CSPH 5226 - Advanced Meditation: Body, Brain, Mind, and Universe

Course Description:

Students work to integrate meditation practice into daily life, cultivating awareness of the fundamental oneness of body, brain, mind, and universe. Mind-body interactions in health. "Hard problem" of consciousness in brain science. Emergence of compassion, wisdom, and healing in non-discursive awareness.

Note: Students with other previous meditative experience are encouraged to contact the instructor for possible permission to register.

Course Objectives:

• Further their ability to assume a strong, stable, and relaxed physical posture sitting on cushions, benches, or chairs.
• Further their ability to calm the breath through a focus on deep, diaphragm breathing.
• Further their ability to dwell in panoramic consciousness of consciousness itself, allowing emotions and thoughts to rise and fall in calm awareness.
• Further their ability to maintain calm, meditative states even in times of great busyness and stress.
• Further their ability to develop an ongoing, lifelong meditation practice.
• Discuss the relevance of meditation to mind-body problems in medicine.
• Discuss how a lifetime practice of meditation can promote self-care and better health.
• Discuss aspects of “the hard problem,” the investigation of how consciousness arises from brain.
• Further their ability to develop a deep and authentic happiness in this human life.