy. The program includes a presentation (forward to 14:00 minutes) to the 14th Dalai Lama that covers how stress and conditions of adversity or abuse effect brains and how self-regulation and brain growth may develop depending on conditions during youth. Davidson speaks briefly about a Madison, WI public school initiative that teaches mindfulness meditation to school children and the positive outcomes there.
Study reveals gene expression changes with meditation
With evidence growing that meditation can have beneficial health effects, scientists have sought to understand how these practices physically affect the body.
Study shows mindfulness training can help reduce teacher stress and burnout
Teachers who practice “mindfulness” are better able to reduce their own levels of stress and prevent burnout, according to a new study conducted by the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds (CIHM) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center.
Brain can be trained in compassion, study shows
Until now, little was scientifically known about the human potential to cultivate compassion – the emotional state of caring for people who are suffering in a way that motivates altruistic behavior.
Documentary film portrays UW–Madison mindfulness research
MADISON – Groundbreaking research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is the focus of the new documentary film, “Free the Mind,” which debuts in Madison tomorrow, May 15.
Dalai Lama to lead ‘Change your Mind Change the World 2013’
Event organizers today announced that the Dalai Lama will visit Madison on May 15, 2013, to lead “Change your Mind Change the World 2013,” a series of panel discussions with thought leaders from a variety of fields, including neuroscience, economics and sustainability, moderated by Arianna Huffington and Daniel Goleman.
Authors: Develop digital games to improve brain function and well-being
Neuroscientists should help to develop compelling digital games that boost brain function and improve well-being, say two professors specializing in the field in a commentary article published in the science journal Nature.
Mindfulness meditation may relieve chronic inflammation
People suffering from chronic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma — in which psychological stress plays a major role — may benefit from mindfulness meditation techniques, according to a study by University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientists with the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center.
Educational games to train middle schoolers’ attention, empathy
Two years ago, at a meeting on science and education, Richard Davidson challenged video game manufacturers to develop games that emphasize kindness and compassion instead of violence and aggression.
In new book, leading neuroscientist describes your brain on emotion
Building on more than 30 years of cutting-edge brain research, a new book by UW–Madison psychology and psychiatry professor Richard J. Davidson offers an inside look into how emotions are coded in our brains and our power to control them.
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Pondering…
Do I live a life of faith that shows that
I know that God has a plan for me and us?
– change from within –
“This is my wonderful journey of self discovery. Love envelopes me and the gentle waves of peaceful waters and the light shine from my mind into the world around me.”
“I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness.”
Excerpt from a public talk The Way Toward Inner Peace
by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
by FilmPRO, Italy
Organizer: Ven. Thamthog Rinpoche ~ Ghe Pel Ling
Director/Cinematographer: Matteo Passigato
Youtube watch?=-psluirNDJc
Program Description
Presented by Richard J. Davidson
In this talk, Richard J. Davidson explores scientific research on the neuroscience of positive human qualities and how they can be cultivated through contemplative practice. Distinctions among different forms of contemplative practices will be introduced and they will be shown to have different neural and behavioral consequences, as well as important consequences for physical health in both long-term and novice practitioners. New research also shows that meditation-based interventions delivered online can produce behavioral and neural changes. Collectively, this body of research indicates that we can cultivate adaptive neural changes and strengthen positive human qualities through systematic mental practice.
If happiness is an inner state, influenced by external conditions but not dependent on them, how can we achieve it? Matthieu Ricard presents factors that generally may increase or decrease well-being, happiness, authenticity, compassion, peace, and joy.
Happiness and joy may stimulate compassion and compassion may stimulate happiness and joy. This is ideal. This may then be noticed to be increasing positive energy, empathy, pro-social behavior, and the change within may serve as the kernel of an evolving moral-ethical framework.
Matthieu Ricard is a scientist turned Buddhist monk and a best selling author, translator, and photographer. He has lived and studied in the Himalayas for more than 35 years.
A wellness approach in learning: act as though we don’t yet know anything more important — eliminate the inner ego voice from learning.
I pray to be released from any responsibility for making judgments and to learn as though this is all new to me. Later, I’ll review the important lesson again. Always when material is important in my life, I review the material many times.
Starting off into a new day, there is something to learn and something to share — what that is comes to me with my morning meditation — I don’t really even think about it until it comes — I remind myself, “This is my wonderful journey of self discovery. Love envelopes me and the gentle waves of peaceful waters and the light shine from my mind into the world around me.” As I face myself in honesty, open to guiding spirit, I turn my life over to God and I ask Him to allow me to do whatever I may to do His will — Thy Will, not mine be done.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama says “in today’s secular world, religion alone is no longer adequate as a basis for ethics… any religion-based answer to the problem of our neglect of inner values can never be universal, and so will be inadequate.” My religion practice is rooted in utmost fondness and enthusiasm in me. I love Jesus and being Christian. I also love all others as best I am able and this is certainly a growing condition in me, prompted by my love of Jesus’s words that make clear that we are to love God with all of our being and also love others as we would be loved. I realize that my world around me is a secular world where my religion is separate from societal norms and therefore that I must involve myself with others in ways that make me attractive; not by promoting my religion. I am to be a channel for love.
I hope that this lesson is helpful for you in your life of spiritual enlightenment — awakening the skill to foster well-being and for freedom, mastery of living in moments of serenity, inner peacefulness, joyfulness, and of course for sharing happiness.
Starting off into a new day, there is something to learn and something to share — what that is comes to me with my morning meditation — I don’t really even think about it until it comes — I remind myself, “This is my wonderful journey of self discovery. Love envelopes me and the gentle waves of peaceful waters and the light shine from my mind into the world around me.” As I face myself in honesty, open to guiding spirit, I turn my life over to God and I ask Him to allow me to do whatever I may to do His will — Thy Will, not mine be done. 
Eric
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Eric
