The world belongs to humanity, not leaders, says Dalai Lama: Effects of Buddhist meditation on the brain to be discussed

If you're interested in Buddhist psychology or Tibetan holistic culture and history, a new Tibetan center opens today. The Tibet House California, a place of learning about Buddhist psychology and Tibetan culture for all peoples, will be temporarily housed in the Trinity Cathedral Church of Sacramento at 2620 Capitol Avenue until a permanent house is found for the center that goes beyond a museum of Tibetan culture.

The world belongs to humanity, not leaders, says the Dalai Lama. According to an April 25, 2012, CNN U.S. article, "Dalai Lama: World belongs to 'humanity,' not leaders." The Dalai Lama explained, "The world belongs to humanity, not this leader, that leader, kings or religious leaders. The world belongs to humanity. Each country belongs essentially to their own people," he said in an interview Wednesday on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight."

The Dalai Lama also said in that same CNN article, "Politicians at times forget that, even in democratic countries like the United States. Sometimes they are short-sighted. They are mainly looking for the next vote."

Tibetan Center in Sacramento promotes dialogue between Buddhist psychology and modern psychology. Check out the May 1, 2012, Sacramento Bee article by Stephen Magagnini, "Tibet House California's opening in Sacramento draws Dalai Lama's Blessing." Also check out the website of the national Tibet House events page.

Intensive Meditiation Training Discussion

During the summer, Tibet House Sacramento will host a discussion led by Cliff D. Saron of the UC Davis, to discuss the effects of Buddhist meditation on the brain. See, UC Davis: Center for Mind and Brain: Clifford Saron. Dr. Saron's work centers on two broad areas, according to the UC Davis website.

The first is focused on the training of attention and emotion regulation through contemplative practice. Dr. Saron's main project at UC Davis is known as “The Shamatha Project” a large-scale collaborative and multimethod longitudinal study of the effects of intensive meditation training.

At UC Davis, Dr. Saron's team uses qualitative, self-report, behavioral, electrophysiological, and biochemical measures to begin to elucidate the many levels of personal and physiological change that accompany such training. Dr. Saron's second research area concerns sensory processing, multisensory integration, and interhemispheric communication in children with autism spectrum disorders.

In collaboration with colleagues at the CMB and M.I.N.D. Institute the psychologists are using sensitive behavioral measures, eye tracking, and dense channel array event-related potentials to investigate possible deficits in these low-level processes which likely contribute to the complex phenotype of autism.

Dali Lama blesses (sanctions) the opening of Tibet House California in Sacramento today

The Dali Lama has blessed (sanctioned) the opening of Tibet House California today. The Sacramento-based center is designed to promote an understanding of Tibet.

Emphasis on most Tibetan culture is related to holistic psychology and holistic health related to Tibetan culture and religion, philosophy, and psychology. The house also promotes an understanding of Tibet and its culture.

The goal of Tibet House is to recreate the historic culture of Tibet which will preserve the Tibetan culture and psychology, philosophy, holistic health and meditation writings, and faith intrinsic in the culture. Tibetans in exile hope someday to go back to Tibet and to preserve their history, folklore, and culture.

There are other Tibetan culture houses or museums that are more than museums to preserve culture and psychology located in Delhi, India and in New York. How they go beyond museums is that the Tibetan culture houses promote dialogue between Buddhist psychology and modern psychology. Check out the center's website, particularly the links that discuss Buddhist psychology connections with modern psychology.

Serious seminars are planned for all peoples to learn about Tibetan culture and Buddhist psychology. The Tibetan House is meant as a place of learning for people of all backgrounds. In Sacramento there are around 300 Tibetans. But in the rest of Northern California, estimates say about 3,000 Tibetans reside in the regional area.

The center is planning to start projects that benefit the people of Tibet, Tibetan entrepreneurs in California, and related aspects of culture. A psychologist also will advise the center. Co-directors of the center are the Rev. Dean Brian Baker, and Dr. B. Alan Wallace. Until the center finds a permanent location, it will be operated from the church.

Related videos of interest include “With My Own Eyes” – Tibet Oral History Project Video - Tibet House, and the uTube video on Tibet House Benefit Concert - Monday, February 13, 2012.