INSIGHT Forum: Buddhist Concepts in Bewusstseinskultur

The MIND Foundation and OVID Clinic Berlin invite you the third event in our new collaborative platform: the INSIGHT Forum.

Here we explore theories and practices that promote a sustainable transformation in medicine, thought-leadership, and society.

This event’s guest, Stefan Lang, is a scholar of Buddhism and experienced meditation teacher. He will lead both the Transratio segment with a meditation and give a talk in the Ratio part of our event.

The talk is titled “How can Buddhist concepts contribute to a psychedelic culture of consciousness?“. Here we will learn about and reflect practical applications of Buddhist philosophy in the realization of a Bewusstseinskultur (culture of consciousness).

Schedule:

19:00 Welcome and opening

19:15 Guided Meditation with Stefan Lang

20:00 Presentation by Stefan Lang “How can Buddhist concepts contribute to a psychedelic culture of consciousness?”

21:00 Networking Space

22:00 Closing

The next confirmed dates are:

16 April, 19 April,

03 May, 16 May, 29 May

12 June, 26 June,

04 July, 17 July

Calendar events coming soon!

Abstract 

The notion of a “Bewusstseinskultur”, or “culture of consciousness”, entails reflecting on which states of consciousness are deemed valuable, then actively cultivating them, and taking the steps that are necessary to enculturate these states of consciousness. While the concept of “Bewusstseinskultur” itself remains open to what exactly constitutes a valuable state of consciousness, and how this state should be cultivated and enculturated, the MIND foundation’s mission is to promote psychedelic research and therapy, and thus has a clear objective. However, while the use of psychedelics certainly leads to changes in the state of one’s consciousness, what exactly will change in what manner remains open as well. Researcher Ido Hartogsohn has put this well, when he calls psychedelics a “suggestible technology”, and in doing so stresses the importance of questions around set and setting. This presentation will argue that it is sensible and fruitful to use secular Buddhist concepts to further positive and sustainable outcomes of psychedelic experiences. In Buddhism there is a two-fold approach to practice: on the one hand, it is about furthering an attitude of acceptance, letting go, and not resisting “what has come to be”. On the other hand, Buddhist practice also underlines the importance of motivation, intention, and consciously strengthening states of mind that are deemed valuable and leading to the liberation from suffering. This two-fold approach goes well with psychedelic experiences. Which Buddhist concepts are suitable for an application within the framework of psychedelic experiences will be explored in this presentation.