November 2011 For immediate release Leeds Met students first to master Buddhist meditation

Leeds Metropolitan University has become the first university in the UK to teach Buddhist meditation as part of its Psychology degree studies after senior lecturer Dr Elliot Cohen received his official teaching authorisation at a Sri Lankan temple.

Dr Elliot Cohen, Course Leader of the BA (Hons) Psychology and Society degree at the University, received the honour from the Dhamma Nikethanaya Buddhist Academy (a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple). After practicing

meditation for more than seventeen years, he is now one of the first psychologists in the UK qualified to teach both Mindfulness-Based Approaches to Psychotherapy and Buddhist Psychotherapy, which have been incorporated into the courses Doing Psychology and Psychonautics (the navigation of the mind and body) modules. Dr Cohen commented: Mindfulness-Based Approaches are rapidly becoming one of the most prevalent and popular forms of Psychotherapeutic intervention and have their roots in Buddhist meditation. As the dialogue between Buddhism and Psychology advances, I have been keen to ensure that the ancient Buddhist origins of this approach are fully recognised and celebrated.

During his visit, which coincided with the Wesak festival, celebrating the 2600 year anniversary of the Buddhas enlightenment, Dr Cohen presented a talk on the psychological benefits of meditation.

Additionally, Dr Cohen has contributed a chapter to a new book which is one of the first studies to explore how Taoist thought has, and is continuing to, influence modern Western Psychology and Psychotherapy. The book, entitled Living Authentically: Taoist Contributions to Modern Psychology, is edited by Livia Kohn, a leading scholar on Daoism and Chinese Religion. Dr Cohens chapter relates to his unique module offered at Leeds Metropolitan on Psychonautics (the navigation of the mind) and Somanautics (the navigation of the body).

The BA (Hons) Psychology and Society degree course at Leeds Metropolitan is the only degree of its kind in the country, using an international, crosscultural approach to Psychology with unique and innovative modules including Consciousness Studies, Psychoanalysis and dream interpretation and Social Psychology of Music. The course received a 100% student satisfaction rating in the most recent National Student Survey results. In 2012, the degree is set to become one of the first undergraduate degrees in the UK to include the exciting new field of Positive Psychology.

Ends For further details please contact Carrie Braithwaite in the Communications team at Leeds Met on 0113 812 3022 or email c.braithwaite@leedsmet.ac.uk Notes for editors: Leeds Metropolitan University has over 15,000 students and around 3, 000 staff. The Vice Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University is Professor Susan Price and the Chair of the Board is Lord Woolmer of Leeds. Leeds Metropolitans four faculties are: Arts, Environment and Technology, Business & Law, Health and Social Sciences, and Carnegie.

Leeds Metropolitans heritage can be traced back to the founding of the Mechanics Institute in Leeds in 1824. International students rated the University top in the UK for language support, accommodation quality and learning spaces in the 2010 Autumn Wave of the International Student Barometer and sixth in the world for the quality of its lectures. We have over 1,500 international students from 122 countries around the globe.

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Broadcasting Place, which was voted the best tall building in the world in 2010 by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) and also winner of the 2010 Leeds Architecture Awards New Building category.