The Workshop: From the Brain to the Meditation Cushion

Workshop for psychologists and mindfulness teachers by Nava Levit-Binnun from Reichman University, Israel 

In this 3-hours workshop we will investigate, through lecture, discussion and experiential practice the central paradigm changes that have occurred in neuroscience and how they can deepen the understanding of the practices we do on the “meditation cushion”. Specifically, we will examine the impact of the following on mindfulness and compassion practices: the chemical conditions for neuroplasticity and for creating motivation for practice; the role of brain-body connections and interoception to support the brains predictions about the world; the role of the brain’s default system in mindwandering; the connection of compassion to the brain’s caring system; the characteristics of the attention system; and why unpleasant experience is hard-wired in the brain.

The Sagol Center@RU which she heads is a unique research center dedicated to driving change in various sectors in Israeli society, such as education and health, through rigorous scientific work and its dissemination. The center focuses on understanding psychological and physiological underpinnings of healthy qualities of mind such as resilience, mindfulness, compassion, and reconciliation as well as intervention research to study the effects of mindfulness-based programs and its adaptations to various cultural and conflictual contexts.

As part of the greater societal vision of Sagol Center, Nava founded in 2009 the Muda (in Hebrew "Aware") Institute for Mindfulness, Science and Society which has been promoting public awareness of the scientific basis of mindfulness and other contemplative practices. It is the only academic center in Israel to train and accredit mindfulness instructors (MBSR and MBCT protocols), providing scholarships to support training of mindfulness instructors from minority communities, and with more than 250 graduates of its teacher training programs. Another social initiative that Nava founded and is currently the academic director is the Sagol Purple Schools Initiative, a whole-school program intended to create a profound paradigm shift in the Israeli schooling system through the dissemination of mindfulness and compassion based social-emotionallearning with system-based tools. The Purple Schools Initiative works with schools, municipalities, and the Ministry of Education.

Binding registration

Register for free in order to attend the lecture: https://forms.gle/3SLVU39owwRdbApcA

Maximum number of participants: 30

Due to the maximum number of participants, please only register if you are certain you can attend the workshop. Thank you!