The theme for the evening will be an examination of the role of narratives in a mindful Western life, from both personal experience and contemporary neuroscience perspectives. Is thinking about the world conceptually really antithetical to being mindful? What does the average person mean by self-improvement through mindfulness practice? Does it even make sense to think about living a ‘judgment free’ existence?
Guided meditation will combine elements of traditional mindfulness meditation practice and more experimental reflection on personal narrative habits.
About the speaker
Norman Farb is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto. His work examines the neural mechanisms of emotional responses to stress, distinguishing between adaptive and maladaptive habits. He is particularly interested in how mindfulness training alters a person’s sense of self, potentially transforming their perception of stress in the world.