MindScience Academy

Trajectories of knowledge of the mind, the natural world and society through the lens of first-person experience, and of its study in scientific thought and contemplative practices.

Thematic area

Consciousness and Inner Reality

In this thematic area we probe the investigation of the Western scientific community and of the contemplative traditions on the traces of the mental, revealing shared paths.

Thematic area

Body, Mind and Emotions

In this thematic area we are dedicated to the relationship between the physical and the mental, to the reflections gathered around it through scientific research and contemplative practice.

Thematic area

Relationships and Society

This thematic area questions the functioning of the mind; how it influences the formation of views, behaviors and social systems.

Thematic area

Life, Environment and Cosmos

This thematic area is dedicated to the acquisition of the naturalistic perspective and its measures of the world in dialogue with other possible angles, with other traditions and possible paths.

Focus on

November 2024

End of Life and Euthanasia

In Tibetan Buddhism, death is viewed as a non-ordinary state of consciousness, a transitional state between the end of one life cycle and the beginning of the next. Adherence to this perspective may occur based on trust in the authority of the Master who teaches it, or through a much more complex—but achievable—experiential path. Central to this path is the practice of specific contemplative exercises aimed at experiencing, during life, the gradual "withdrawal" of the mind from the body that takes place at the moment of death.

latest science

The Summer School Consciousness and Cognition, 30 ago – 8 set

Values and Mission

MindScience Academy was born from the spontaneous impulse, encouraged by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, towards the exchange and mutual penetration between scientific knowledge and other forms of knowledge, rooted in the tradition of religions and philosophical doctrines and in contemplative practice.

The activities of MSA are aimed at increasing this dialogue and pouring it into a place accessible to more languages and more looks. To achieve this aim, our editorial staff tries to build a transversal space for research laboratories, academic publishing, realities linked to contemplative practices and a passionate public; transversal to multiple study disciplines and multiple methodological approaches; transversal, finally, to human cultures and identities and different modalities of experience.

Authors

XIV Dalai Lama

The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk

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Federico Faggin

Physicist and inventor

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Ven. Robina Courtin

She works for FPMT and serves as a touring teacher of Buddhism

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Donald Hoffman

PhD in Computational Psychology from MIT, and is a Professor Emeritus of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine.

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Richard Davidson

Professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and founder and director of the Center for Healthy Minds.

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Alexander Berzin

Founder of the Berzin Archives, principal author and executive director of its online platform

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Amy Cohen Varela

Chair of the board of Mind & Life Europe and clinical psychologist specializing in psychodynamic therapy and philosophy.

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Ven. Geshe Tashi Tsering

Serme Khen Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering (born 1958) is the abbot of Sera Mey Monastic University in India.

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Michel Bitbol

Emeritus research director at CNRS in Paris. Currently working at the Archives Husserl, a phenomenology research center.

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Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul

Director of Tibet House, Cultural Center of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, New Delhi, since 2011.

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Angelo Gemignani

Angelo Gemignani, Ph.D., M.D., is a psychiatrist and doctor in psychology. Currently as full professor of Biological Psychology and Psychophysiology at the University of Pisa.

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Claudio Colaiacomo

At Elsevier, he is responsible for institutional relations, specializing in scientific publishing and research strategies.

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Bruno Neri

Responsible at the University of Pisa for the Telecommunications Electronics and Wireless Integrated Circuits courses.

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Ven. Olivier Rossi

A highly esteemed Dharma teacher, for many years at the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, he currently resides at the Muni Gyana center in Palermo, where he teaches the Basic Program and weekend courses.

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Enrico Facco

Professor of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, a Neurology specialist, University of Padova.

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Ven. Geshe Jampa Gelek

Resident teacher at the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute, currently teaching advanced philosophy studies in the FPMT Masters Program.

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Ven. Lobsang Kunsang

First-year teacher and tutor for the Logic and Debate study program at the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute

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Domenica Romagno

Professor of 'Glottology and Linguistics' at the University of Pisa, where she teaches Glottology, Greek Linguistics, and Neurolinguistics.

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Laura Candiotto

Associate Professor in Philosophy at the Ethics Center of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Sciences of the University of Pardubice, Czech Republic

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Ven. Thubten Chodron

Author, teacher, and the founder and abbess of Sravasti Abbey. Ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun in 1977, she has studied with the Dalai Lama, Tsenzhap Serkong Rinpoche, and other Tibetan lamas.

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Ciro Conversano

Psychologist and psychotherapist, Ph.D. in neurobiology and clinical affective disorders, Associate Professor of Dynamic Psychology at the University of Pisa.

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Rebecca Ciacchini

Psychologist, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist.

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Andrea Bocconi

Psychotherapist and writer, teacher of the Italian Society of Psychosynthesis Therapist, and of the Psykosyntes Akdemin of Stockholm.

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Ven. Sonam Wangchuk

At the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he gives teachings on emptiness at the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute.

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Antonio Rigopoulos

Full Professor in the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari since 2015, teaching Sanskrit, Pali, Marathi languages and literatures, and the caste system.

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Giovanni Filoramo

Author and Professor Emeritus of History of Christianity at the University of Turin.

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Rev. Carlo Tetsugen Serra

Master Tetsugen Serra is a Buddhist Minister for the Italian Nation, a member of the Board of Directors of the Italian Buddhist Union with responsibility for the Culture Agenda, and a member of the European Buddhist Union (EBU).
Today, he is the abbot of five Zen temples in Italy.

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Nicola De Pisapia

Associate Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience at the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DIPSCO) at the University of Trento

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Mingyur Rinpoche

Teacher, best-selling author and the Spiritual leader of the Tergar Sangha worldwide

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Antonio Chella

Full Professor of Robotics at the University of Palermo and Director of the Robotics Laboratory in the Department of Engineering.

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Mario Cimino

Associate Professor at the Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa

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Francesco Tormen

Lecturer of Tibetan Language and Literature at Ca' Foscari University of Venice

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Ines Testoni

Author, full professor of social psychology, philosopher, and thanatologist

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Daniela Muggia

Author and thanatologist

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“

"Nella tradizione buddhista si incontrano molte spiegazioni che riguardano le emozioni e la mente e questo è utile per riuscire a trasformare la mente non per mezzo della fede ma attraverso la capacità di analisi e di comprensione della realtà"

"Non si tratta di far diventare un filosofo o un praticante della contemplazione "un po' più scientifico" oppure uno scienziato "un po' più contemplativo", la questione sta nel creare qualcosa che ha un diverso ordine, stiamo provando a considerare un diverso tipo di persona che ha molta libertà e non si identifica in categorie preconcette. "

"La meditazione mi ha permesso di osservare il processo scientifico stesso da un altro punto di vista. Quel che stiamo realizzando oggi qui, può essere di beneficio per molte persone. Dico questo dalla mia prospettiva non buddhista, perché io non sono buddhista, e più in generale non mi considero religioso."

"La tradizione buddhista indo-tibetana pone forte enfasi sulla metodologia, sull'analisi di cose ed eventi che affrontiamo non accettandoli così come appaiono o come crediamo che siano. Esiste una filosofia profonda secondo la quale le cose, gli eventi, ci appaiono come fossero concreti, solidi, indipendenti dall'osservatore ma nella realtà non sono affatto così. Che siano materia o la mente stessa non esistono in maniera indipendente dall'osservatore e questo concetto è molto simile a quanto si dice nella scienza moderna."

"La compassione è necessaria. Un leader che non la consideri importante, lo fa a proprio rischio e non fa l’interesse della sua organizzazione. Qualità come la compassione facilitano le relazioni interpersonali, la cooperazione e il lavoro in squadra e questo è essenziale nel mondo del lavoro moderno. Per ottimizzare la performance di squadra direi che la compassione non è un lusso ma una necessità."

MindScience Academy

Thematic area

Consciousness and Inner Reality

Thematic area

Body, Mind and Emotions

Thematic area

Relationships and Society

Thematic area

Life, Environment and Cosmos

Focus on

End of Life and Euthanasia

Values and Mission

Authors

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