S01:E13
Welcome to today’s episode. I’m joined by Dr. Michael Sheehy from the CIRCL Lab at the University of Virginia’s Center for Contemplative Sciences.
Dr. Sheehy is here to introduce the Nature Project, which bridges ancient wisdom with modern research. Drawing from the 14th-century Tibetan scholar and practitioner Longchen Rabjampa’s work “Resting in Meditation,” this study explores how specific natural settings are conducive to different meditation practices and their corresponding experiences.
The project involves developing an open sensorial meditation practice that young students then perform across various natural environments and indoor settings. Using interdisciplinary methods from cognitive sciences to environmental psychology, Dr. Sheehy’s team is investigating both neurophysiological and phenomenological effects. Their findings reveal how environmental contexts can create more conducive conditions for understanding human consciousness and contribute to reformulating contemplative practice for our modern world.