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Abstract
While we have yet to answer the question “is the mind in the brain” this does not preclude us using the existing neuroscientific knowledge to inform our practices. This may be more important than ever if we want to accelerate our capacity to expand our awareness and access the benefits this brings to us personally as well as collectively. Drawing on over ten years of embodied ethnographic research sharing the neurocognitive model of mindfulness, and stemming from work with non-ordinary states of various origins, this workshop will i) provide an overview of the neurocognitive model of mindfulness; ii) demonstrate its utility in helping us understand the neural correlations of various contemplative practices; iii) explore its utility in helping us progress our training and accelerate our growth. Through a variety of practices, the workshop will demonstrate the utility of this model to support a more rapid developmental process of expanded awareness. The utility of mindfulness as a training tool is balanced against the risks of getting stuck in the conceptual. So the workshop will also look at the “edges” of the model and how we traverse “the default mode network” and beyond in psychologically safe ways.
Dr. Tamara Russell MSc, PhD, DClin
is a dedicated clinical scientist and mindfulness innovator who takes her lab out into the streets and the community. Her 20-year career combines clinical, research and innovation work across a range of settings around the world, including mental health, education, private and public organisations. Her clinical work has specialised in embodied psychotherapy with those experiencing non-ordinary states including psychosis, depersonalisation, and dissociation. Tamara has a strong interest in innovative service development (including VR/AR and integral health), education and training the next generation integral healthcare workforce. She has developed a number of mindfulness-based approaches informed by the neuroanatomy of the emotion regulation system and the interaction of mind-body. This includes Body in Mind Training (a mindful movement programme detailed in her book Mindfulness in Motion), The Tools to Transform, The Dragon Way to Mental Wealth and a mindfulness teacher training based on the neurocognitive model she will share in this workshop. As with any passionate innovator, much of this work mirrors Tamara’s own personal development journey. While the scientific models help to frame the work, ultimately, these are ultimately an offering to optimise and accelerate the journey to the heart and beyond. Tamara is the Founder and Co-Director of the Mindfulness Centre of Excellence, a think tank dedicated to next generation healthcare, leadership, education and technology.
