For nearly a decade, I’ve been attending an amazing conference called SAND which stands for Science and Non-Duality. The event brings together scientific thinkers, technologists, academics and the spiritual community all under one roof in San Jose, California in late October.
Here’s the jist of what the event’s about and what they attempt (through their speakers) to teach and share:
For most of human history we’ve been trying to comprehend who we are through the lens of spiritual traditions. Then the Age of Enlightenment ushered in science, giving us a powerful new way to look at ourselves. New disciplines such as cognitive neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, quantum physics and genetics are delivering fascinating findings, redefining our view of reality and human nature. At the same time, there is a new conversation emerging in spirituality.
SAND aims to challenge the traditional view of spirituality as esoteric, transcendent and removed from daily life.
This year at SAND, they will be bringing together some of the brightest minds in science along with spiritual teachers from various traditions, to expand and deepen our understanding and experience of what it means to be human. Through these two lenses – of science and spirituality – they will ask and discuss:
- What does it means to be fully human and fully alive?
- What can evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and psychology tell us about human behavior?
- What are emotions, and how does trauma lodge in our bodies?
- How does language shape the way we think and perceive reality?
- What can we learn from the new science of psychedelics?
- How are mathematics, physics and cosmology redefining reality?
Understanding our humanity, the very essence of who we are and how we live our lives, is one of the deepest mysteries and biggest challenges. As we move into this exploration, what emerges is a completely new relationship to our spiritual life and to our idea of what an integrated human being might look like.
Embracing our humanness means including our limitations and shortcomings as well as our unlimited potential, our suffering as well as our wholeness. When our heart opens to all of it, the truth of who we are begins to shine. The spiritual search is over. There is no refuge but this moment. We become lovers of what is.
SAND is also able to offer CE’s for clinicians through Cassidy Seminars at the 2018 conference! Find a list of their CE-eligible presentations and pre-conference workshops. This list will be updated as new ones are added.
Here’s my article on SAND from last year which includes a short video we put together on some of the activities and speakers.
They have offered a 10% discount code for our readers and followers, so if you or anyone you know may find this interesting (we really love this event), here’s the special link!! The 10% discount code is WEBLOGSAND18
BTW, you can also use it for day passes too I believe which is obviously less if you only want to commit to one day the first year. Join us for five days (or less) contemplating and celebrating our humanity!
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
