Regulating & Transforming Emotions (2016)

 

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The 3-day conference, Cosmology and Consciousness V, will delve into the theme “Regulating & Transforming Emotions.” Each of us in our pursuit of happiness seek to cultivate experiences where we derive pleasure and avoid those that lead to suffering. Western clinical psychiatry, and psychology, have a rich history of understanding and addressing mental pain and suffering. And more recently neuroscience has described brain activity connected to reports of depression and negative emotions. Buddhist philosophy has detailed descriptions and characterizations of negative, afflictive, and destructive emotions. These are emotions that destroy peace of mind and lead to many types of suffering.

Foundational teachings within Buddhism focus on the existence, causes, and antidote to suffering. Accordingly, much of our suffering is unnecessary suffering, out of ignorance or shortsightedness — not understanding the reality of interdependence of mental phenomena. Despite understandings from both the East and West, increasingly we live in a world where people look to unsustainable antidotes; material pleasures, prescribed pharmaceutical, and self-medication through drugs and alcohol. Conference presentations and panels will explore depression, social psychology and social-emotional development, emotion regulation, personal growth, positive psychology, and well-being.