Meditation and Pain Management Conference

Speakers and Presenters

 

Achala M. Singhal, MD, DM, FACC, Professor & Head of Cardiology Department at Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences. Personally trained by Sri Swami Rama in holistic approaches to medicine, Dr. Achala has conducted research on the effects of meditation and breath control on hypertension and heart disease. Holistic approaches with cardiac patients have helped avoid invasive procedures in many cases, along with complete healing. . Based on new research in the behavioral sciences, she has integrated her knowledge of modern medicine with the ancient yogic techniques of meditation, breathing practices, and yoga postures.  Dr. Singhal has a special interest in using emotions for treating conditions of the heart and conducts a weekly support group called the Happy Healthy Heart Club.

Anil Singhal, MD, Professor of Neurology and Head of the Department s of Neurosciences and  of Holistic Medicine  at the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences. A graduate Neurologist of the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA, and student of the renowned Dr. Hughes (referred to as the Father of the EEG) of the University of Illinois, he practiced in the field of Neuroscience at Chicago for ten years. He has a special interest and expertise in using the power of the mind and nervous system in helping people improve their physical and emotional health. He credits his expertise to his training and experience in the Himalayan Yoga Tradition using meditative practices. He has been especially instrumental in integrating biofeedback technology with modern medicine.  He worked closely with Swami Rama from the very inception of HIHT.

Arnaud Delorme, PhD. Principal investigator at the CNRS CERCO laboratory in Toulouse, France  and collaborator at Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California at San Diego for the continued development of the EEGLAB software for EEG analysis.  Interest in studying neural correlates of neurofeedback learning as well as meditation experience using spectral analysis and independent component analysis of the EEG signal.   Ongoing research projects and funding: Neural correlates of meta-consciousness events as experienced during meditation practice, Neural correlates of neurofeedback learning, New Analysis Methods for Human Electro-Encephalography Data, and Analysis of coherence between cortex and muscle in complex neuro-biomechanic tasks. Teacher. Speaker. Inventor. Consultant.   

 

B. Rael Cahn, MD, PhD,  Research Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry and Stein Institute for Research on Aging at the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, USA. Working on studies of the effects of meditation on the aging process.   Conference Presentations and invited talks include: The Neurophysiology of Meditation, Electrophysiological Measures of Meditation vs. Intentional Thought in Long-Term Meditators, and Neurophysiology of Meditative States. Major Interests: evolution of consciousness within humanity, neuroscience, transpersonal psychology, integrative medicine, neurophenomenology, meditation and neural plasticity, transformation of the experienced "self," convergence of psychiatric illness and spiritual awakening.

 [My pBarb Bova, BHMS, received her degree in homeopathic medicine from Nehru Homeopathic Medical College in New Delhi.  She has been practicing homeopathy as an integral part of holistic medical care for many years and is currently working in HIHT. A certified yoga teacher, she has also introduced patients to the therapeutic application of hatha yoga in self-healing.

Dinesh Sharma, GAM, belongs to the third genera­tion of a well-known family of Vedic tradition in Rishikesh (India). In 1979 Dr. Sharma became an Ayurvedacharya (Ayurvedic physi­cian) from Maharishi Dayanand University and started practicing Ayurveda from 1981. For the last 27 years, Dr. Sharma has  treated people both in India and around the world.  International teacher of Vedic Astrology, Ayurveda, and Sthapatya Veda (Vastu Shastra). Board member of the American Council of Vedic Sciences.

 

Gita Morar, BA (Arts), BA HnsSW, MA, Clinical Psychology, University of South Africa. She has specialized in Brief Interactive Therapy at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, California, and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in New York. Initiated the first service in mental health for East Indians in Johannesburg.  Psychologist. Taught psychology at the University of Durban-Westville, South Africa.  Psychotherapist at Cambridge Mind/Body Institute, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.  Ran a therapeutic hospital Pain Management Program that incorporated mindfulness, meditation, joints and glands, diaphragmatic breathing, and the creative use of thoughts and emotions.

John Clarke, MD, Former Chairman of the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA. He received his M.D. degree from Harvard University, and has received certification in Family Practice, Internal Medicine and Cardiology

Jyoti Dvivedi, MD,  MBBS, DGO, DFW. Assistant Professor in physiology, Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust University, Dehradun, India. Recipient of the Dr. Sushila Thakur Prakriti Mandir Award, India’s National Award  for the Best Research in the Field of Yoga and Naturopathy awarded by the Physiologists and Pharmacologists of India and of the President’s Appreciation Award from the Indian Medical Association.  She has been awarded  the Best Poster Award for “Iron deficiency anemia: A global problem” awarded by the Indian Medical Association and Federation of Obstetrical and Gynecological Society of India, Uttaranchal Chapter, and for “Community intervention for HIV screening” from the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences.  Author of 15 publications and 7 paper presentations.  Lecturer.  Full time medical teacher and researcher. A keen researcher on Yoga, Dr. Dvivedi is a co-supervisor in 8 postgraduate research projects on scientific studies related to various yogic techniques.

Kathleen McKeehan, PhD, is a Nursing Advisor at the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust. She received her PhD in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University, USA. She is a certified Hatha Yoga teacher and worked with Swami Rama in USA before coming to India in 1992.

Linda Billau, BS, RYT-500. Personal assistant to Swami Veda Bharati.  A subject in the book Yogi in the Lab with an experiment done at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, California, and with meditation and yoga nidra practices done in association with surgery.

M. Ganasan, MBBS, Director of the Combined Therapy Program at Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust, Dehradun, India. Dr. Ganasan focuses on Yoga Therapy based on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and Swami Rama’s teachings. This highly individualized program takes the participant through physical postures, breathing exercises, cleansing practices, mind/ energy/body integration, leading to Self Awareness and ultimately to living in the universe itself. A disciple of Swami Rama since 1990, Dr. Ganasan had a flourishing private medical practice in Malaysia before coming to HIHT.

Ma Radha Bharati, MA and PhD work, Comparative Philosophy with an emphasis on views of the self and mind.  MA, Public Policy. Humphrey Institute Fellow. Disciple of Swami Rama of the Himalayas since 1971. Academic Director, Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama. Lecturer, Philosophy and Ethics at the University of Hawaii and other colleges. Policy Development/Program Planner/Administra­tor in Minnesota state government, USA. Yoga and meditation teacher. Contributor to Aging in America,, University of Wisconsin Press.

 

Maya Balog, RN, ERYT 500. Internationally recognized hatha yoga instructor. Since 1962 she has studied yoga (meditation, traditional hatha and the Iyengar system), theosophy, and the healing arts of naturopathy, homeopathy and Ayurveda in Europe, Canada, India, and the USA. She has been teaching classes, train­ing teachers, and leading workshops for over 20 years. Since 1981, she has been a student of the Himalayan Tradition and was initiated in 1983.

 

Moreno Toldo, MD, neurology.  Works with disabled children (due to neurological problems) at Kiran Village near Varanasi, India.   The center aims for the integrated education and rehabilitation of disabled children from poor families.  The children’s disabilities include those from polio and also those with brain paralysis, which presents a great challenge because, in addition to movement disorders, it affects the other functions of the brain: the language, the processing of visual, auditory, and tactile stimulus, intelligence, and behavior.  They also suffer from drug resistant epilepsy.  Dr. Toldo has been working on managing the medical diagnosis and functional rehabilitation and process for these children and has used hatha yoga asanas as a complement to rehabilitation physiotherapy. A leading pain management specialist from Italy, he has worked with patients suffering with headache and cranial neuralgia.

Peter J. Fabian, PT, CFP. He holds a BA in Psychology and a BS in Physical Therapy.  Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner.  International teacher of physical therapy, advanced manual therapy approaches, and yoga.  Member of the Academic Staff at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama.

 

P.K. Sachan, MS, General Surgery.  Professor and Head of the Department of General Surgery, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, India. A member of the Founding Members/Governing Body Members group of the Society of Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Surgeons of India (SELSI).

Prakash Keshaviah, PhD is Director of Nephrology and an Honorary Professor of Physiology at HIHT. He received Post-Graduate Degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Physiology from the University of Minnesota, USA. His training with Swami Rama dates back to the late 1960s.

Pratibha Mamgain, MD, PhD, Dip. Yoga. Associate professor and consultant physician in the Department of Ayurvedic Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, India. She has worked with population services international as a trainer to alternative medicine doctors and participates in the information, education, and communication scheme for the promotion of the indigenous health system. .  International lecturer and consultant.  Conducted  clinical and laboratory research on Ischaemic Heart Disease and its Ayurvedic management. 20 publications.  Winner of the Vaidya Raj Award. 

Rajeev Mohan Kaushik, MBBS, MD. Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, India.  He was awarded a Fellowship of the Indian College of Physicians in 2005 for his significant contribution towards promoting a rational combination of alternative therapies with modern medical treatment.  A Sahaja Yoga initiate. Meditator. Author of The Midnight Awakening, an account of his experience of initiation into Sahaja Yoga. He has experimented with biofeedback, hypnosis, and yoga practices. He has many publications in international medical journals and has taught in national as well as international congresses.  Former consultant and head of Department of Medicine in Libya.

 

 

Ravindra Kumar Mamgain, MD, PhD, Dip. Yoga. Experienced in Ayurveda for over 20 years, he is an Associate Professor of Ayurvedic Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, and consultant physician at the Department of Ayurveda.  Coordinator  of an  information, education and communication project for the promotion of an indigenous health system. International lecturer and consultant.   20 publications.  Winner of the Sri Vaidya Nath Ayuved Bhawan Gold Medal, Professor Hariswaroop Kulshrestha Gold Medal and the Vaidya Raj Award.

Shirley Telles, MBBS, PhD, Neurophysiology, member of the Board of Management and assistant director of research for SVYASA, the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana.   The research foundation uses scientific tools to investigate the teachings of the Vedas and Patanjali and correlate them with current understanding of anatomy, physiology, and disease.  Dr. Telles describes their  major areas of investigation as (1) the effect of various yoga practices on physiological variables; (2) yoga in rehabilitation; (3) the impact of yoga on perceptual and motor skills; (4) yoga in occupational settings, for; (5) yoga therapy in the treatment of various diseases; and (6) physiological correlates of higher states of consciousness. Published papers include: Immediate Effect of Specific Nostril Manipulating Yoga Breathing Practices on Autonomic and Respiratory Variables; Immediate Effect of High-Frequency Yoga Breathing on Attention; Yoga Reduces Symptoms of Distress in Tsunami Survivors in the Andaman Islands;   Concept of Perception According to Ancient Texts and Modern Science; and others.  Co-author of Yoga and Cancer and Yoga & Memory: Yoga the Key.

Stephen (Stoma) Parker, PsyD, ERYT 500.  Licensed psychologist with a private practice in Minnesota, USA. Adjunct assistant professor at Saint Mary’s University and at the University of St. Thomas School of Professional Psychology.  He did his doctoral training under Brad­ford Keeney, PhD, a family therapist acclaimed for experi­ence with indigenous healers. Sanskrit scholar.  International lecturer on yoga and meditation.

Sunil Saini MBBS, MS ( Surgery), Fellow UICC, Senior Consultant Surgical Oncology , Professor of Surgery. Dedicated to the service of cancer patients, Dr. Saini was inspired and trained by Swami Rama to focus on holistic approaches, quality of life issues and stress management in cancer control and research. His main interests include cost effective treatment, managing pain and other distressing symptoms, care of terminally ill cancer patients, and psychological and quality of life issues in cancer care.  Having treated many cancer patients, he is well qualified to speak about “Living with Cancer.”

Susan Gould-Fogerite, PhD in microbiology and immunology, Director of Research, The Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Associate Professor, Primary Care, School of Health Related Professions, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, USA.  Researcher in mind/body science, vaccinology, mucosal immunology, drug delivery, and gene therapy.  Lecturer. Writer. Inventor, Hatha, meditation and breathwork teacher.  Reiki energy healer. A scientific founder of BioDelivery Sciences International. 

Swami Nityamuktananda, PhD, MA, M Ed, Dip.Ed. DAD, Dip Rfl, Dip HSEC. Her doctorate is in eco-philosophy on the Mahabhutas (Five Great Elements). In 1997, she was awarded a “World-Peace Prize” (LGWPF/ NGO of UN).  She has studied theology, education, psychology, philosophy, art, design, Taoism, Zen, etc.  Author.  Traveler. Ceramic artist.  . Although she had been a Swami for several years, she confirmed her vows of Sannyasa in 2007 with Swami Veda Bharati.

 

Swami Ritavan Bharati, MA, ERYT 500, has worked with both Swami Rama and Swami Veda for the past 30 years. He holds a Master’s Degree in the Management specializing in non-profit organizations and a Master’s degree in Education with emphasis on experientially-based knowledge, as well as another Master's degree in Holistic Philosophy, the latter through the former Graduate Studies Program of the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA, with a thesis on Mantra and Meditation.  International teacher of yoga and meditation.  He has helped train numerous yoga teachers and lead many Silence and Meditation retreats.

Tacson Fernandez, MBBS, FCARCSI, FIPP Anaesthesiologist at the Imperial school of Anaesthesia, London. He has specialized in “Chronic Pain Medicine” with a subspecialty focus on spinal cord neuromodulation and lower back pain. He has worked with both psychological and interventional therapies for the management of pain and has been closely involved with the psychological aspects of pain while working with complex patient groups where all therapies including neuromodulation have failed.  The role of behavioural modeling through pain management program in these patients is vital. Dr. Fernandez has spoken about and urged the introduction of yoga into the National Health System in the United Kingdom to help “Behaviour Modeling in Chronic Pain Patients.”

Vijay Dhasmana, MA, vice-chancellor of HIHT University, is respected for his dynamic leadership and management abilities. Having recently translated several of Swami Rama’s books from English into Hindi, Vijay is very conversant with Swami Rama’s teachings.

 

 

Vijendra Chauhan, MBBS, MS. Professor & Head of Orthopaedics, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun. His interests are in the area of Traumatology, spine & joint replacement and Holistic Medicine.  Member of Presidential Body of HIHT University.   President of Uttaranchal Chapter of Indian Orthopedic Association 2006-07. He has several publications in the field of Orthopedics. He is recipient of different awards including Dr. A.K. Talwalkar Award of Bombay Orthopaedic Society for best scientific paper of the year 1988; MP Chapter Gold Medal for best paper at the Annual Conference of the Central Zone, 2004 of Indian Orthopaedics Association; Citizen Forum Award, for rendering special and distinguished medical services for the district of Saharanpur, in 1993; Award by SANKALP for rendering special services to polio patients in year 2002; Appreciation Award of Indian Orthopaedic Association December 2005. He also organized conference and workshops at Himalayan Institute and delivered guest lectures in different parts of India and the USA on Orthopedics and Yoga.

One Speaker from WASS connected with Ganga Ram Hospital – name & description to follow.

Anesthesialogist from HIHT – name & description to be follow.