Divide and Conquer: How the Essence of Mindfulness Parallels the Nuts and Bolts of Science

Google Tech Talk
January 28, 2010

ABSTRACT

Presented by Shinzen Young.

The purpose of this talk is threefold: (1) to describe how senior adepts use mindfulness to reduce suffering and gain insight into selfhood and emotions. (2) To point out how the method they use in many ways parallels what scientists do when confronted with a complex and inscrutable system in nature. (3) To discuss how this fundamental parallelism between the two endeavors can become the basis for a productive collaboration in the future.

Bio: Shinzen Young became fascinated with Asian culture while a teenager in Los Angeles. Later he enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Buddhist Studies at the University of Wisconsin. Eventually, he went to Asia and did extensive training in each of the three major Buddhist meditative traditions: Vajrayana, Zen, and Vipassana. Upon returning to the United States, his intellectual interests shifted to the burgeoning dialogue between Eastern internal science and Western technological science. In recognition of his
original contributions to that dialogue, the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology has awarded him an honorary doctorate. Shinzen's innovative techniques for pain management derived from two sources: The first is his personal experience dealing with discomfort during intense periods of meditation in Asia, and during shamanic ceremonies with tribal cultures. The second is some three decades of experience in coaching people through a wide spectrum of chronic and acute pain challenges. Shinzen leads meditation retreats in the mindfulness tradition throughout North America, and has helped establish several centers and programs.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• google
• tech
• talk
• spirituality
• meditation

[deimossonofares]

Thank you Google for providing this high qualitiy knowledge for free. Keep up the good work !!

Greetings from Germany.

[c4chaos]

awesome! Shinzen is the best meditation teacher i've encountered so far. his very lucid and scientific approach to meditation really takes the mist out of mysticism

[ugotllamad]

Thank you Google and thank you Prof. Young. :)

[jmills616jmills616]

Shinzen is awesome.

[jasree0496]

@1988NickF Shinzen.org, he offers retreats and teleclasses.

[1988NickF]

Where can I train with this guy!?

[mlutner1]

thank you google for the great videos and the great knowledge!!!

[MoDeeSeventyThree]

The biggest problem in the understanding that people have about mindfulness/meditation is that most non meditators think that its simply a relaxation tool....but true meditators know the great impact that meditation can have for one's life, in every area....imagine if we taught contemplative practices to kids in the education system....imagine our politicians were impacted by practicing mindfulness and mediation, it would change the world

[jman4887]

i would like to become a monk on my journey can you guide me with any connections in doing that and giving me resources? Thank u

[rodrigojoseunb]

This was the most fulfilling thumbs up i've ever gave.

[phoggee]

omg this guy is fantasic, meditation never made so much sense