Martijn van Beek | Aarhus University (original) (raw)

Papers by Martijn van Beek

The emergent field of contemplative studies and science is by definition multidisciplinary. Colla... more The emergent field of contemplative studies and science is by definition multidisciplinary. Collaborations have developed inside and outside of the academy - between the humanities, cognitive and behavioral sciences, between scholars and contemplatives, and between national and international partners - that cut across institutional and disciplinary boundaries in multiple ways. Drawing on experiences with applied and basic research projects, we discuss institutional, methodological and cultural challenges in the study of contemplative practice. Working closely with practitioners - and as practitioners and scholars, as is the case for some of us - has presented us with greater appreciation for the considerable work that remains to be done if the promise of, e.g., Francisco Varela's vision for a contemplative science of consciousness is to be realized. Important elements in this are: a creative rethinking of the meaning, scope and methods of experimental research; a critical-constr...

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2017

In our society where interest in Buddhist meditation is expanding enormously, numerous scientific... more In our society where interest in Buddhist meditation is expanding enormously, numerous scientific studies are now conducted on the neurophysiological effects of meditation practice and on the neural correlates of meditative states. However, very few studies have been conducted on the experience associated with contemplative practice: what it is like to meditate from instant to instant, at different stages of the practiceremains almost invisible in contemporary contemplative science. New concrete "micro-phenomenological" interview methods have recently been designed to help us become aware of our lived experience and describe it with rigor and precision. The present article presents the results of a pilot project aiming at applying these methods to the description of meditative experience. The first part of the article describes these methods and the adjustments made to them in order to investigate meditative experience. The second part provides micro-phenomenological descriptions of two processes of which meditation practice enables the practitioner to become aware: a) the twofold process of loss of contact with the current situation and generation of virtual ones in "mind-wandering" episodes, and the process of regaining and maintaining contact with the present situation induced by meditation practice; b) the premises of the emergence of a thought. The third part of the article highlights the interest of such descriptions for meditation practitioners and meditation teachers, defines the status of these results and outlines the research directions they open.

Anthology - Anatomical Theatre, 2018

Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences

Micro-phenomenology is an interview and analysis method for investigating subjective experience. ... more Micro-phenomenology is an interview and analysis method for investigating subjective experience. As a research tool, it provides detailed descriptions of brief moments of any type of subjective experience and offers techniques for systematically comparing them. In this article, we use an auto-ethnographic approach to present and explore the method. The reader is invited to observe a dialogue between two authors that illustrates and comments on the planning, conducting and analysis of a pilot series of five micro-phenomenological interviews. All these interviews asked experienced researchers of micro-phenomenology to browse their memories to identify one successful and one challenging instance of working with micro-phenomenology. The interview then focused on this reflective task to investigate whether applying the method to itself might reveal quality criteria. The article starts by presenting a shortened and edited version of the first of these interviews. Keeping the dialogue form...

Tidsskriftet Antropologi, Dec 1, 2000

1. Varieties of Secularism - in Asia and in Theory, Nils Bubandt and Martijn van Beek 2. Mimetic ... more 1. Varieties of Secularism - in Asia and in Theory, Nils Bubandt and Martijn van Beek 2. Mimetic Re-enchantment: The Contemporary Chinese State and Tibetan Religious Leadership, Robert Barnett 3. Unyoking the Political from the Religious: Secularisation and Democratisation in the Tibetan Community in Exile, Trine Brox 4. Enlightened Democracy: Normative Secularism and Spiritual Authority on the Margins of Indian Politics, Martijn van Beek 5. Secularism and the Kashmir Dispute, Martin Sokefeld 6. Laiklik and Legitimation in Rural Eastern, Xinjiang Chris Hann 7. Being Muslim the Ironic Way. Secularism, Religion and Irony in Post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan, Maria Louw 8. Sectarian Secularism. The Role of Secularities in Bahrain, Thomas Fibiger 9. Shadows of Secularism: Money Politics, Spirit Politics, and the Law in an Indonesian Election, Nils Bubandt 10. The Rebel and the Diplomat: Revolutionary Spirits, Sacred Legitimation, and Democracy in Timor-Leste, Maj Nygaard-Christensen 11. Secularity and Religiosity: Holy Spaces and the Battle for Administrative Control over Land in Bangkok, Michael Herzfeld

Intellectica Revue de l Association pour la Recherche Cognitive, 2017

Dans notre société où l'intérêt pour la méditation Bouddhiste connaît un engouement considérable,... more Dans notre société où l'intérêt pour la méditation Bouddhiste connaît un engouement considérable, de nombreuses études sont maintenant menées sur les effets neurophysiologiques de la pratique méditative, et sur les corrélats neurophysiologiques des états méditatifs. Mais très peu d'études ont été conduites sur l'expérience de la pratique contemplative : ce que vit le méditant, instant après instant, aux différents stades de sa pratique, demeure presque invisible dans les sciences contemplatives contemporaines. Récemment, des méthodes d'entretien "microphénoménologiques" ont été développées pour nous aider à prendre conscience de notre expérience et à la décrire avec rigueur et précision. Cet article présente les résultats d'une étude pilote visant à appliquer ces méthodes à la description de l'expérience méditative. La première partie de l'article décrit ces méthodes et leur adaptation à l'étude de l'expérience méditative. La seconde partie fournit des descriptions micro-phénoménologiques de deux processus dont la pratique permet au méditant de prendre conscience : le processus de perte de contact avec la situation présente et de génération d'une scène virtuelle dans les épisodes de "dérive attentionnelle", et le processus d'émergence d'une pensée. La troisième partie met en évidence l'intérêt de telles descriptions pour les pratiquants et pour les instructeurs de méditation, définit le statut de ces résultats, et propose des pistes de recherche. Cet article ne décrit pas un état de conscience extraordinaire qui pourrait être induit par la pratique méditative, mais l'état de conscience modifié très ordinaire consistant à s'absenter de la situation présente pour s'absorber dans une situation virtuelle. Il propose une méthode permettant de produire une description "micro-phénoménologique" de la dynamique d'émergence et de résorption d'un état de conscience modifié.

Journal of Consciousness Studies, 2017

In our society, where interest in Buddhist meditation is expanding enormously, numerous scientifi... more In our society, where interest in Buddhist meditation is expanding enormously, numerous scientific studies are now conducted on the neurophysiological effects of meditation practices and on the neural correlates of meditative states. However, very few studies have been conducted on the experience associated with contemplative practice: what it is like to meditate -- from moment to moment, at different stages of practice -- remains almost invisible in contemporary contemplative science. Recently, 'micro-phenomenological' interview methods have been developed to help us become aware of lived experience and describe it with rigour and precision. The present article presents the results of a pilot project1 aimed at applying these methods to the description of meditative experience. The first part of the article describes these methods and their adjustment for the investigation of meditative experience. The second part provides micro- phenomenological descriptions of two processe...

The modern history of Ladakh has been profoundly shaped by influences from South Asia and beyond.... more The modern history of Ladakh has been profoundly shaped by influences from South Asia and beyond. In detailed empirical case-studies the contributors document and analyse change and continuities in this region brought about by colonialism, independence and modernisation. In an introductory review essay highlighting emerging themes and continuing debates in the scholarship on Ladakh, the editors argue for the need to situate Ladakh in an Indian and South Asian context, while also taking into account its cultural, linguistic and historical ties with Tibet. Studies from the neighbouring (sub)regions of Kargil, Ladakh, Zangskar and Baltistan are brought together to make an important contribution to the anthropological and sociological literature on development and modernity, as well as to Ladakh, Tibetan and South Asian studies.

Himalaya: The Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies, 2020

Historically, Ladakh has shared a common literary heritage with Tibet. The spoken language is cl... more Historically, Ladakh has shared a common literary heritage with Tibet. The spoken
language is closely related to Tibetan and in earlier times both Buddhist religious texts
and administrative documents were writen in Tibetan script. However, the region has been politically aligned with South Asia since the mid-19th century. Nearly half its indigenous population are Muslims, and its inhabitants have been exposed to a range of other linguistic infuences, notably from Urdu, Hindi and English. Successive generations of local scholars have therefore struggled with the question how best to preserve and promote Ladakh’s literary connection with the wider Tibetan Buddhist
cultural arena.
In this essay we show how the Indian scholar and social activist Rahul Sankrityayan (1893-1963) sought to meet this challenge, working together with his Ladakhi colleague Tsetan Phuntsog (1907-1973). In 1933 the two men compiled a set of four readers and a grammar. The books were innovative in that—unlike traditional Tibetan educational materials—they were graded according to the levels of achievement of children studying in diferent classes. Moreover, they were printed by the Baptist Mission Press in Calcuta (Kolkata) using a font developed by a Christian missionary. The contents included original articles and poetry by Ladakhi authors, as well as selections from Aesop’s fables, local folksongs and extracts from the work of the Tibetan lama Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251). The language is literary Tibetan rather than Ladakhi colloquial.
The essay is based on a close examination of the readers and the grammar, as well as associated archival materials. It begins with a review of earlier Western-style Tibetan-language textbooks before presenting a detailed analysis of the contents of the 1933 books. In conclusion, we review more recent linguistic developments in Ladakh. Ladakhi textbooks in Tibetan script are still aligned with literary Tibetan rather than the spoken language.

When the first Ladakh Hill Development Council (Leh) was sworn in on 3 September 1995, Le.h Distr... more When the first Ladakh Hill Development Council (Leh) was sworn in on 3 September 1995, Le.h District in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir regained a measure of the autonomy that the Kingdom of Ladakh had lost in the 1830s. 1 The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Deve lopment Councils Act 1995 , decreed by the Pres id e nt a few months earli er, signified a major co ncess ion on the part of State and Central Government, especially considering the strategic and political importance of Ladakh in the overall Kashmir issue.2The 'Reasons for Enactment' accompanying the Act sugges t a straightforward justification: a remote mountain region in need and desirous of decentralization of decision making is g iven its own administrative body. At first glance, then, this is the stuff that many indigenous peoples, many marginal groups in India and around the world, dream about: a responsive government recognizes the legitimate desires of a minority with a distinct identity. The Indian press hailed the institution of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh (LAHDeC), with hea dlines such as "A New Beginning"3 (Bagla , 1995); the Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, sent his congratulations to "the brave people of Leh" and expressed his conviction that "this would give tremendous boost to the developmental activi ties in Leh and meet the aspirations of the people of the region for all round progress "4; the Home 1 Conquered by the Dogra state a few years earlier, Ladakh was an integral part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir that was created through the Treaty of Amr.itsar of 1842. While few Ladakhis would challenge the reg ion 's association with India, the link with Kas hni.ir has remained contentious. 2 See (India, 1995) for the full text of the Act. This text is also available online at the website of The Mountain Forum (http://www .mtnforum.org). 3 Pallava Bag Ia (1995) in Frontline.

Preface The International Association for Ladakh Studies Henry Osmaston: The First Chapter The Sa... more Preface The International Association for Ladakh Studies Henry Osmaston: The First Chapter The Salt Trade: Rupshu's Annual Trek to Tso Kar An Eighteenth-Century Bhutanese Lama's Journey to Ladakh The Tibetanisation of European Steel Stoves in Ladakh Whither Ladakh Education? The Development of Ecological Agriculture in Ladakh and Strategies for Sustainable Development Mountain Deities among the Nomadic Communities of Kharnak (Eastern Ladakh) Women's Development and Education in Kargil District Tibetan Literary Language and Ladakhi Speech: A Continuity Twin Peaks: The Two Shiite Factions of the Suru Valley The smyung gnas Fast in Zangskar: How Liminality Depends on Structure Gender, Modernisation, and Change in Ladakh Yangthang in West Ladakh: An Analysis of the Economic and Socio-cultural Structure of a Village and Its Relation with Its Monastery Ancient Painted Pottery from Ladakh The Scope of Tourism in Kargil District The Wrath of Rahu: Remarks on the Observation of S...

considering the strategic and political importance of Ladakh in the overall Kashmir issue 2 The' ... more considering the strategic and political importance of Ladakh in the overall Kashmir issue 2 The' Reasons for Enactment' accompanying the Act suggest a straightforward justification: a remote mountain region in need and desirous of decentralization of decision making is given its own administrative body. At first glance, then, this is the stuff that many indigenous peoples, many marginal groups in India and around the world, dream abollt: a responsive government recognizes the legitimate desires of a minority with a distinct identity. The Indian press hailed the institution of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh (LAHDeC), with headlines such as "A New Beginning"] (Bagla, 1995); the Prime Minister, P.Y. Narasimha Rao, sent his congratulations to "the brave people of Leh" and expressed his conviction that "this would gi ve tremendous boost to the developmental activities in Leh and meet the aspirations of the people of the region for all round progr~s ,,4; the Home I Conquered by the Dogra state a few years earlier, Ladakh was an integral part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir that was created through the Treaty of Amritsar of 1842. While few Ladakhis would challenge the region's association with India, the link with Kashmir has remained contentious. 2 See (India, 1995) for the full text of the Act. This text is also available online at the website of The Mountain Forum (http://www.mtnforum.org).

Ethnographic Explorations of the Postcolonial State, 2001

Page 373. PUBLIC SECRETS, CONSCIOUS AMNESIA, AND THE CELEBRATION OF AUTONOMY FOR LADAKH Martijn v... more Page 373. PUBLIC SECRETS, CONSCIOUS AMNESIA, AND THE CELEBRATION OF AUTONOMY FOR LADAKH Martijn van Beek Die Welt ist einmalig. Das blofle Nachsprechen der Momente, die immer und immer wieder ...

Page 1. Tibetan Medicine among the Buddhist Dards of Ladakh Stephan Kloos (Vienna: Wiener Studien... more Page 1. Tibetan Medicine among the Buddhist Dards of Ladakh Stephan Kloos (Vienna: Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde : 2004) Table of Contents Foreword 1. Introduction 1.1. Aim of research 1.2. Scientific Context 1.3. Outline and framework ...

Journal of Neuroscience, 2012

Mindfulness meditation is a set of attention-based, regulatory, and self-inquiry training regimes... more Mindfulness meditation is a set of attention-based, regulatory, and self-inquiry training regimes. Although the impact of mindfulness training (MT) on self-regulation is well established, the neural mechanisms supporting such plasticity are poorly understood. MT is thought to act through interoceptive salience and attentional control mechanisms, but until now conflicting evidence from behavioral and neural measures renders difficult distinguishing their respective roles. To resolve this question we conducted a fully randomized 6 week longitudinal trial of MT, explicitly controlling for cognitive and treatment effects with an active-control group. We measured behavioral metacognition and whole-brain blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals using functional MRI during an affective Stroop task before and after intervention in healthy human subjects. Although both groups improved significantly on a responseinhibition task, only the MT group showed reduced affective Stroop conflict. Moreover, the MT group displayed greater dorsolateral prefrontal cortex responses during executive processing, consistent with increased recruitment of top-down mechanisms to resolve conflict. In contrast, we did not observe overall group-by-time interactions on negative affect-related reaction times or BOLD responses. However, only participants with the greatest amount of MT practice showed improvements in response inhibition and increased recruitment of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and right anterior insula during negative valence processing. Our findings highlight the importance of active control in MT research, indicate unique neural mechanisms for progressive stages of mindfulness training, and suggest that optimal application of MT may differ depending on context, contrary to a one-size-fits-all approach.

Current Opinion in Psychology

Numerous scientific studies are conducted on the neurophysiological effects of meditation practic... more Numerous scientific studies are conducted on the neurophysiological effects of meditation practices and on the neural correlates of meditative states. However, very few studies have been conducted on the experience associated with contemplative practice: what it is like to meditate - from moment to moment, at different stages of different forms of practice - remains almost invisible in contemporary contemplative science. Recently, 'micro-phenomenological' interview methods have been developed to help us become aware of lived experience and describe it with rigor and precision. This article presents the results of a pilot project aiming at applying these methods to the description of meditative experience, and highlights the interest of such descriptions for understanding, practicing and teaching meditation.

The emergent field of contemplative studies and science is by definition multidisciplinary. Colla... more The emergent field of contemplative studies and science is by definition multidisciplinary. Collaborations have developed inside and outside of the academy - between the humanities, cognitive and behavioral sciences, between scholars and contemplatives, and between national and international partners - that cut across institutional and disciplinary boundaries in multiple ways. Drawing on experiences with applied and basic research projects, we discuss institutional, methodological and cultural challenges in the study of contemplative practice. Working closely with practitioners - and as practitioners and scholars, as is the case for some of us - has presented us with greater appreciation for the considerable work that remains to be done if the promise of, e.g., Francisco Varela's vision for a contemplative science of consciousness is to be realized. Important elements in this are: a creative rethinking of the meaning, scope and methods of experimental research; a critical-constr...

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2017

In our society where interest in Buddhist meditation is expanding enormously, numerous scientific... more In our society where interest in Buddhist meditation is expanding enormously, numerous scientific studies are now conducted on the neurophysiological effects of meditation practice and on the neural correlates of meditative states. However, very few studies have been conducted on the experience associated with contemplative practice: what it is like to meditate from instant to instant, at different stages of the practiceremains almost invisible in contemporary contemplative science. New concrete "micro-phenomenological" interview methods have recently been designed to help us become aware of our lived experience and describe it with rigor and precision. The present article presents the results of a pilot project aiming at applying these methods to the description of meditative experience. The first part of the article describes these methods and the adjustments made to them in order to investigate meditative experience. The second part provides micro-phenomenological descriptions of two processes of which meditation practice enables the practitioner to become aware: a) the twofold process of loss of contact with the current situation and generation of virtual ones in "mind-wandering" episodes, and the process of regaining and maintaining contact with the present situation induced by meditation practice; b) the premises of the emergence of a thought. The third part of the article highlights the interest of such descriptions for meditation practitioners and meditation teachers, defines the status of these results and outlines the research directions they open.

Anthology - Anatomical Theatre, 2018

Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences

Micro-phenomenology is an interview and analysis method for investigating subjective experience. ... more Micro-phenomenology is an interview and analysis method for investigating subjective experience. As a research tool, it provides detailed descriptions of brief moments of any type of subjective experience and offers techniques for systematically comparing them. In this article, we use an auto-ethnographic approach to present and explore the method. The reader is invited to observe a dialogue between two authors that illustrates and comments on the planning, conducting and analysis of a pilot series of five micro-phenomenological interviews. All these interviews asked experienced researchers of micro-phenomenology to browse their memories to identify one successful and one challenging instance of working with micro-phenomenology. The interview then focused on this reflective task to investigate whether applying the method to itself might reveal quality criteria. The article starts by presenting a shortened and edited version of the first of these interviews. Keeping the dialogue form...

Tidsskriftet Antropologi, Dec 1, 2000

1. Varieties of Secularism - in Asia and in Theory, Nils Bubandt and Martijn van Beek 2. Mimetic ... more 1. Varieties of Secularism - in Asia and in Theory, Nils Bubandt and Martijn van Beek 2. Mimetic Re-enchantment: The Contemporary Chinese State and Tibetan Religious Leadership, Robert Barnett 3. Unyoking the Political from the Religious: Secularisation and Democratisation in the Tibetan Community in Exile, Trine Brox 4. Enlightened Democracy: Normative Secularism and Spiritual Authority on the Margins of Indian Politics, Martijn van Beek 5. Secularism and the Kashmir Dispute, Martin Sokefeld 6. Laiklik and Legitimation in Rural Eastern, Xinjiang Chris Hann 7. Being Muslim the Ironic Way. Secularism, Religion and Irony in Post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan, Maria Louw 8. Sectarian Secularism. The Role of Secularities in Bahrain, Thomas Fibiger 9. Shadows of Secularism: Money Politics, Spirit Politics, and the Law in an Indonesian Election, Nils Bubandt 10. The Rebel and the Diplomat: Revolutionary Spirits, Sacred Legitimation, and Democracy in Timor-Leste, Maj Nygaard-Christensen 11. Secularity and Religiosity: Holy Spaces and the Battle for Administrative Control over Land in Bangkok, Michael Herzfeld

Intellectica Revue de l Association pour la Recherche Cognitive, 2017

Dans notre société où l'intérêt pour la méditation Bouddhiste connaît un engouement considérable,... more Dans notre société où l'intérêt pour la méditation Bouddhiste connaît un engouement considérable, de nombreuses études sont maintenant menées sur les effets neurophysiologiques de la pratique méditative, et sur les corrélats neurophysiologiques des états méditatifs. Mais très peu d'études ont été conduites sur l'expérience de la pratique contemplative : ce que vit le méditant, instant après instant, aux différents stades de sa pratique, demeure presque invisible dans les sciences contemplatives contemporaines. Récemment, des méthodes d'entretien "microphénoménologiques" ont été développées pour nous aider à prendre conscience de notre expérience et à la décrire avec rigueur et précision. Cet article présente les résultats d'une étude pilote visant à appliquer ces méthodes à la description de l'expérience méditative. La première partie de l'article décrit ces méthodes et leur adaptation à l'étude de l'expérience méditative. La seconde partie fournit des descriptions micro-phénoménologiques de deux processus dont la pratique permet au méditant de prendre conscience : le processus de perte de contact avec la situation présente et de génération d'une scène virtuelle dans les épisodes de "dérive attentionnelle", et le processus d'émergence d'une pensée. La troisième partie met en évidence l'intérêt de telles descriptions pour les pratiquants et pour les instructeurs de méditation, définit le statut de ces résultats, et propose des pistes de recherche. Cet article ne décrit pas un état de conscience extraordinaire qui pourrait être induit par la pratique méditative, mais l'état de conscience modifié très ordinaire consistant à s'absenter de la situation présente pour s'absorber dans une situation virtuelle. Il propose une méthode permettant de produire une description "micro-phénoménologique" de la dynamique d'émergence et de résorption d'un état de conscience modifié.

Journal of Consciousness Studies, 2017

In our society, where interest in Buddhist meditation is expanding enormously, numerous scientifi... more In our society, where interest in Buddhist meditation is expanding enormously, numerous scientific studies are now conducted on the neurophysiological effects of meditation practices and on the neural correlates of meditative states. However, very few studies have been conducted on the experience associated with contemplative practice: what it is like to meditate -- from moment to moment, at different stages of practice -- remains almost invisible in contemporary contemplative science. Recently, 'micro-phenomenological' interview methods have been developed to help us become aware of lived experience and describe it with rigour and precision. The present article presents the results of a pilot project1 aimed at applying these methods to the description of meditative experience. The first part of the article describes these methods and their adjustment for the investigation of meditative experience. The second part provides micro- phenomenological descriptions of two processe...

The modern history of Ladakh has been profoundly shaped by influences from South Asia and beyond.... more The modern history of Ladakh has been profoundly shaped by influences from South Asia and beyond. In detailed empirical case-studies the contributors document and analyse change and continuities in this region brought about by colonialism, independence and modernisation. In an introductory review essay highlighting emerging themes and continuing debates in the scholarship on Ladakh, the editors argue for the need to situate Ladakh in an Indian and South Asian context, while also taking into account its cultural, linguistic and historical ties with Tibet. Studies from the neighbouring (sub)regions of Kargil, Ladakh, Zangskar and Baltistan are brought together to make an important contribution to the anthropological and sociological literature on development and modernity, as well as to Ladakh, Tibetan and South Asian studies.

Himalaya: The Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies, 2020

Historically, Ladakh has shared a common literary heritage with Tibet. The spoken language is cl... more Historically, Ladakh has shared a common literary heritage with Tibet. The spoken
language is closely related to Tibetan and in earlier times both Buddhist religious texts
and administrative documents were writen in Tibetan script. However, the region has been politically aligned with South Asia since the mid-19th century. Nearly half its indigenous population are Muslims, and its inhabitants have been exposed to a range of other linguistic infuences, notably from Urdu, Hindi and English. Successive generations of local scholars have therefore struggled with the question how best to preserve and promote Ladakh’s literary connection with the wider Tibetan Buddhist
cultural arena.
In this essay we show how the Indian scholar and social activist Rahul Sankrityayan (1893-1963) sought to meet this challenge, working together with his Ladakhi colleague Tsetan Phuntsog (1907-1973). In 1933 the two men compiled a set of four readers and a grammar. The books were innovative in that—unlike traditional Tibetan educational materials—they were graded according to the levels of achievement of children studying in diferent classes. Moreover, they were printed by the Baptist Mission Press in Calcuta (Kolkata) using a font developed by a Christian missionary. The contents included original articles and poetry by Ladakhi authors, as well as selections from Aesop’s fables, local folksongs and extracts from the work of the Tibetan lama Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251). The language is literary Tibetan rather than Ladakhi colloquial.
The essay is based on a close examination of the readers and the grammar, as well as associated archival materials. It begins with a review of earlier Western-style Tibetan-language textbooks before presenting a detailed analysis of the contents of the 1933 books. In conclusion, we review more recent linguistic developments in Ladakh. Ladakhi textbooks in Tibetan script are still aligned with literary Tibetan rather than the spoken language.

When the first Ladakh Hill Development Council (Leh) was sworn in on 3 September 1995, Le.h Distr... more When the first Ladakh Hill Development Council (Leh) was sworn in on 3 September 1995, Le.h District in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir regained a measure of the autonomy that the Kingdom of Ladakh had lost in the 1830s. 1 The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Deve lopment Councils Act 1995 , decreed by the Pres id e nt a few months earli er, signified a major co ncess ion on the part of State and Central Government, especially considering the strategic and political importance of Ladakh in the overall Kashmir issue.2The 'Reasons for Enactment' accompanying the Act sugges t a straightforward justification: a remote mountain region in need and desirous of decentralization of decision making is g iven its own administrative body. At first glance, then, this is the stuff that many indigenous peoples, many marginal groups in India and around the world, dream about: a responsive government recognizes the legitimate desires of a minority with a distinct identity. The Indian press hailed the institution of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh (LAHDeC), with hea dlines such as "A New Beginning"3 (Bagla , 1995); the Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, sent his congratulations to "the brave people of Leh" and expressed his conviction that "this would give tremendous boost to the developmental activi ties in Leh and meet the aspirations of the people of the region for all round progress "4; the Home 1 Conquered by the Dogra state a few years earlier, Ladakh was an integral part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir that was created through the Treaty of Amr.itsar of 1842. While few Ladakhis would challenge the reg ion 's association with India, the link with Kas hni.ir has remained contentious. 2 See (India, 1995) for the full text of the Act. This text is also available online at the website of The Mountain Forum (http://www .mtnforum.org). 3 Pallava Bag Ia (1995) in Frontline.

Preface The International Association for Ladakh Studies Henry Osmaston: The First Chapter The Sa... more Preface The International Association for Ladakh Studies Henry Osmaston: The First Chapter The Salt Trade: Rupshu's Annual Trek to Tso Kar An Eighteenth-Century Bhutanese Lama's Journey to Ladakh The Tibetanisation of European Steel Stoves in Ladakh Whither Ladakh Education? The Development of Ecological Agriculture in Ladakh and Strategies for Sustainable Development Mountain Deities among the Nomadic Communities of Kharnak (Eastern Ladakh) Women's Development and Education in Kargil District Tibetan Literary Language and Ladakhi Speech: A Continuity Twin Peaks: The Two Shiite Factions of the Suru Valley The smyung gnas Fast in Zangskar: How Liminality Depends on Structure Gender, Modernisation, and Change in Ladakh Yangthang in West Ladakh: An Analysis of the Economic and Socio-cultural Structure of a Village and Its Relation with Its Monastery Ancient Painted Pottery from Ladakh The Scope of Tourism in Kargil District The Wrath of Rahu: Remarks on the Observation of S...

considering the strategic and political importance of Ladakh in the overall Kashmir issue 2 The' ... more considering the strategic and political importance of Ladakh in the overall Kashmir issue 2 The' Reasons for Enactment' accompanying the Act suggest a straightforward justification: a remote mountain region in need and desirous of decentralization of decision making is given its own administrative body. At first glance, then, this is the stuff that many indigenous peoples, many marginal groups in India and around the world, dream abollt: a responsive government recognizes the legitimate desires of a minority with a distinct identity. The Indian press hailed the institution of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh (LAHDeC), with headlines such as "A New Beginning"] (Bagla, 1995); the Prime Minister, P.Y. Narasimha Rao, sent his congratulations to "the brave people of Leh" and expressed his conviction that "this would gi ve tremendous boost to the developmental activities in Leh and meet the aspirations of the people of the region for all round progr~s ,,4; the Home I Conquered by the Dogra state a few years earlier, Ladakh was an integral part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir that was created through the Treaty of Amritsar of 1842. While few Ladakhis would challenge the region's association with India, the link with Kashmir has remained contentious. 2 See (India, 1995) for the full text of the Act. This text is also available online at the website of The Mountain Forum (http://www.mtnforum.org).

Ethnographic Explorations of the Postcolonial State, 2001

Page 373. PUBLIC SECRETS, CONSCIOUS AMNESIA, AND THE CELEBRATION OF AUTONOMY FOR LADAKH Martijn v... more Page 373. PUBLIC SECRETS, CONSCIOUS AMNESIA, AND THE CELEBRATION OF AUTONOMY FOR LADAKH Martijn van Beek Die Welt ist einmalig. Das blofle Nachsprechen der Momente, die immer und immer wieder ...

Page 1. Tibetan Medicine among the Buddhist Dards of Ladakh Stephan Kloos (Vienna: Wiener Studien... more Page 1. Tibetan Medicine among the Buddhist Dards of Ladakh Stephan Kloos (Vienna: Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde : 2004) Table of Contents Foreword 1. Introduction 1.1. Aim of research 1.2. Scientific Context 1.3. Outline and framework ...

Journal of Neuroscience, 2012

Mindfulness meditation is a set of attention-based, regulatory, and self-inquiry training regimes... more Mindfulness meditation is a set of attention-based, regulatory, and self-inquiry training regimes. Although the impact of mindfulness training (MT) on self-regulation is well established, the neural mechanisms supporting such plasticity are poorly understood. MT is thought to act through interoceptive salience and attentional control mechanisms, but until now conflicting evidence from behavioral and neural measures renders difficult distinguishing their respective roles. To resolve this question we conducted a fully randomized 6 week longitudinal trial of MT, explicitly controlling for cognitive and treatment effects with an active-control group. We measured behavioral metacognition and whole-brain blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals using functional MRI during an affective Stroop task before and after intervention in healthy human subjects. Although both groups improved significantly on a responseinhibition task, only the MT group showed reduced affective Stroop conflict. Moreover, the MT group displayed greater dorsolateral prefrontal cortex responses during executive processing, consistent with increased recruitment of top-down mechanisms to resolve conflict. In contrast, we did not observe overall group-by-time interactions on negative affect-related reaction times or BOLD responses. However, only participants with the greatest amount of MT practice showed improvements in response inhibition and increased recruitment of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and right anterior insula during negative valence processing. Our findings highlight the importance of active control in MT research, indicate unique neural mechanisms for progressive stages of mindfulness training, and suggest that optimal application of MT may differ depending on context, contrary to a one-size-fits-all approach.

Current Opinion in Psychology

Numerous scientific studies are conducted on the neurophysiological effects of meditation practic... more Numerous scientific studies are conducted on the neurophysiological effects of meditation practices and on the neural correlates of meditative states. However, very few studies have been conducted on the experience associated with contemplative practice: what it is like to meditate - from moment to moment, at different stages of different forms of practice - remains almost invisible in contemporary contemplative science. Recently, 'micro-phenomenological' interview methods have been developed to help us become aware of lived experience and describe it with rigor and precision. This article presents the results of a pilot project aiming at applying these methods to the description of meditative experience, and highlights the interest of such descriptions for understanding, practicing and teaching meditation.

HIMALAYA, Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies , 2019

In 1933 the Indian scholar and social activist Rahul Sankrityayan (1893-1963) compiled a set of f... more In 1933 the Indian scholar and social activist Rahul Sankrityayan (1893-1963) compiled a set of four Tibetan-language readers and a grammar for use in Ladakhi schools, together with his Ladakhi colleague Tsetan Phuntsog (1908-1973). The readers contain a mix of material from Western, Indian, Ladakhi and Tibetan sources. This includes simple essays about ‘air’ and ‘water’, selections from Aesop’s fables, Indian folk stories, biographies of famous people in Ladakhi and Tibetan history, poems by Ladakhi authors, and extracts from the Treasury of Elegant Sayings by Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251). This essay begins with a review of earlier Tibetan-language schoolbooks published in British India, and then discusses the circumstances that led to Sankrityayan’s involvement in the Ladakh project. The second part of the essay examines the contents of the readers and the grammar, including—where possible—the authorship of particular sections. Finally, the essay briefly reviews linguistic developments in Ladakh since the publication of the textbooks.