The Mind and Life Research Network (MLRN), a project of the Mind & Life Institute, fosters multidisciplinary communication about scientific research on meditation and other contemplative practices. Membership is free, and this loose affiliation of scientists, meditators, and people interested in research promotes opportunities for researchers and meditators to communicate together. All perspectives, scientific fields, and styles of meditation are welcome. The MLRN includes cognitive neuroscientists who skillfully use scientific methods in the study of meditation, meditation scholars interested in scientific interfaces, and people who can help support meditation research. The MLRN encompasses a variety of meditation practices, and incorporates both contemplative and scientific approaches.