Over 400 participants came together on Tuesday in Thimphu for a conference that unites ancient wisdom with modern science.

The four-day event, themed ‘Science, Mindfulness, and Meditation,’ is hosted by the Centre for Bhutan and GNH Studies (CBS), in collaboration with the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan.

The event has brought together spiritual masters, neuroscientists, philosophers, and mindfulness practitioners from around the world.

The organisers say the conference aims to explore how ancient contemplative traditions like meditation relate to modern scientific studies of the mind.

The conference opened with The Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, Vairotsana Rinpoche, and Dorji Lopen of the Central Monastic Body in attendance.

Delegates arrived from countries such as India, the US, Japan, Thailand, Latvia, South Africa, Ukraine, Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, and Hungary, among others.

“Climate disruptions, inequalities, and mental strain are not separate problems…addressing them requires more than policies and technologies,” said Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at the pre-conference event on Monday. “It demands a deeper understanding of ourselves, our relationships, and the world we inhabit, which is the essence of mindfulness.”

He added, “So, this gathering, where science meets meditation and research meets ancient wisdom, is necessary.”

The conference includes research presentations on meditation’s neurological effects, including studies on brain hemisphere synchronisation. Sessions cover chakra and mantra meditation, inner fire breathing, and the impact of mindfulness on the nervous system.

Expanding beyond its traditional focus on Vajrayana Buddhism, the fifth iteration includes contributions from secular, religious, and indigenous traditions across Africa, Latin America, Australia, and Europe.

The conference also focuses on how meditation can support emotional intelligence, creativity, addiction recovery, neurodivergence, and mental health. Other sessions will explore how nature-based planning and sustainable design promote mindful living.

“As mindfulness becomes a global movement, we hope that more societies will consider approaches that centre the mind as both the source and solution of many of our challenges,” Tobgay said. “This conference reflects that vision.”