The Heart of Asia, Right Here, Right Now: A Celebration of Asian Wisdom Traditions in Canada
22 May 2015 | 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. | Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Theatre, York University, Toronto
Presentations
Welcome by Dean Martin Singer, Founding Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University
Welcome by Justin Poy, Patron, Asian Heritage Month-Canadian Foundation for Asian Culture
Universal Spirituality: How do I Feel, in Heart, Body & Mind, Right Here, Right Now?, Asian Heritage Month Lecture by Ashley Poy
The Interbeing of Wellness Among Students in Higher Education, talk by Yu-Lin Renita Wong, School of Social Work, York University
Buddhism and Mindfulness, talk by Bhante Kovida, a Buddhist monk from Theravada (Sri Lanka) tradition, Jamaican Canadian of Chinese descent (Handout)
Mindfulness in Education, talk by Melanie Viglas, University of Toronto and Sheridan College (Resources handout)
Workshops
Workshops on sitting meditation and dynamic mindfulness (simultaneously) conducted by Melanie Viglas and Bhante Kovida.
Red Sofa Discussions
Opening words by Nelson Wiseman, Director, Canadian Studies Program, University of Toronto
Opening words by Leila Girdhar‐Hill (System Superintendent, Toronto District School Board); Craig Tsuji (Principal, Toronto District School Board); Kirk Mark (Senior Coordinator of Community Relations, Toronto Catholic District School Board); and Jody Huang (Community Relations Officer, Toronto Catholic District School Board)
The open discussion will be guided by the following points:
- What Asian wisdom practices can teach us about managing stress and pressure in daily life.
- Insight into the potential negative impact posed by our high-tech age of instant gratification on our mental health and wellbeing.
- Transforming negative emotions that arise in our daily lives into opportunities towards greater understanding, wellness & meaning.
A reception follows.
The afternoon’s moderator is Thabit Abdullah, Associate Dean, External Affairs, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University
A video gallery of the talks, workshops and red sofa discussions is available at this link.
OMNI News media report from the event
Presented by Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University
Co-presented with
York Centre for Asian Research; York Centre for Education and Community; Canadian Studies Program, University College, University of Toronto; Department of Social Justice Education, OISE, University of Toronto; Asian Heritage Month Festival 2015; Social Services Network; Buddhist Education Foundation for Canada; Aga Khan Museum; Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre; Japan Foundation
Asian Heritage Month Festival 2015 is partially funded by the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, York University, Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.