Beyond Confines – Following our Tracks
About the MLE webcast
This is a series of webcasts titled ‘Beyond Confines – Following our Tracks’. These webcasts aim to make scientific insights accessible to a wider audience. The series also allows substantive continuation of themes from the successful Beyond Confines Symposium in Fürstenfeldbruck (Germany) in October 2019. The ‘Beyond Confines’ webcast will deliver ideas, concepts, and approaches within the context of contemplative studies to those interested in the connection of Western sciences and Eastern wisdom traditions. That way, we can help unlock the knowledge of MLE experts, make their findings accessible and can stimulate thought and action to promote human flourishing.
Following the theme of the Symposium in 2019, ‘Beyond Confines – Following our Tracks’ embodies the idea that there is a need to think and act in an interdisciplinary manner and will explore a broad range of disciplines. The mid- to long-term development of the webcasts includes the six tracks of the symposium: education, philosophy, neuro- and cognitive science, politics, nutrition and economics. It seeks to further develop the topics that were discussed in the Symposium. These ‘on-demand’ webcasts facilitate accesible viewing and can be watched as many times as desired!
Sign up now as an MLE Friend and get exclusive access to all lectures of the webcast series.
Structure & Format
Each track series of the ‘Beyond Confines’ webcast consists of seven separate modules and one Q&A session (webinar). Each module is a short lecture of 15 min. held by an MLE expert taking the format of an on-demand video. At the end of the course there will be a live webinar with the expert of 60-90min. during which participants can ask questions in a live chat. The Q&A recording will aslo be made availble to MLE Friends on an exclusive basis.
- Each course of the MLE webcast series will initially be delivered exclusively to members of the MLE Friends program. Only MLE Friends can access the modules and also participate in the live webinar at the end of each course.
- After six months, all video clips will be made accessible to the public through the MLE website and the MLE YouTube channel.
Tracks & Series
Track Philosophy
Track Philosophy is curated by MLE Association Member Michel Bitbol. The first series concentrates on the topic: ‘Quantum Mechanics – A Theory with no View of the World’. This first series with Prof. Dr. Michel Bitbol, MD, was launched in Autumn 2020 (with initial exclusive access for MLE Friends). Series 2 of Track Philosophy is launching on March 23rd, titled ‘Consciousness, East and West’.
- Series 1: Quantum Mechanics – A Theory with No View of the World
- Series 2: Consciousness, East and West
Track Education
The Track on Education was launched in 2020 with the first series curated by Katherine Weare, Principal Investigator of the Community of Contemplative Education (CCE), concentrating on the Foundations of Contemplative Education. The second series illustrates opportunities and challenges regarding the Implementation of Contemplative Education(CE). Series three considers Emerging and Challenging areas in CE along with next steps for the discipline. Each of the three series in Track of Education has seven videos each (with exclusive access for MLE Friends in the first six months), and are all curated by Prof. Katherine Weare, Ph.D.
- Series 1: Foundations of Contemplative Education
- Series 2: Making Contemplative Education Happen in Practice – The Rocky Road to Implementation
- Series 3: Emerging and Challenging Areas and Next Steps for Contemplative Education
Impressions from the MLE webcast (first lecture of each series)
First lecture: Philosophy Series – Hosted by Michel Bitbol (1/7)
Part 1 of the MLE Webcast on Philosophy centers around the question “How can we compare quantum mechanics and Buddhism?” In this first short lecture, Michel Bitbol talk about the fact that it is widely held that there is a similarity between the Buddhist and the quantum views of the world. But, actually, the only similarity between the two disciplines is that they tend to challenge any view of the world whatsoever.
>> Click here to watch all seven video clips! (freely available six months after MLE Friends got exclusive access)
First lecture: Education Series 1 – Curated by Katherine Weare (1/7)
In part 1 (‘Foundations’) of the MLE Webcast on Education Katherine Weare discusses the question “What is contemplative education and why do we need it?” She explores the aims and core concepts at the heart of contemplative education (CE). Specifically, how practices such as mindfulness, meditation, compassion, and self reflection for students and faculty are contributing to the transformation of school, university and lifelong education to help us all meet the urgent challenges of the 21st Century.
As the curator of this MLE webcast series, Prof. Katherine Weare, Ph.D., invited four experts who are current members of the Community of Contemplative Education (CCE): Caroline Barratt, Dusana Dorjee, Kevin Hawkins and Guy Claxton to share their insights.
>> Click here to watch all seven video clips! (freely available six months after MLE Friends got exclusive access)
First lecture: Education Series 2 – Curated by Katherine Weare (1/7)
In part 1 of the second series of Education (‘The Rocky Road to Implementation’) Katherine Weare introduces the evidence-Based principles of implementation and gives an overview of the theme. Specifically, she summarises what we know from the evidence helps and hinders. She explores the core importance of steadily building clear understanding, ownership and active engagement of all the stakeholders: teachers, students, parents, community and policy makers, and some examples from the UK of what can go wrong when mindfulness becomes too popular too quickly.
As the curator of this MLE webcast series, Prof. Katherine Weare, Ph.D., invited five experts who are current members of MLE’s Community of Contemplative Education (CCE): Caroline Barratt, Claire Kelly, Bryndís Jónsdóttir, Nimrod Sheinman and Salla-Maarit Volanen. to share their insights.
Watch the full series on the MLE YouTube channel now!
First lecture: Education Series 3 – Curated by Katherine Weare (1/7)
In part 1 of the third series of Education (‘Emerging and Challenging Areas and Next Steps for Contemplative Education’), Katherine Weare introduces the series and explores a theme raised by several of our speakers – the potential downsides and the – often overhyped – dangers of Contemplative Education (CE) and meditation practice. What are the small, and large pitfalls into which we can all fall if we are not careful? How do we, as best we can, cultivate forms of CE that are safe and beneficial for different people at different times?
As the curator of this MLE webcast series, Prof. Katherine Weare, Ph.D., invited five experts who are current members of MLE’s Community of Contemplative Education (CCE): Rony Berger, Michael Bready, Mikkel B. Kristiansen, Orlaith O’Sullivan and Karlheinz Valtl to share their insights.