A MINDFULNESS TALK BY DR ALAN WALLACE ON 20 JAN 2019
NUS Mind Science Centre (MSC) organised “A Key to Mental Resilience: A Meaningful Life”, on 20 Jan 2019, at National Gallery Singapore. The event was attended by distinguished guests such as Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Chairman of NUHS Board and Emeritus Professor Lim Pin, together with health practitioners, invited guests and volunteer trainers.
The key speaker, Dr Alan Wallace, founder and director of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies first defined Resilience as the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions, and restore one’s equilibrium.
Dr Wallace defined Physical resilience as a quality that is closely related to one’s immune system and vitality, while Mental resilience is closely related to one’s degree of mental balance and meaning in one’s life. Dr Wallace described Mental balance as being achieved through freedom from excess, deficiency, and dysfunction of four kinds: Conative, Attentional, Cognitive and Emotional.
Dr Wallace further explored the spectrum encompassing perspectives of Meaning, pursuit for meaning, happiness, virtue and understanding. Lecture guests were also taught and guided through Mindfulness techniques for self practicing.
The morning ended off with a vigorous Question and Answer session where members of the audience actively participated in an exchange with Dr Wallace to further their knowledge of Mindfulness meditation practice and cultivation of mental balance.
Dr Wallace ended off with a thought provoking quote by Socrates:
“I am still unable, as the Delphic inscription orders, to know myself; and it really seems to me ridiculous to look into other things before I have understood that.”
To download the presentation slides for the lecture, please click here. For more information on Mindfulness and future related courses, please contact Ms Joy Chen at joy_jiaoyu_chen@nuhs.edu.sg.
About NUS Mind Science Centre (MSC)
The NUS Mind Science Centre (MSC) is an academic research centre at the Department of Psychological Medicine under the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. The Centre aims to be a knowledge centre of excellence for psychological research, education and service with a non-drug approach. It will be unique in its distinctive Asian focus and combines the best tradition of Western scientific empiricism with Eastern philosophical thoughts.