New Executive Director for Science for Monks and Nuns

Congratulations to Karma Thupten who has been named the new Executive Director of the Science for Monks and Nuns program.

Tibetan Buddhist Perspectives on Neuroethics

Dr. Laura Specker Sullivan, who traveled to India with me in 2016, has just published a new paper titled "Mistaken Compassion:  Tibetan Buddhist Perspectives on Neuroethics" in the journal AJOB Neuroscience (https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2021.1939460).

Thinking Back

It has been quite some time since my last blog post and plenty has happened during this interval.  My last trip to visit India and teach in the Science for Monks program was in September, 2018.  I have kept in touch with many of the monastics via Facebook and hope that they are all safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  It is unclear when and if I will ever go back.

In 2020, my passport expired.  However, I have been able to get a new one.  Unfortunately, my India visa was in my old passport, so if I travel to India again, I will have to get a new one.

What Buddhism and science can teach each other – and us – about the universe

Article by Dr. Chris Impey titled "What Buddhism and science can teach each other – and us – about the universe"(The Conversation, June 16, 2020)

https://theconversation.com/what-buddhism-and-science-can-teach-each-other-and-us-about-the-universe-134322

Looks like the program has a new name: "Science for Monks & Nuns."

Basketball in Tibet

An interesting article written by Louie Lazar titled "Tibet Is Going Crazy for Hoops" (January/February 2019 issue of The Atlantic magazine) about basketball in Tibet.

Morning basketball game during my trip to Sherabling Monastery (2016)

Reflecting Back

Over the past eight years, I have traveled to India seven times to teach neuroscience to different groups of Tibetan Buddhist monastics.  These trips are always a bit different with unique challenges and opportunities.  Here is a list of these trips and a map where each workshop was held.

2011:  Deer Park Institute, Bir
2012:  Tibetan Childrens Village College, Bangalore
2013:  Songsten Library, Dehradun
2014:  College of Higher Tibetan Studies, Dharamshala
2015:  Namdroling Monastery, Bylakuppe
2016:  Sherabling Monastery, Bir
2018:  Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok