PROGRAMME

Friday, 20:45 – 21:45, Main Hall

Where Quantum Physics meets Yoga: seeking a common conceptual language for science and spirituality

Doru-Beniamin Bodea, PhD, Berlin

There have been already many attempts to bridge science and spirituality, and in this direction Quantum Physics occupies a privileged place. This modern branch of physics seems to provide the basic issues needed to formulate a more grounded and why not scientific language for describing spiritual experiences in particular and spiritual systems in general. One simple reason for this can be found in the similarities existing between the problems encountered when aiming to define consciousness – unarguably the background concept of any spiritual discipline – and those appeared when building the conceptual foundation of quantum mechanics.

In quantum mechanics a certain new aspect of reality “appears” as observable due to a quantification (state reduction) process without needing any causal explanation. The self-reflection capacity of consciousness represents the very mechanism of “appearing” of a certain new aspect, requiring no causal account of reality. 
Due to its already very wide development, quantum mechanics set aside the structural limitations of the classical framework previously used for addressing the factual reality and built its own rich and multivalent formalism.

Yet, despite its complexity, this formalism has extremely rigid axioms and is not easily adaptable to systems which are not conform to them. Thus, it has been rarely applied in the context of consciousness. Generalized Quantum Theory (also known as Weak Quantum Theory) was meant to “loosen” a bit these axioms, still retaining some of the important concepts like complementarity, non-commutativity or entanglement. The aim of this talk is to analyze some of the fundamental principles of the yoga system (and consequently the possibilities to study them) in the very promising framework of generalized quantum theory.

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Friday, 20:00 – 20:30, Studio

States of Yoga and the ability to measure them with the help of the smardwatch

Hans-Ullrich Balzer, PhD

The goal of most yoga exercises is to bring body, mind and soul into harmony, as part of a holistic approach. For example, from a physiological point of view, the electromyogram offers a way of seeing the body considering the tension and / or relaxation of different muscle groups or individual muscles. The term “mind” refers to unconscious as well as conscious nervous processes plus the cognitive processes based on them.

What is called the soul is mainly the self-reflection of all unconscious and / or conscious emotional processes. The three components reflect holistically on the human skin. This fact has made them measurable. One of the modern measuring instruments is the Smardwatch. With the help of Chrono-biological regulatory diagnostics (CRD) it is possible to analyze in detail the circadian rhythm of physiological, biochemical and immunological parameters, and the behavioral parameters, and to represent special even extraordinary states that can occur through yoga.

Doing exercises with the help of the CRD it is possible to analyze and represent the synchronization of the regulatory processes in the body. The most important vegetative parameters that reflect the state of the body, mind and soul on the skin are therefore present in the electromyogram (muscle activity), the skin resistance (emotional activity) and the skin potential (nerve activity).
Ultimately, the synchronization of the control processes of these parameters represents the unity of body, mind and soul.

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Saturday, 09:10 – 10:10, Main Hall

Osteopathy and its resonance: an osteosophical conceptualisation

Dr. Jean Marie A.T. Beuckels, DO

When osteopathy is defined as a functional pathology of the neurological state of bone, the manual approach to the dysfunctional form can not longer start from a technique point of view; it has to incorporate a sophical understanding of the manual input during the osteopathic treatment. Here, osteosophy can be considered as the theoretical conceptualising action that supports osteopathic manual medicine or therapy (OMM/T).

This sophical activity let us re-engage into the original osteopathic perspective that Life is conceptually organised through Matter, Motion and Mind and is expressed in a triune man. In OMM/T, treating causality of osteopathic dysfunction is defined as the primary action; not the ‘cleaning-up’ of symptoms. In this total perspective, next to insights in serial neuro-pathways, other parallel, multi-directional, and multi-dimensional neuro-pathways become necessary to define and explain the osteopathic causal lesional organisation of the triune man.  

One osteosophical conceptualisation in particular expresses the vast panorama of motion-input in OMM/T as an analogy with the interconnected states of water. Clinical observation demonstrates that the nervous system expresses itself as the result of similar ongoing pathways of this interconnectness and mirrors itself in the dysfunctional bony state / osteopathic state of the patient. This osteopathic constellation defines the patient’s Health.

While considering this, OMM/T becomes next to prevention and treatment of different kinds of pains and motion problems also a healing system. 
In this total system of treatment and healing, one particular way to determine the causality within the total osteopathic lesion is to keep as a physician/practitioner as long as possible the superposition of the neurological tissue states of the patient in a quantum indeterminacy. This gives the possibility to the tissue organisation to decide in co-action with physician/practitioner the way out of the osteopathic dysfunctional state. The transmission of the ‘in-formation’ during this still-point action might be supported by the concept of resonance. Here, clinical observation shows that ‘heart-perception’ of the osteopathic physician/practitioner plays a possible role in receiving this information.

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Saturday, 11:55 – 13:00, Main Hall

Optimal Peak Performance: Ultimate Diet and Ashtanga Kriyas

Krzysztof Stec, PhD, Czestochowa/ Warsaw

For millennia people looked for ways to be more beautiful, younger, stronger, faster, flexible, intelligent and overall more appealing to others. Often this search was connected with the extension of the human life span. Various methods with doubtful results were employed towards such goals, some legal and more recently often illegal (doping) with sophisticated medical technology behind it. In fact all used methods should bring one result men are after – Optimal Peak Performance (OPP). Such a way to build up OPP is described in a unique concept presented in this presentaion. It comes from the arithmetic of vitality (human life energy), which consist of two basic components; Vitality is equal to the Energy supplied by food minus the friction, or various types of Obstructions: V = E – O. One can obtain a greater V⇑ = E⇑ – O by increasing ‘E’ or by reducing ‘O’ i.e. V⇑ = E – O⇓.

The system of Ashtanga Kriyas focuses on this second approach to raising vitality. The effects of such approach, if perfected, can produce astounding and extraordinary results. On one hand one should strive to improve nutritional quality while at the same time try to remove various obstructions characterizing our modern diet (processed food, over-eating, not properly combined foods, lack of biologically active water, and lack of sufficient mastication). Ashtanga Kriyas is an advanced system of complete purification not only of the physical body but also deeply affects all other levels of the human being.

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Saturday, 15:15 – 16:30, Main Hall

Resonance – The Unifying factor of Yoga

Advaita Stoian, Copenhagen

When a westerner first approaches the Yoga tradition they discover hundreds of philosophical currents, trends, schools and methods. To a newcomer the myriad of options can seem daunting and the choices overwhelming. What should I practice? Which teachings should I follow? Sometimes the same technique even has different names in different traditions and sometimes the same name is given to different techniques. It can be very confusing for someone new to this vast domain.

However, there is much more than meets the eye and looking below the surface of the entire current of yoga one finds one of the most fascinating universal secrets that unites all these spiritual practices and at the same time defines their very reason for existence. Even though yoga is a domain of human experience that apparently developed subjectively, the results are always the same, irrespective to all the differences that can arise through subjectivity. What is the common denominator? What is the synchronizing factor that makes all these various methods always point to the same unique reality despite their apparent differences?

This synchronizing factor lies in the vibratory nature of the universe that was acknowledged by the ancient yogic sages thousands of years ago, and which modern science recognizes today. Vibration is the secret unifying factor in all spiritual yoga disciplines and the principle of resonance the key to unlock the unitary understanding of Yoga in its entirety. Deepening the knowledge about resonance allows us to strip away all the cultural appropriations from this precious world heritage which is Yoga and to give it back its original universality.

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Saturday, 17:30 – 18:00, Main Hall

Symmetry and asymmetry in yoga practice

Monica Dascalu, Prof., Bucharest

This presentation addresses the role of symmetry in the realization of deep inner harmony and balance, from the practical perspective of hatha yoga, whose name express the goal of harmonization of ha and tha, masculine and feminine, energies. Yoga as a journey towards balance implies an aspiration towards symmetry, as for the equal development of both types of energies, both types of features etc. Symmetry is perceived as a mark of beauty, harmony and balance. In the human body, the ideal of classic beauty implies (lateral) symmetry.

However, the external, structural symmetry hides the organic and physiologic asymmetry of the body (think at the heart, the liver etc.), the subtle energetic asymmetry (ha-tha, commonly referred with their Taoist denomination as yin and yang) and also a functional asymmetry. Because of these normal and healthy hidden asymmetries, the ideal of the perfect, total physical symmetry should be wisely pondered as an aesthetic criterion. The iconic image of Shiva Ardha Narishwara, which is among other spiritual symbols, an expression of the polarity in the human being, is fascinatingly beautiful, in spite of its complete asymmetry. All yoga postures reveal how healthy and balanced the yogi is.

Because of our activities and habits, there are significant differences in flexibility and strength of different joints and muscles. Very few beginners are able to realize all symmetric asanas being indeed symmetric (and relaxed). Even fewer realize the polar poses in a similar manner on both sides. Usually, one will notice that one execution may be easier or better than its opposite. From my personal experience in yoga practice and yoga teaching, I can say that not all the people feel their bodies and are able to adopt a symmetrical yoga pose, even if their body does not have striking asymmetries. Severe asymmetries in yoga practice will enhance existing problems and energetic dysfunctionality, especially in long duration execution of advanced yoga poses like sarvangasana or shirshasana. The aim of the talk is to present very simple and efficient modalities to reestablish symmetry or correctly integrate a certain needed asymmetry in both beginning and advanced stages of yoga practice.

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Saturday, 09:15 – 10:00, Studio

Neuroscience of Meditation

Cristian Barboni, MD, Bitterfeld

Despite a laudable attempt to ascertain neural markers of meditation practice and a suggested importance in informing us about the neural bases of consciousness (Braboszcz et al., 2010), a number of issues and shortcomings remain in this area of research. This may be due to a variety of reasons, ranging from simply omissions, to a lack of suitable resources to address these issues, or relative unfamiliarity with the concept of meditation as discussed in the traditional texts. A wide variety of techniques termed as “meditation” and a lack of agreement on how to best design meditation studies reflect an inadequate understanding of the ontological bases of meditation.

In this context, Rao (2011) has argued that part of the problem is that meditation research is being carried out with little or no understanding of the theoretical and cultural nuances of meditation. This material aims to bring to notice the often ignored but important aspect of definition in the existing literature on neuroscience and meditation practice. It is critical not to generalize regarding the definition, neural correlates and effects of “meditation.” This is a call for an increased emphasis to carefully distinguish between the different techniques and phenomenologically defined features of each procedure being studied..

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Saturday, 11:15 – 12:00, Studio

Natural remedies in the treatment and prevention of mild to moderate depression

Arnaldo Yoav Kaminer, MD, Malmö

Depression is a very common mental health condition and the leading cause of disability worldwide in adults under the age of 45. As such depression became a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. Most individuals with major depressive disorder report only a 50% decrease in symptoms with the use of the standard western medicine treatments for depression. There are numerous treatments at hand, including talking therapies and antidepressant medications, but their downside is that they don’t work for everyone.

There are several natural ways from yoga and Ayurveda to treat mild and moderate depression, most of these solutions can be combined with anti-depressive medicine: lifestyle changes (especially sleep hygiene), psychotherapy, meditation (and particularly mindfulness with the ability to focus on the here and now), various forms of yoga practice (both used for reducing or releasing stress and especially the use of breathing techniques which target the autonomous nervous system), increased vitamin intake (B12, folic acid or fatty acids) and phytotherapy. In this presentation, Kaminer will present key features of depression, together with potential ways of treating and preventing mild to moderate depression by using natural remedies.

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Saturday, 14:30 – 15:00, Studio

Unspecific Back Pain – Solutions found in Yoga Therapy and Modern Fascia Research

Chloe Hünefeld and Kai F. Hodeck, PhD, Berlin

In yoga and yoga therapy the necessity for the different tissues of the body to communicate with each other has long been acknowledged. Recent studies on the connective tissues of the human body confirm this knowledge from several perspectives. It is suspected that rigidity as well as lack of proper tonus can lead to limited communication – or “resonant flow” – building the ground for a number of common illnesses, like for example unspecific back pain. A combination of unfavorable habits concerning life style, posture, attitude, as well as malnutrition promotes the formation of blockages, physiological imbalance and stress.

Through the new insights of medicine considering fascia not a mere wrapping for muscles and organs, but by itself an organ of communication and perception, we start to understand one of the key factors why yoga practice and yoga therapy can serve as a treatment.

From this perspective we introduce here, targeted training and “tuning” of fascia through yoga can cause a change of fascia structure parallel to effective pain elimination. We show that it is critical to this process that practice is guided (consequently) by awareness and conscious perception.

In this talk we will elaborate this approach and discuss consequences that arise from it regarding the practice of yoga teachers as well as therapists in view of best effects.

The presentation will be supplemented with a few instructive demonstrations of fascia manipulation (specifically) suited to the practice of yoga and yoga therapy.  

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Saturday, 16:00 – 16:45, Studio

Meditation, Resonance and the Brain: The Neuroscience of Meditation

Emil Noll, MA, Copenhagen

The last 10-15 years has seen a lot of research into the neurological effects of meditation. Seen from a psychological and neurological point of view meditation is highly interesting because consciousness, the brain and meditation are very closely related. And meditation seems to be a particular effective way to study consciousness, both from a spiritual and psychological perspective as well as from a neurological perspective.

This lecture aims towards giving an overview of the research on meditation and its effects upon the brain through the process of resonance. It will explore how meditation can change the brain and its structures including the neurological networks and areas in the brain associated with mind wandering, rumination and self-referential thoughts. The lecture will also offer the presenters model of the mind and consciousness based upon the present psychological research and the ancient spiritual systems and their understanding of consciousness.

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Saturday, 17:45 – 18:15, Studio

A Life in Harmony – The Yoga of Ethics

Maria Porsfelt, BA, London

How may we live an authentic life responsibly and without fear that is also in harmony with our surroundings? Both western moral philosophy and the millenary tradition of yoga offer answers to this question that are in many ways surprisingly similar. This lecture will take a look at the common grounds and how morality now as much as ever is a practice that should be embraced as the basis for a good life. Common for both above mentioned disciplines is the idea that our actions shape our lives and what is in it. To the modern practitioner it might come as a surprise to learn that yoga deals with morality as it is nowadays often considered a practice that lets everyone live as they please.

However, traditional yoga seeks to overcome the ingrained obsession with the ego self, in the first instance by the connection to others through virtue and the insight that all beings are fundamentally connected. Being only aware of ourselves, our desires and our immediate reality can make us forget about the consequences of our actions and therefore act based on selfishness and fear. But consciously paying attention to ourselves and our actions in our immediate reality can also help us become aware of the fact that we are a part of a much bigger whole and our unique place in it.

Ethics is the foundation of yoga. Ethics is the gateway to God-realisation. Swami Sivananda
“Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life.” Einstein
“Each type of activity produces the corresponding sort of person”
― Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics

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Sunday, 10:00 – 11:30, Studio 1

Workshop “Pancha Kosha-s in the daily sadhana”, practical aspects from the lecture “Pancha Kosha, the five bodies, in the light of science”

Maria Blandine Wegener, BA, Chiang Mai

The ancient system of pancha kosha offers a clear and detailed description of the distinct levels of the being. This map of the physical and subtle human anatomy guides the practitioner to better understand the processes of resonance in his or her life, body, heart and mind. In this workshop we want to experience together resonances on the five distinct levels of the being and exploring basic methods to control and direct vibrations to our advantage in life and practice.

For this we will apply both interactive exercises to bring awareness to each of the koshas, then applying this awareness to hatha yoga to give an idea how you can use any type of yoga to awaken the distinct levels of your being even entering beneficial altered states of consciousness.
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Sunday, 13:30 – 15:00, Studio 1

Workshop “Pancha Kosha-s in the daily sadhana”, practical aspects from the lecture “Pancha Kosha, the five bodies, in the light of science”

Maria Blandine Wegener, BA, Chiang Mai

The ancient system of pancha kosha offers a clear and detailed description of the distinct levels of the being. This map of the physical and subtle human anatomy guides the practitioner to better understand the processes of resonance in his or her life, body, heart and mind. In this workshop we want to experience together resonances on the five distinct levels of the being and exploring basic methods to control and direct vibrations to our advantage in life and practice.

For this we will apply both interactive exercises to bring awareness to each of the koshas, then applying this awareness to hatha yoga to give an idea how you can use any type of yoga to awaken the distinct levels of your being even entering beneficial altered states of consciousness.
Signup here

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Sunday, 11:45 – 12:25 / 12:35 – 13:15, Studio 2

Workshop “Increasing our awareness and presence in daily life and yoga sadhana through mindfulness”, practical aspects from the lecture “Meditation, Resonance and the Brain: The Neuroscience of Meditation”

Emil Noll, MA, Copenhagen

Mindfulness plays an important role in Buddhism and in the Yoga tradition. Today mindfulness has been popularized by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who describes mindfulness as a simple but yet powerful route for getting ourselves back into touch with our own wisdom and vitality. It is an effective way to become more aware.

The present moment is a key element in mindfulness, because the mind is always trying to escape the present by projecting itself into the past or future. Mindfulness is a state of mind, a state of consciousness, pure consciousness and awareness. It is an innate human capacity to deliberately pay full attention to where we are, to the present moment and to our actual experiences.

This workshop will explore some of the key elements in mindfulness and introduce several techniques, which can be applied in the yoga class and in our daily life.
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