Meditation and Pain Management Conference Programme

International Conference on Meditation and Pain Management

February 24-28, 2009

Rishikesh, India

Meeting attendees will:

  1. Examine the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual nature of pain and stress through modern scientific knowledge and ancient wisdom traditions.
  1. Personally practice and experience the effects of Meditation in the Himalayan Tradition and related techniques, (breathing, relaxation, biofeedback, yoga asana practice, etc.), which comprise the Combined Therapy Program as originally taught by Swami Rama of the Himalayas, as well as other techniques for pain management.
  1. Understand the underlying philosophy and benefits of an integrated-therapy approach to chronic pain and stress-related disorders.
  1. Learn about related research and how these practices have been and are being applied in private, public and clinical settings.
  1. Recognize their own pain and stress-related symptoms and how to manage them in order to better serve themselves and the world.
  1. Receive numerous printed materials on techniques taught, presentations, and related articles on pain management as part of the conference welcome packet.
  1. Have the opportunity to be tested using biofeedback equipment to enhance meditation technique and reduce stress.
  1. Be able to purchase at a discount materials such as audio or DVD recordings and a manual/publication which can serve as a source of current information and a guide to meditational approaches to pain management produced from the conference.

Core Practice Curriculum:

  1. Meditation: Seated Mantra meditation, Contemplative walking meditation, other meditative techniques
  2. Pranayama: Diaphragmatic breathing, Complete yogic breath, Nadi Shodhanam-alternate nostril breathing
  3. Asana: joints and glands sequence, makarasana, gentle hatha including practices designed for specific pain disorders, mudras for pain management
  1. Relaxation: Yoga nidra (deep yogic relaxation), 61 points, progressive relaxation, sweeping breath, biofeedback
  • lectures on the latest scientific research on pain and pain management; yoga practices, such as meditation, relaxation, breathing, biofeedback, and hatha asanas, that are useful in controlling pain and reducing stress 6/30/2021 Meditation and Pain Management Conference Programme https://ahymsin.org/main/mfpm-conference-2009/mpmcschedule/print.html 2/5
  • a full day at the Himalayan Hospital Institute Trust with lectures by the faculty of HIHT,  the Combined Therapy Program, and the Pancha Karma Center and a visit to the Swami Rama Center lectures at Seema Dental College, including a lecture on dental pain management
  • a lecture on integrative therapy in clinical psychology
  • a panel discussion on the views of eastern and western philosophy on the nature of pain and its management
  • a scientific research poster session
  • evening entertainment with traditional Indian dance and music
  • small group discussions
  • and publication of conference proceedings.

Lectures on a wide range of approaches to pain management are planned

  1. Combined Therapy Approach to Chronic Stress and Pain
  2. The Nature of Pain and Pleasure
  3. The Nervous and Immune Systems in Stress and Relaxation
  4. Autonomic Balance
  5. Neurophysiology of Breathing
  6. Ayurvedic Principles of a Healthy Lifestyle, Nutrition, and Autonomic Balance
  7. Integrative Therapy in Clinical Psychology Practice; Management of Pain in Dentistry
  8. Techniques for Pain Management
  9. Research on Yoga for Stress and Pain Related Diseases
  10. Yoga in East and West in the Context of Meditation for Pain
  11. Yoga Practices for Reducing Anesthesia Needs in Surgery
  12. Biology of Pain Generation and Sensing
  13. Effects of Meditation on the Brain
  14. Use of Biofeedback to Characterize Effects of the 61 Points Relaxation Practice in Healthy and Stressed Subjects
  15. Pharmacologic and Surgical Approaches to Pain Management
  16. Pleasure as an Antidote to Pain
  17. Stress, Pain, and Heart disease and Health
  18. Management of Cancer Pain
  19. Palliative Care from the Nursing Perspective
  20. Use of Biofeedback for Stress Reduction and Pain Control
  21. Ayurvedic Perspectives on Pain and Pain Management
  22. Pancha Karma  and  Management/Treatments for Patients with Stress and Pain Related Problems
  23. Integrative Therapy
  24. Research on the Use of Music, Dance, Art, and other Creative Expression Therapy for Healing of Stress and Pain and Recovery of the True Self.