October 21, 2005

Meditate on It

By JOHN GRAVOIS

Can adding contemplation to the classroom lead students to more eureka moments?

Arthur Zajonc is sitting on the edge of a chair with his back straight, his eyes closed, and his brow lightly furrowed in concentration. He is meditating, but he does not look especially beatific. He looks like someone dreaming of algebra.

He sits in a circle of about 40 other people, some perched on chairs, others sitting cross-legged on plump, round floor cushions called zafus, many of their faces