Meditation as an Art of Healing
York St John University
Tuesday 22 May 2012—9:15 am to 5:00 pm
Chair: Professor Peter Gilbert
Keynote Speaker: Laurence Freeman OSB
What on earth does 'spiritual' mean? It is evidently an important element of people's sense of 'well-being' today but it defies exact definition. Maybe this is because it is about wholeness and a catalyst for wholeness.
This Meditatio Seminar brings together a variety of new viewpoints. Different schools of contemporary psychology and different religious traditions converge in seeing how meditation aids the healing process.
The new UK NHS mental health policy emphasises the importance of prevention, early intervention and developing practices that, like meditation, support well-being. The Seminar creates a forum for clarifying the role that spiritual practice, (in particular meditation) can play. The approach is geared towards the practical ways open to a stressful, fast-paced and pluralist society for relieving suffering and promoting happiness.
The presentations and workshops will be facilitated by leading teachers in the field of meditation, experienced mental health practitioners and those who have personal knowledge of using mental health and recovery services. An open discussion will also look ahead and share possible ways to proceed after the event.