Therapeutic Meditation for Mind-Brain-Body Transformation

94 Pages·2012·1.77 MB·English

by  Annellen Simpkins

Therapeutic Meditation for
Mind-Brain-Body Transformation
Presented by
C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD and Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD
www.simpkins.radiantdolphinpress.com
Visit our Facebook Pages:
The Dao of Neuroscience
Meditation and Yoga in Psychotherapy
Meditation for Therapists and Their Clients
Annellen Simpkins, PhD and C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD
Neuro-Hypnosis
Therapeutic Meditation for Mind-Brain-Body Transformation
Presented by
C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD and Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD
Learning Objectives:
1) To describe key meditation efficacy research.

2) To explain current neuroscience findings about how meditation alters brain
structures and functions and rebalances the nervous system.

3) To summarize key brain structures and nervous system pathways and functions that
clinicians need to know including neuroplasticity, mirror neurons, and interpersonal
neurobiology

4) To appreciate the rich cultural and philosophical traditions of meditation practices
and grasp their important cognitive-behavioral correlates for applying them
therapeutically.

5) To list different meditation techniques for relieving stress, anxiety, depression,
bipolar disorder, pain, addiction, and trauma.

6) To acquire meditation skills in the varieties of meditation methods (focused, open,
and self-transcending) including breathing, mindfulness, compassion, Zazen, and
wuwei.

Presenters Biography: C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD and Annellen M. Simpkins, PhD
are psychologists specializing in meditation, hypnotherapy, and neuroscience. The
Simpkins are authors of 26 books, including their most recent releases: Zen Meditation in
Psychotherapy (Wiley, 2012), Meditation and Yoga in Psychotherapy (Wiley, 2011), The
Dao of Neuroscience (Norton, 2010), Meditation for Therapists and Their Clients
(Norton 2009), Neuro-Hypnosis (Norton, 2010), and forthcoming Neuroscience for
Clinicians (Springer, 2012), and The Tao of Bipolar Disorder (New Harbinger, 2012).
Some of their Eastern philosophy titles include the ever-popular Simple Series: Simple
Zen, Simple Buddhism, Simple Taoism, and Simple Tibetan Buddhism (Tuttle Publishing,
1999-2001) and Meditation from Thought to Action with Audio CD (Radiant Dolphin
Press, 1999; 2007). They have been practicing psychotherapy for more than three
decades. They present seminars on meditation and hypnosis worldwide. And they are
involved in several research projects. The Simpkins look at psychotherapy through the
crystal of a unique vision, which they bring to you with warmth and clarity in their books
and teaching seminars.

Seminar Overview:
Each of us, in our core nature, is healthy. But problematic behaviors, thoughts,
and feelings get in the way of expressing our deeper, true being. Meditation is a tool to
get to know this awake, aware nature. In the meditative moment, we overcome
difficulties by doing what we need and expressing ourselves as we truly are.
Learn the significant neuroscience and efficacy findings, prominent meditation
traditions, and how to integrate meditation into treatment. Experience meditation’s most
profound practices, drawn from Yoga, Buddhism, Daoism, and Zen. Discover the
different forms of meditation: Focusing (eg. Yoga meditations), Open-monitoring (eg.
Mindfulness meditations), and Self-Transcending/Unconscious Meditations (eg. Zazen
and Wuwei). Learn when to apply them for specific problems. With teaching stories, case
examples, and daily meditations, we invite you to wake up to your deeper nature and
open the path for your patients.
Schedule:
April 27: The Science of Meditation. Introduction of Meditation to the West/
Meditation Research and Therapeutic Efficacy/ Neuroscience: A brief tour through the
brain/ Neuroplasticity/ Review of significant neuroscience research/ Variety of
meditation methods: focus, open, and transcending/ What all meditations share in
common/ Learning Meditation: Honing meditative tools, a gentle introduction to use with
clients/ Training in focus meditations for mind and body: Breathing, simple postures,
pratyahara, dharana, and dhyana meditation methods.

April 28: Make a Paradigm Shift. Philosophical and spiritual meditation
traditions of Yoga, Buddhism, Daoism, and Zen/ Key concepts, cognitive correlates, and
mental training/ Integrating meditation into treatments/ Learning meditation for
therapists/ Teaching meditation to clients/ Working with special populations: The elderly
and children/ Meditation Practice: Open monitoring meditations: Mindfulness/ Gratitude
and compassion meditations/ Therapeutic Meditations for stress, anxiety, trauma,
depression, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse.

April 29: East Meets West. Integrating East and West/ Indra’s Net and neural
networks/ Discovering mind and brain / Oneness with others, mirror neurons/ The
polyvagal theory/ The social brain/ Meditation Practice: Enhancing interpersonal
relationships meditatively/ Personal meditations on relationships/ Mindful mirroring/
Chi-sao/ Discovering balance, compassion, and love in relationships/ Expanding
potential/ Broadening thinking/ Training in self-transcending meditations to activate
unconscious processes/ Letting go to movement (Qigong)/ Letting be (Wuwei)/ Koans/
Zazen/ Working with meditation therapeutically/ Review
3/29/12

C.
Alexander
Simpkins,
PhD

Annellen
M.
Simpkins,
PhD

simpkins.radiantdolphinpress.com

For
addi4onal
informa4on
visit
our
Facebook
Pages:

The
Dao
of
Neuroscience

Medita4on
and
Yoga
in
Psychotherapy

Medita4on
for
Therapists
and
Their
Clients

Annellen
Simpkins,
PhD
&
C.
Alexander
Simpkins,
PhD

Annellen‐Alex
Simpkins

The
Science
of
Medita.on

Friday,
April
27

“I
have
to
thank
you
of
America
for
the
great
a0empt
you
are

making
to
break
down
the
barriers
of
this
li0le
world
of
ours,
and
I

hope
that
in
the
future
the
Lord
will
help
you
to
accomplish
your

purpose.”



Vivekananda,
1953,
p.
184.

1
3/29/12

The
First
World
Parliament
of
Religions�
•  1893


•  Held
in
Chicago

•  Brought
great
teachers
together

Vivekananda
(1863‐1902)


•K  eynote
 speaker
 at
 the
 First
 Word
 Parliament
 of

Religions


•H  indu
yogi,
prac44oner
of
Vedanta

•S  pokesman
for
common
features
in
all
religions

•O  pened
the
way
for
scien4fic
inquiry

D.T.
Suzuki
(1870‐1966)�
•  Translator
for
the
Zen
representa4ve
at
1893

conference

•  Sponsored
in
the
US
to
translate
classics

•  Married
a
Westerner‐‐Bridged
East
and
West


•  Influen4al
teacher
and
writer
of
many
books

2
3/29/12

J.
Krishnamur4
(1895‐1986)

•I  nvolved
with
Theosophical
Society
in
India

•T  urned
down
the

role
of
world
teacher
&

disavowed
allegiance
to
any
organiza4on

•D  evoted
to
though3ul,
objec4ve,
clear

awareness
of
medita4on

Maharishi
Mahesh
Yogi
(1917‐2008)


•F  ounder
of
TM
(Transcendental

Medita4on)

•V  ery
ac4ve
career

•M  any
notables
studied
with
him

•F  ounded
a
university

•
 Funded
more
than




600
studies
of
medita4on

“Through
the
window
of
science
we
see
the
dawn
of
the
age
of

enlightenment.”













(Maharishi,
1975)


3
3/29/12

Historical
Development
of

Medita.on
Research


Early
Western
Scien.fic
Interest

Go1ried
Wilhelm
Leibniz
(1646‐1716)

•G  reat
philosopher

•E  arly
philosophers
were
the
scien4sts
of
that
period

•
 

•D  eeply
involved
in
Chinese
studies.


•B  elieved
in
the
unity
of
all
things


•C  ornerstone
of
his
philosophy

•“  I
do
not
conceive
of
any
reality
at
all
as
without
genuine
unity.”
(Leibniz,

in
Perkins
2004,
70)


•A 
primary
founder
of
modern
calculus

•E  mbraced
the
Eastern
idea
that
all
is
con4nually
changing

•M  ay
have
inspired
his
idea
of
calculus:
the
mathema4cs
of
change


4
3/29/12

Ralph
Waldo
Emerson
(1803‐1882)

•C  ast
Eastern
ideas
into
his

transcendental
philosophy

•U  niverse
has
a
divine,
ordered
nature

•S  imilar
to
the
ancient
Chinese

philosophy
of
the
Dao

•“  These
laws
execute
themselves.
They

are
out
of
space,
and
not
subject
to

circumstance”


(Emerson
in
James,
1918,
p.
43).

L.
Aus.ne
Waddell
(1854‐1938)

•E  nglish
explorer,
army
surgeon,
&
author


•S  ta4oned
in
India
with
Indian
Medical
Service

•T  ook
an
ac4ve
interest
in
medita4on

•T  ransferred
to
Tibet
and
delved
into
Tibetan
Buddhism

•W  rote
a
book:
The
Buddhism
of
Tibet
or
Lamaism
(Wadell,

1894)

•W  as
one
of
the
first
English‐language
books
on
this
topic

•F  ound
Tibetan
Buddhism
both
fascina4ng
and
strange

•C  arefully
observed
and
recorded
doctrines,
prac4ces,
rituals,

and
mantras

Early
Empirical
Research

5