Stay Curious

SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AND UNLOCK ONE MORE ARTICLE FOR FREE.

Sign Up

VIEW OUR Privacy Policy


Discover Magazine Logo

WANT MORE? KEEP READING FOR AS LOW AS $1.99!

Subscribe

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

FIND MY SUBSCRIPTION
Advertisement

Dalai Lama Speaks Language of Science

Explore the intersection of meditation research and neuroscience as the Dalai Lama bridges science and spirituality.

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

Some people meditate to reduce everyday stress. Others do it to achieve nirvana. If the Dalai Lama is striving for the latter, should he be a spokesman for meditation research taking place in neuroscience labs at Harvard and Princeton universities?

"Without investigation, you cannot see reality," the Buddhist leader declared last November at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, D.C., which drew more than 30,000 researchers. The conference included six presentations on meditation research, including a study by Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin that was supported by the Dalai Lama's Mind and Life Institute, in which the brain waves of meditating Tibetan monks were monitored and compared with those of novice meditators.

At a time when many scientists feel under siege by proponents of intelligent design, the Dalai Lama's championing of science provoked polarized responses. Some attendees saw his speech as a refreshing attempt ...

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe
Advertisement

0 Free Articles