New York, September 3, 2008— The Federal University of Sao Paulo’s School of Medicine (UNIFESP) and Sao Paulo based Palas Athena Association jointly organize the ‘International Symposium on Traditional Medicine Contemplative Practices’ on September 5 and 6, 2008 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
This symposium is also organized as a part of the joint initiative taken earlier by the Office of Tibet in New York, UNIFESP and Palas Athena to promote a collaborative work between the Federal University of Sao Paulo’s School of Medicine and Dharamsala-based Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (Men-Tsee-Khang or TMAI).
The two-day conference will evaluate the scientific evidence of the efficacy of the traditional medicine; discuss the treatment of chronic diseases and other conditions by traditional medicine; discuss the role of contemplative practices for mental and physical health; and also how to deal with destructive emotions and training in compassion.
Contemplative practices have been object of scientific research for several decades, and are recently under the spotlights of the media, mainly due to their efficacy in countering modern life stress and conditions such as anxiety and depression.
On the other hand, there are evidences that traditional medicine can contribute to prevent and treat many diseases, especially those considered of chronic natures such as atherosclerosis, rheumatic and inflammatory conditions, high cholesterol, asthma, diabetes, cancer, and digestive diseases, among others.
The conference will be addressed by Dr. Pema Dorjee, a senior physician at the Men-Tsee-Khang; Dr B Nanjundaiah Gangadhar, professor of psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences; Shirley Anne Telles, a senior researcher at the Swami Vivekananda Yogananda Yoga Foundation based in Bangalore and also researcher associated with the Indian Council of Medical Research; and more than ten eminent Brazilian researchers and professors including Dr. Luiz Eugenio Mello, a leading Brazilian neuroscientist and president of the Federation of Brazilian of Experimental Biology Societies.
