This work presents a innovative ontological framework centered on the primacy of differentiation, offering a profound rethinking of being, consciousness, and relationality. Drawing from philosophy, science, religion, and technology, the author articulates a layered model of reflexive differentiation (R0–R7), which charts the emergence of complexity—from biological individuation to ethical...
This book is the first to systematically explore the kata practice of the Japanese pathways arts as a philosophical discipline. Drawing on Buddhist sources, it develops a conception of practice that takes bodily postures and movement patterns not only as objects, but also as methods of inquiry. Through engagement with Zen meditation, breathing practice, tea ceremony, Nō theatre, and martial...
The phenomenological experience of being immersed while listening to music is one that has been extensively described by literary writers, and is widely experienced by human listeners across cultures. The scientific understanding of the absorption state is however rudimentary. Absorption refers to becoming deeply immersed without distraction. This research project seeks to advance our...
In 2022, the journal Cogent Psychology published my paper entitled “The Trans-Theoretical Model for Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Paradigm for Systematically Advancing Evidence-Based Practice and Research.” The paper traced the three historical waves of cognitive behavioral therapy (behavioral, cognitive, and mindfulness/acceptance-based) and introduced the Trans-Theoretical Model for...
In this paper I gather core definitional components of yogic Gnosticism (aka jñāna-yoga/ the yoga of knowledge), which I produced for a forthcoming monograph (Metaphysics as Therapy, Springer, April 2025) on the use of taxonomy in the spiritual exercises of gnostic yogas. I highlight the historical significance of this elite form of yogic cultivation and its general neglect within the emerging...
Explore2025Anne Kennard, Jennifer Clinkenbeard, Erin Gillespie et al.
To evaluate how a year-long Contemplative Medicine Fellowship impacts physician burnout, moral injury, work-life integration, meaning, capacity for compassion, and professional resilience. A pre-post survey observational study using a combination of validated survey tools and questionnaire items authored by the research team. The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care (NYZC), an educational...
Mindfulness research is hampered by the multiplicity of definitions of mindfulness. This heterogeneity, as reflected in the variability of mindfulness scales, limits the ability to generalize findings and hinders attempts to synthesize available studies. This paper explores traditional and contemporary definitions of mindfulness, aiming to extract core components and provide a refined and...
This pilot study aimed to investigate brain functional activity and connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) in Tibetan monks during meditation. The meditative practice was based on Buddhist techniques requiring focused attention and the “dissolution” of mental imagery. Three monks participated in the experiment, two of whom underwent two...
Over the past few decades, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have gained considerable attention for their potential benefits in mental and physical health domains.Initially rooted in Buddhist traditions, mindfulness has been adapted into various therapeutic approaches, most notably mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.These interventions integrate...
While the beneficial impacts of meditation are increasingly acknowledged, its underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. We examined the electrophysiological brain signals of expert Buddhist monks during two established meditation methods known as Samatha and Vipassana, which employ focused attention and open-monitoring technique. By combining source-space magnetoencephalography...