Generative Contemplation Symposium

Contemplative Sciences Center

An interdisciplinary dialogue on the art and science of effortless and self-emergence contemplative practices.

Harrison Institute and Small Special Collections Library

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Across the multi-millennial discourse on contemplative practices within Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, there is a pervasive tension that persists between practices that apply effort and those that are effortless. Recently this has emerged as an important framework for interdisciplinary engagement about enhanced cognitive performance. While presented as a binary in classical accounts—as if effort is a fixed and static quantity that is present or absent—it is better understood as a descriptive framework for a spectrum of contemplative dynamics that unfold during meditative experiences, and which can be intentionally enacted, or fostered, by different contemplative techniques. These practices are performed in ongoing and dynamic shifts across a spectrum of intensities of effort.The symposium promises to catalyze transdisciplinary research collaborations to advance a collective understanding of the underlying dynamics of contemplative practices. We are bringing together leading specialists for an exploration of these practices in light of contemporary philosophical inquiry and psychological research on effort and effortless, self-emergent experiences. Themes of effortlessness and self-emergence in Indian and Tibetan Buddhist contemplative practices will be addressed in four overlapping domains: (I.) Cognitive Effort and Control Practices, (II.) Nondual Awareness Practices, (III.) Dream and Illusion Practices, and (IV.) Self-Emergent Visionary Practices. Each domain will involve a creative mix of Buddhist Studies scholars, scientists, philosophers, and teacher-practitioners with distinct bodies of expertise – textual, experiential, and empirical.

F﻿EATURED SPEAKERSSession I: Cognitive Effort and Control Practices1. Zac Irving (Philosophy), University of Virginia2. Sonam Kachru (Buddhist Studies), Yale University3. Chandra Sripada (Psychiatry), University of Michigan4. Karin Meyers (Practitioner), Mangalam Research Center5﻿. Georges Dreyfus (Buddhist Studies), Williams CollegeSession II: Nondual Awareness Practices1. John Dunne (Buddhist Studies), University of Wisconsin-Madison2. Cat Prueitt (Buddhist Studies), University of British Columbia3. Antoine Lutz (Neuroscience), University of Lyon, France4. Willa Blythe Baker (Practitioner), Natural Dharma Fellowship5﻿. Bryce Huebner (Philosophy), Georgetown UniversitySession III: Dream and Illusion Practices1. Michael Sheehy (Buddhist Studies), University of Virginia2. Jake Dalton (Buddhist Studies), University of California-Berkeley3. Andrew Holocek (Practitioner), Edge of Mind4. Ken Paller (Neuroscience), Northwestern University5. Melanie Boly (Neuroscience), University of Wisconsin-MadisonSession IV: Self-Emergent Visionary Practices1. David Germano (Buddhist Studies), University of Virginia2. Per Sederberg (Neuroscience), University of Virginia3. James Gentry (Buddhist Studies), Stanford University4. Anne Klein (Practitioner), Rice University5. Dave Glowacki (Technology), CiTIUS Intelligent Technologies Research Centre, Spain6﻿. Susan Magsamen (Neuroaesthetics), Johns Hopkins University

N﻿ote: This is an in-person public event at the University of Virginia. The symposium is designed to foster dialogue with an international community of scholars, scientists, and practitioners as part of the Generative Contemplation Initiative hosted by the Contemplative Sciences Center. Given this in-person focus, the symposium will not be on Zoom or otherwise broadcasted. Sessions will be recorded and disseminated at a date yet to be determined.Registration for the 2-day symposium includes a ticket for the film screening at the Violet Crown for each registered attendee.The Generative Contemplation Symposium is hosted by the Contemplative Sciences Center and co-sponsored by the UVA Tibet Center. Funding support is provided by the Hemera Foundation, Frederick P. Lenz Foundation, Page-Barbour Workshops at UVA, and Virginia Center for the Study of Religion.For further information, contact Michael Sheehy at <a href="https://outlook.office.com/mail/deeplink/compose?mailtouri=mailto%3Asheehy%40virginia.edu" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">sheehy@virginia.edu</a>.

April 20th

Opening Remarks

Session 1: Cognitive Effort and Control Practices

Session 2: Nondual Awareness Practices

This feature documentary explores a phenomenon that blurs life and death to an unprecedented degree. In what Tibetan Buddhists call ‘tukdam’, advanced meditators die in a consciously controlled manner. Though dead according to our biomedical standards, they often stay sitting upright in meditation; remarkably, their bodies remain fresh and lifelike, without signs of decay for days, sometimes weeks after clinical death. Following ground-breaking scientific research into tukdam and taking us into intimate death stories of Tibetan meditators, the film juxtaposes scientific and Tibetan perspectives as it tries to unravel the mystery of ‘tukdam’. This private film screening of the documentary Tukdam: Between Worlds will feature a discussion with the filmmaker and reception with invited symposium speakers. See trailer: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21945758/

TUKDAM: Between Worlds Film Screening

April 21st

Session 3: Dream and Illusion Practices

Session 4: Self-Emergent Visionary Practices

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