Mind & Life Institute
210 Ridge McIntire Road, Suite 325
Charlottesville, VA 22903
website: mindandlife.org
Description of Organization
The Mind & Life Institute is an organization grounded in Buddhist contemplative wisdom. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama co-founded the Mind & Life Institute, along with neuroscientist Francisco Varela and Adam Engle. Their idea was to bridge Buddhist contemplative wisdom with modern science, to understand the mind and ultimately better the world. Mind & Life catalyzed the science of meditation and played a key role in the mainstream acceptance of mindfulness and to the incorporation of Buddhist wisdom and contemplative practices into sectors such as education and health care.
Grant(s) Awarded
In 2021, a COVID-19 Grant of $3,500 was awarded to Mind and Life Institute to support the direct and indirect costs of the production of the second season of the Mind & Life Podcast. The COVID-19 Impact: Due to COVID-19 Mind and Life Institute experienced a fundraising shortfall due to changing donor behavior and lack of in-person fundraising opportunities. The Mind & Life Podcast was launched in 2020 to explore fundamental questions at the heart of the human experience with a broader public audience. How do we understand our minds? What are the mental patterns that shape our experience—how are those patterns created, maintained, and changed? And what are the potential benefits of this understanding for individuals and society?
In 2019, a grant was awarded for $10,000 to Mind & Life in order to access a wider audience through the new Mind & Life Podcast. Through podcasts, Mind & Life will share stories of their community—contemplative wisdom, scientific and scholarly insights, and the power of contemplative practice to change mental patterns and habits. Podcast episodes will delve into meditation and science, dispelling myths and hype from current popular perceptions. The podcasts will embrace the nuances of the many kinds of Buddhist practice. What is mindfulness? What is compassion and how might it be developed? How do we construct our sense of self and what are the implications for how we relate to others?