Dr. Ram, Preetha — Can Buddhism And Modern Scientific Thought Meet?

Can modern scientific methods and meditative spiritual theory compliment each other? In the past it may have seemed that Buddhist beliefs in re-incarnation, dharma and karma might not entertain scientific areas like ‘neuroscience’ or ‘evolution’ but a new project endorsed by the Dalai Lama is doing just that. The Emory-Tibet Science Initiative launched in February 2006, at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia is a historic initiative whose goal is to develop and implement a comprehensive science education curriculum for Tibetan monastics. Dr. Preetha Ram, our guest in this edition of Radio Curious, is the co-director of the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative. In our conversation we discuss how Buddhist monks respond to the modern science curriculum, how the program came to be, and how Emory University professors have responded to working with the monks, whose personal backgrounds are so vastly different from the professors’ academic backgrounds.

We spoke with Dr. Preetha Ram from her home in Atlanta on July 27, 2009 and began by asking how she enables Buddhists to understand the latest scientific discoveries as suggested by the 14th Dalai Lama.

The book recommended by Dr. Preetha Ram is “The Universe In An Atom,” by The Dalai Lama.

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Negi, Geshe Lobsang Tenzin — What Happens When Science And Buddhism Meet?

What happens when the modern scientifc world and the ancient traditions of Tibetan monastics meet? Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, our guest in this edition of Radio Curious has spent years in spiritual meditation training. He was raised in a remote village in the Himalaya and chosen at age 14 to study at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, the private school of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamasala. Geshe Negi is a senior lecturer in the Department of Religion and Director of the Emory Tibet Partnership based at Emory University in Atlanta Georgia. He also serves as Co-Director of the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative with the aim of developing and implementing a science curriculum for Tibetan monastics. His career has focused on the potential of mind to affect well-being on physical, emotional and mental levels. During our visit we discuss what it was like to move into monastic life at such an early age and how meditation can be beneficial to us all spiritually and physically.

I spoke with Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi by phone from Emory University on July 31, 2009 and began our conversation by asking him to tell us about his childhood.

The book recommended by Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi is “The Universe In An Atom,” by His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

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Grandin, Temple — What Are Our Animals Saying To Us?

What is your cat or dog thinking? Understanding animal behaviour and what makes them respond in different situations can ensure good relationships with animals around us, whether they are farm stock, pets or wild animals. In this edition of Radio Curious we visit with Temple Grandin, a person with autism and a Ph.D. in animal science. Autism made school and social life difficult for Dr. Grandin, but it made working with and understanding animals easy. In her book “Animals Make Us Human” Grandin lays out the emotional needs that all animals share and how we as human beings can respond to their needs . In this interview she explains how a cat can be trained to go through a dog agility course; successful ways for humans to avoid conflict with wild animals and provides insight on how animals brains and thought processes differ to our own.

We visited with Temple Grandin by phone from her home in Colorado on August 4, 2009 and began by asking about her experience in observing animal behaviour and using her observations in animal training.

The book Dr. Temple Grandin recommends is “Perfect Rigour,” by Masha Gessen.

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Boogie Woogie Blues

Ed Reinhart alias Earl Dixon, a marvelous pianist and local musician joins Radio Curious again in this edition. Reinhart is best know as the king of boogie-woogie and blues. With his release in the mid 90′s of “Got Some On My Fingers,” which featured tunes he crafted, the CD was a regional hit with all of his fans and it established him as a musical force locally. He has been the front man for many local boogie/R&B bands including “The Burning Sensations.” Recently Reinhart has been living in Italy and Virginia. We begin our visit by asking him about his latest projects.

Ed Reinhart visited the Radio Curious studio on the 3rd August 2009. The book he recommends is “Long Time Gone: the autobiography of David Crosby,” by David Crosby.

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