Mindfulness occurs in many varieties, and it can be cultivated in numerous ways. Yet all the various varieties contain some key elements that can have a profound impact on our everyday experience of well-being. Drawing on Buddhist sources and the latest scientific research, this talk explores the way that mindfulness can help us to gain greater insight into experience, while also allowing us to be more creative—and less caught—in the stories that we tell about ourselves. 

Speaker John D. Dunne (PhD 1999, Harvard University) holds the Distinguished Chair in Contemplative Humanities, an endowed position created through the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He also holds a co-appointment in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures, where he currently serves as departmental chair. John Dunne’s work focuses on Buddhist philosophy and contemplative practice, especially in dialogue with Cognitive Science and Psychology. His publications appear in venues ranging across both the Humanities and the Sciences, and they include works on Buddhist philosophy, contemplative practice and their interpretation within scientific contexts.

For any questions, contact Catherine Brick at the library at 920-623-5910 or email her at catherine@columbuspubliclibrary.info.