Conference Day 5 (Sat) 28th February 2009
Swami Veda opened his lecture reiterating the role of emotions in suffering due to pain. Yoga meditation works on the self-regulating mechanisms inside us to prevent and cure pain. He then explained the concept of “dhrti” and its application in meditation. Tension blocks the flow of dhrti and the internal “energy injection.” To treat pain, dissolve the negative emotion and open the blockages caused by tension.
Dr. Morar gave an overview of the Chronic Pain Management Program (CPMP) that she developed for chronic pain-patients in the Cambridge Mind-Body-Institute in Canada. The program aims to help the patients to bring about lasting changes in their lives so that, accessing their inner resources, they know how to live with their pain without allowing it to rule their lives. Teachings from the Himalayan Yoga Tradition are a major component of the program.
Dr. Moreno Toldo gave a moving presentation of his program to educate and rehabilitate children with neurological disabilities, primarily cerebral palsy at his clinic in Kiran Village, Varnasi, India. His integrative approach includes surgery, physical therapy, counseling, breathing techniques, asanas and love.
Dr.Jyoti Dvivedi talked about stress related disorders, endemic to modern life. She stressed an integrated approach (including diet, mind-body exercises, environment and lifestyle) is required in treatment. Dr. Dvivedi introduced a new area of study known as psychoneuroimmunology. This relates to the biochemical nature of our emotions and how they may cause disease in a target organ of the body.
Swami Veda opened his lecture reiterating the role of emotions in suffering due to pain. Yoga meditation works on the self-regulating mechanisms inside us to prevent and cure pain. He then explained the concept of “dhrti” and its application in meditation. Tension blocks the flow of dhrti and the internal “energy injection.” To treat pain, dissolve the negative emotion and open the blockages caused by tension.
Dr. Morar gave an overview of the Chronic Pain Management Program (CPMP) that she developed for chronic pain-patients in the Cambridge Mind-Body-Institute in Canada. The program aims to help the patients to bring about lasting changes in their lives so that, accessing their inner resources, they know how to live with their pain without allowing it to rule their lives. Teachings from the Himalayan Yoga Tradition are a major component of the program.
Dr. Moreno Toldo gave a moving presentation of his program to educate and rehabilitate children with neurological disabilities, primarily cerebral palsy at his clinic in Kiran Village, Varnasi, India. His integrative approach includes surgery, physical therapy, counseling, breathing techniques, asanas and love.
Dr. Manuel Fernandez, manager of the Meditation Research Institute (MRI) located at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, spoke about the programs and research being carried out at the Lab. The Lab offers biofeedback training to improve health conditions and for relaxation as part of its Community Services program. The Research program aims to document changes in the brain during meditative states, testing practioners from the Himalayan Yoga Tradition and other traditions. An International team of scientists has received funding for an ambitious three year study. The Education program teaches how to use and apply biofeedback techniques.
Swami Veda closed the Conference with an informal question/answer session. Topics included the role of non-violence as an antidote to pain, the timeless character of human nature, the definition of the true self (not to be confused with the psychological term “self”), and the presence of the rishis.
Name of Lecture: …Recovery of the True Self
Name of Speaker: …Swami Veda Bharati (SVB)
Program Time: …930-1030am
Location: ...Meditation Hall, SRSG
Name of Reporter: …Klara Gerrits
Main Points of the Lecture: ....
Half of our pain consists of our emotions about it. This means that we have a choice (not) to suffer. In preventing and curing pain we must discover the self-regulating mechanisms inside us. Meditation methods in yoga are great restorers in treatment of pain, as well as sleep and laughter.
In the science of yoga ‘dhrti’ is important. It is the faculty of consciousness and energy within a living being whereby the most enfeebled senses and faculties rise up and reassert their energy. This faculty, to rely on our dhrti rather than the perishable physical body, is applied in dhyana yoga (meditation). The more proficient we become in meditation, the more we’ll understand the art to turn inwards and go from there outwards.
Emotion expresses itself as tension. It blocks the energy flow that is needed for dhrti, to give ourselves an energy-injection from inside.
Treating pain in yoga consists of the following two steps:
1) To dissolve the negative emotion, go through the chain from consciousness to emotion. Identify the emotion and work on it.
2) To unblock the blockages, the tensions: apply relaxation-techniques, methods of breath awareness, yoga nidra and pranamayakosha-energizing practices.
We must choose – in a determined way - to put the mind into the reservoirs of positive energies. This requires training of the mind.
Questions and Answers…
Question: What to do when the right hemisphere of the brain is damaged and there are difficulties in handling emotions?
Answer: When one part of the brain is damaged, other parts often take over its functions. The brain has to be trained as a whole. Meditation and other yoga-practices are a great help in nourishing the brain. Neurology-research shows that different techniques of meditation stimulate different parts of the brain. In the mind of Enlightened beings all parts of the brain work in harmony. That is the natural state of the mind. We, non-enlightened human beings, are all neurotics but we agree that ‘this is a normal state’.
Use every breath to practice meditation in action. Don’t waste time. It’s all a matter of intention.
Name of Lecture: …An Integrative Approach to Pain Management in Private Practice and Group Settings
Name of Speaker: …Gita Morar
Program Time: …11-12am
Location: ...Meditation Hall, SRSG
Name of Chairman:…Peter Fabio
Name of Reporter: …Klara Gerrits
Main Points of the Lecture: ....
Dr. Morar gave an overview of the Chronic Pain Management Program (CPMP) that she developed for chronic pain-patients in the Cambridge Mind-Body-Institute in Canada. The program aims to help the patients to bring about lasting changes in their lives so that, accessing their inner resources, they know how to live with their pain without allowing it to rule their lives.
The CPMP integrates principles of psychotherapy with the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program for Pain Management as developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and the teachings of the Himalayan Tradition. The CPMP is a holistic approach in a group setting (14-18 participants, a diverse team of specialists to accompany the participants). It is an intense 12 week-program with a lot of homework, which requires the full commitment of the participant.
Dr. Morar explained the content of the program. Key concepts of the program are: knowledge about the working of the mind and the concept of stress, awareness of the state of the body and the feeling and thinking mind, and learning how to cope with negative emotions in order to live in the present. The program puts emphasis on the daily practice of techniques like mindfulness in everyday activities, sitting and walking meditation, relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, joints and glands-exercises, and meditative asana-practice.
Results of the program were then shared by Dr. Morar. Responding to questionnaires, the participants reported positive effects in improved self-awareness, lower levels of anxiety and depression, improved capacity to cope with the emotional aspect of pain and to resolve conflicts. Many of the participants reported that they continued after the program with the practice of mindfulness, meditation (especially the 2 minute-meditation!), joints and glands and asanas.
Name of Lecture: …An Integrative Approach to Managing Neurological disabilities in Children
Name of Speaker: …Moreno Toldo, MD
Program Time: …12:00-1:00
Location: ...Meditation Hall, SRSG / Meditation Research Institute
Name of Chairman: ...Susan Gould-Fogerite
Name of Reporter: …Peter Fabian
12.00 Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE HI /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA;}
Dr. Moreno Toldo (from Italy but living/working in Varnasi, India for past 3 years)
Education and Rehabilitation of Children
Kiran Village
Varnasi, India
Neurological Disabilities arise from the Central Nervous System, the Peripheral Nervous System and the Muscular System. 1.5% of children in India have neurological problems. A variety of physical and mental dysfunctions like Cerebral palsy, mental retardation, polio, etc., are a consequence of Neurological disabilities.
These disabilities can be short or long term. They can involve weakness of the body and mind. There are associated restrictions in activities of daily living. Their participation and interaction with the family and society are affected, often leading to increasing their suffering. Dr Toldo’s focus is on children with Cerebral Palsy. It is a complex problem of the central nervous system. There are significant problems with the children’s movement and posture secondary to incomplete development of the brain. Their treatment is to try to normalize these problems as much as possible. They also must deal with mental retardation and behavioral problems.
Etiology of Cerebral palsy can include: Prenatal effects, infections, diarrhea, and low birth weight below 1.5 kg. Helping the nutrition of the mother is important. There are many developmental implications from these effects to include speech problems and decrease in social interactions.
Habilitation is a lifelong process needing different approaches at the different stages of one’s life. The goal is to maximize function and minimize the disadvantages of the functional impairments.
Treatment to include: Physical and Occupational Therapy, Orthotics, Medication, Surgical correction of contracted joints for example, Visual and Hearing Aids, Speech Therapy, Psychological Counseling and support, Social assistance, Asanas (exercise like), Breathing and Meditation, Affirmations and Visualizations, Prayer, Value Education (Building good character, learning to not be their disease or impairment, Build their connection and joy with others around them), Loving Care.
He showed a moving and informative series of slides from their Kiran NGO Program. He demonstrated pictorially the various team members and their activities of intervention in a rural environment. They also have integrated a primary schooling, farming, various art activities and many more supportive activities to both the children and their family.
They also have an active vocational training program helping transition from disability to creative ability. This training can include: wood-toy workshop, bakery, horticulture, export/import, cartooning, electrical repair, and training of future staff members.
Staff development is also considered and time is given to further to help the personnel.
Name of Lecture: …Biofeedback Demonstration & SRSG Ashram Research Highlights
Name of Speaker: …Manuel Fernandez, PhD
Program Time: …2-3pm
Location: ...Meditation Hall, SRSG / Meditation Research Institute
Name of Chairman: ...Susan Gould-Fogerite
Name of Reporter: …Claire Braboszcz
Main Points of the Lecture: ....
The Meditation Research Institute (MRI) at SRSG Ashram is based on Swami Veda and Swami Rama’s wish to bring together ancient wisdom and modern science for a better understanding of the various meditative techniques and their effects on the body and the brain. Created in 2005 the MRI, the Lab has been managed by Manuel Fernandez for the last two years.
The MRI offers 3 distinct programs: Community Services, Research and Education.
- Community Services
The MRI offers to residents of the ashram the use diverse biofeedback technologies to assess or improve meditation effects on their body and brain.
For biofeedback training or testing diverse physiological states, sensors are used that are connected to a computer which then gives feedback on a given physiological activity.
For example, if the exercise is to increase temperature in one’s right hand, a temperature sensor is put on one of the fingers. Visual (a sun rising) and auditory (soft music) stimuli are given depending on whether the temperature is actually increasing or decreasing.
By amplifying very small signals from the body (electrical activity recorded on the skin, temperature etc.) or the brain (electrical activity emerging from neuronal activity) biofeedback enables one to become aware of subtle and otherwise undetectable changes occurring in their body. One can then monitor in real time one’s internal responses and learn to manipulate them.
Biofeedback training at the MRI can be used to :
- lower blood pressure by working with the breath
- increase Heart Rate Coherence (HRC assesses the regularity of the heart activity related to respiration pattern and is a key indicator of stress and a wide range of maladies – high HRC corresponds to good health)
- improve quality of diaphragmatic breathing
- increase skin temperature , useful for reducing migraines
- lower skin conductance to manage stress
- reduce muscle tension to increase relaxation
Testing the effects of meditation practice is also available. Subjects are tested before and after meditation practice on the following parameters:
- brain waves activity
- skin conductance
- temperature
- muscle activity
- diaphragmatic breathing
NB: For now most of the biofeedback training done at the MRI is to increase relaxation.
- Research at the MRI
The main goal of research activity at the MRI is to document and have a better understanding of meditation techniques from the Himalayan tradition and others. To do so the lab is equipped with an electroencephalogram (EEG) recording system (Biosemi) with 64 electrodes cap and physiological sensors for breath and skin conductance recording.
Gurukulam students enrolled for three years are tested every 3 months to assess meditation practice effects on their brain and body. These are valuable and unique data, difficult to acquire anywhere else outside of an ashram.
Research at SRSG’s lab also consists on international project involving researchers from France and the US, Dr Delorme and Dr Cahn as well as two PhD students. This project consists of testing groups of long term meditators from different traditions using the exact same experimental setup. This is a long term project that could last up to three years and give valuable and unique knowledge to the scientific community since such data has not been acquired up to now.
- Education program
The MRI aims also at exposing the staff and Gurukulam students to the biofeedback techniques so they can learn how to use them and apply them .
The session ended with biofeedback demonstrations for increasing skin temperature and heart rate coherence.
Name of Lecture. . .Use of biofeedback to characterize the effects of 61 points relaxation practice in healthy and stressed subjects.
Name of Speaker. . .Dr Jytoti Dvivedi, MD.
Programme Time. . .3pm-4pm Saturday February 28th 2009.
Location. . . Meditation Hall, SRSG
Name of Chairperson. . .Dr. Prakash Dixit
Name of Reporter. . . Adel Enderson
Main Points of the Lecture. . .
Dr Dvivedi gave an introduction to the common lifestyle diseases which occur in modern life due to the unhealthy lifestyle of the modern office worker. Whereas previously many people worked in an agriculture based environment where work was physically active, there is a switch to sedentary professions and a lifestyle high in packaged refined foods. Stress related disorders are common in people from these groups. To address these disorders an integrated approach is required looking at mind body exercises, diet, environment and lifestyle. Dr Dvivedi introduced a new topic area of study known as psychoneuroimmunology. This relates to study of the biochemical nature of our emotions and how they may cause a target organ disease in the body.
Dr Dvivedi discussed the energy field of the body, and how each organ of the body emits a different energy pulse within it. She discussed how the flow of pranic energy must be efficient to be healthy and how disease affects the energy body first. In this way the practice of yoga as a lifestyle can be beneficial for stress related disorders. She gave an example of a balanced simple diet, positive use of emotions, gentle asanas, meditation and the completion of cleansing practices including panchakarma. Dr Dvivedi discussed the importance of the breath in the regulation of emotion and stress. She described how disturbance of the mind will disturb the breath, and how the calming of the breath will calm the mind. Dr Dvivedi described how meditation is an anti stress state with relaxing hormones released, strengthening the immune system and encouraging self healing.
Dr Dvivedi discussed the biofeedback parameters for stress which include heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory pattern, moisture on the skin and muscle tension. She discussed a study of hypertension in which subjects were given training for four weeks on the use of shavasana relaxation and biofeedback. Dr Dvivedi also discussed a study in which the 61 points relaxation was used in conjunction with the biofeedback monitoring the key parameters of stress relating to Pre-Menstrual Tension. The parameters were monitored through the training and assessment stages. Outstanding effects were observed on the subjects as there was a significant fall in many of the measured stress parameters when using the technique. It was concluded that the 61 points exercise could bring a significant beneficial effect for stress related disorders. Overall it was recommended that benefits from stress could be gained from a daily practice of good diet, gentle asana, meditation and relaxation.
Questions and Answers (name of person and details of question): A question was received from Dr Ivan from Austrailia. She asked if Dr Dvivedi had considered the negative effect that a diagnosis can have on a person. For example a person going to the doctor with a problem is diagnosed in order to specify the treatment, but there can be a negative effect on that person from their identification with the diagnosis, rather than the disease/problem itself. Dr Dvivedi replied that a diagnosis can be helpful in order to identify the treatment but the effect of the diagnosis on the person can be positive or negative depending on the person. Dr Dvivedi’s husband also contributed some thoughts from his work as a plastic surgeon working on children with cleft palate and other issues at HIHT. It was concluded that doctors need to make a judicious decision to disclose or not to disclose the diagnosis. A second question was raised about the availability of aura reading machines. Dr Susikumar replied that an aura reading machine is available in Puna at the Mahrastraane Institute which can give a diagnosis regarding any disturbances of the energy centres.
.
Program Time: …8-9pm
Location: ... Meditation Hall, SRSG
Name of Chairman:…Maitra
Name of Reporter: …Lela Pierce
Main Points of the Lecture: .... Question and Answer…closing remarks.
Questions and Answers (name of person and details of question): … Laurie, Susan Gould-Fogerite, Drew Madson, Veena Maitra,
Swami Veda closed the conference with an informal question and answer session with all participants. He answered questions relating to the definition of the true self and how to speak and act from an egoless place. He clarified the integration of the yamas and niyamas by emphasizing the importance of practicing ahimsa (non-violence/non-harming). Swamiji explained that non-violence is the ultimate antidote to pain and a practitioner of non-violence will automatically suffer pain less than others. When asked a question about the violence and problems of the larger world, Swamiji stated that the problems of the world are the same as they have always been but it is the instrumentation that changes form over time. We must train ourselves so that violent thoughts don’t even arise in our own minds and this will be beneficial for all beings. After Veena Maitra commented on the conduciveness of the ashram environment toward non-violence (even to plants), Swami Veda stated that if nothing else he hoped that the conference participants would take this feeling home with them more than any specific techniques and material notes etc. He welcomed everyone to come back on their own for courses on meditation, to take a period of silence, or to just relax.