Waking from the Meme Dream
1 – 3 December 2006
The talk/discussion periods will include short lectures, practical activities and discussions. The purpose is not just to learn about memetics but to explore ways of applying memetics and evolutionary theory to our personal practice. Some meditation periods will be free, others will be guided by the topics we have been discussing, such as meditation as meme weeding, or reflections on ‘who is meditating?’
Friday
6.45pm Supper
8.00 Talk/discussion An introduction to the weekend
Science and Zen
What does it mean to wake up?
9.00 – 9.15 Short meditation (guidance for beginners if necessary)
Saturday
7.15am Meditation
8.00 a.m. Breakfast
8.45 – 9.30am Helping period
9.45am Talk/Discussion Why are our minds so busy?
An introduction to memetics
Meditation as meme weeding
10.45am Break
11.00am Meditation
11.45am Talk/Discussion Viruses of the mind
Why we have the memes we do,
And how to let go.
12.30pm Meditation
1.00pm Lunch
2.45pm Talk/Discussion Who am I?
Self as a memeplex.
3.45pm Break
4.00pm Meditation
4.45pm Talk/Discussion Who is conscious?
Is consciousness an illusion?
6.00pm Supper
7.45pm Meditation
8.30 – 9.15pm Discussion
Sunday
7.15am Meditation
8.00 a.m. Breakfast
8.45 – 9.30am Helping period
9.45am Talk/Discussion If I don’t exist who acts?
The psychology of will and free will
Experiments on free will
10.45am Break
11.00am Meditation
11.45am Talk/Discussion Living without free will
The real world consequences of no-self
12.30pm Meditation
1.00pm Lunch
2.30 – 3.30pm Final discussion