 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
Putting the 'Om' in Higher Education
Wednesday, October 19, at 12 p.m., U.S. Eastern time
With fellowships from the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society and the American Council of Learned Societies, professors in a wide range of disciplines are building meditation into their curricula. Students might participate in "meditation labs," spend time contemplating photographs related to the subject matter, or engage in stream-of-consciousness writing exercises to observe their emotional, intuitive, or physical responses to course material.
Proponents say contemplative practice can deepen students' engagement with the subject matter. Recent neuroscientific research suggests that meditation promotes brain activity, leading to greater insights. But critics of the contemplative-practice movement say classroom meditation is watered-down Buddhism, pseudoscience, or simply not worth students' tuition dollars.
Is there a place for meditation in the college classroom? If so, what are the most effective ways to incorporate it into the curriculum? Or will meditation always be tainted by the "flake factor"?
» Meditate on It (10/21/2005)
Arthur Zajonc, a professor of physics at Amherst College, runs the academic program at the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, a nonprofit organization based in Northampton, Mass., that aims to foster better living -- and better society -- through meditation and yoga. In addition to his work promoting ocontemplative curriculum developmento in higher education for the center, Mr. Zajonc has moderated several meetings between scientists and the Dalai Lama. He has been a visiting professor and researcher at the École Normale Superieure, in Paris, and at the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, in Garching, Germany.
John Gravois (Moderator):
Hello, I'm John Gravois, the reporter who wrote this week's piece on Contemplation in Higher Education, and I'll be moderating today's chat. Let's go ahead and get started.
Question from Elizabeth K. Best PhD, Shoah Education Project-Web:
All ideas come from or are integrated with other ideas. "Meditation," while mentioned in most world religions, does not even remotely mean the same thing in each. Christian meditation focuses on Christ and the Word of God, Jewish Meditation, on the Torah and other commands, Buddhism and Hinduism have their own brand and I have spoken with TM people whose idea of meditation can involved trained 'dissociative' processes, which while they define spiritually, are found also in premorbid schizophrenia and other psychoses. Do you really think there is a value-less 'meditation'?
Over years I have found in secular institutions that Eastern Mysticism and other eastern forms of meditation are almost always the ways the methods you suggest pattern themselves after, and they almost alway include a religious point of view and a fundamental dissociative process. Are physicists, chemists, literature professors, and secular psychologists really capable of teaching or integrating this and handling outcomes, both legal and emotional? I think there are also primary Civil Liberties issues which will disallow most practicing Christian and Jewish students from accessing this troubling part of a course.
Arthur Zajonc:
Most academics who use contemplative practice as part of their classroom pedagogy teach simple exercises such as stilling the mind, cultivating attention, practicing open awareness, reading slowly and reflectively, listening deeply... These are largely secular practices and have been successful with students at all types of institutions, large and small, public and private. In recent years increasing effort is being made to bring such practices into direct relationship with the course content. For example, when teaching classes on poetry, painting, medicine, ecology, philosophy, and even economics, professors are developing contemplative practices that assist students in establishing deeper and more insightful relationships to the course material itself. I should also say that in some cases, for example in religion departments, the content of the course may be the contemplative dimensions of a religious tradition such as Judaism or Buddhism. In such cases the contemplative methods taught are drawn from the particular tradition under study. Harold Roth at Brown University (Asian Studies and Religion) has taught such a course for several years, and students participate in "lab" sessions during which time the practices being studied formally in class are explored directly and freely. Larry Fine at Mt. Holyoke College is Professor of Jewish Studies, and he also uses contemplative methods in his course on Jewish Spirituality.
Question from Doug Hanvey, Indiana University Bloomington:
Are there “success stories” of instructors who have not only taught meditation as part of an academic class, but who have taught an entire class devoted to contemplative practice (i.e., not just thinking about it or studying it intellectually, but engaging in the practice for its own sake)? (Excepting, of course, physical education or medically-related classes that teach meditation for “stress reduction,” etc.)
Arthur Zajonc:
Yes, many of our 100 ACLS Contemplative Practice Fellows do include substantial practice with students. Hal Roth of Brown University offers an entire course with a "lab" component in which contemplative practices are taught.
Question from Doug Hanvey, Indiana University Bloomington:
What are the main issues with bringing the teaching of contemplative practices into publicly-funded universities?
Arthur Zajonc:
Many professors in our network are at state-funded, public universities or secular private universities. We have had much less difficulty with church-state issues than expected. Professors are clear in their course descriptions and syllabus, and always allow students to opt out if they care too (very few do).
Question from Clifford Hill, Columbia University:
What does Contemplative Mind in Society see as the most important next steps in strengthening the presence of contemplative practices in higher education?
Arthur Zajonc:
We see two directions as being especially important for the development of contemplative practices in higher education. The first is to broaden the availablity of such courses both by extending our network of academics and by involving more students in such courses. Our annual conferences and summer workshops, as well as the ACLS fellowship, are our means of doing so. Second, we believe it will be increasingly important to connect the practices with the specific content of the courses themselves. For example architect professor Peter Schneider at the University of Colorado asks student to meditate within different types of architectural spaces and then assigns design problems that rely, in part, on their contemplative experiences. Finally we are finding that academics are forming networks of support at their home institutions or within regions.
Question from Scott Smallwood:
You mentioned that few students opt out of such contemplative parts of the class when given a chance. What kind of reactions do students ususally have? Are they supportive? Do professors find that it changes the way students think about them? Or their relationships with the students?
Arthur Zajonc:
Very few students do opt out, and the vast majority are quite enthusiastic about their experiences. In a survey we made professors report that these courses are their most successful, and they have to limit enrollment. See our webiste www.contemplativemind.org and see The Contemplative Scholar survey of our fellows.
Question from Cynthia Drake, Central Michigan University:
Are there plans to research the impact of meditation on student performance?
Arthur Zajonc:
We are anxious to encourage much more research on the efficacy and benefits of meditation in both student life and in classroom performance. There have been relatively few studies of sufficient scope and methodological sophistication to make a clear scientific statement. Many studies of meditation in clinical settings or lab environments have been done and show quite positive effects. The time has come to extend these studies to this new area of the classroom.
Question from Jennifer K. Ruark, The Chronicle:
John's article mentioned a few of the contemplative practices -- seated meditation, free writing -- that some professors have incorporated into the classroom. Could you give some more examples? What about long-distance running or fly-fishing as contemplative practices?
Arthur Zajonc:
There are a host of practices that have been used successfully. At our website www.contemplativemind.org we offer a introduction and description of many of these at the part of the site labelled "About Contemplative Practices." Tobin Hart's article in the site's bibliography is a good general resource as well.
Question from Maya Talisman Frost, mindfulness trainer, Real-World MIndfulness Training:
Why the focus on the university level? We know that there are some skills--music, foreign languages--that are more easily learned when we are younger. Why not focus on making mindfulness a part of the kindergarten curriculum? Notice I did not say meditation--as mentioned, this word has different meanings depending upon the individual's interpretation. I wonder why we don't shift toward "mindfulness"--the practice of nonjudgmental awareness. Seems we'd avoid several hurdles at once. In working with several hundred preschoolers (as as the mother of four myself) I know firsthand how powerful--and fun!--mindfulness exercises can be in the eyes of a typical five-year-old. Are college freshmen more likely to respond to teachings about meditation...or less?
Arthur Zajonc:
We have chosen to focus on higher education, but we are aware of the great interest in meditation in K-12. Others are working on this area. The Mindfulness in Education Network is one such group.
Question from Constance Krosney, Vermont College of Union Institute and University:
Would you elaborate on the assertion that contemplative practice deepens students' engagement with subject matter? Do you have evidence of this?
Arthur Zajonc:
In my own Amherst College course with art historian Joel Upton, we work slowly and reflectively with, for example, a single painting for over an hour. We alternate between lecturing and silent observation and reflection. Students do, in our experience, gradually come to a deeper level of engagement through such methods. We have developed a whole series of exercises and writing assignments that lead them through to such an engagement.
Question from Doug Hanvey, Indiana University Bloomington:
Arthur, you suggested in a previous answer that there have been fewer difficulties with church-state issues (i.e., especially in public universities) than expected. This is good to hear, but I sometimes feel that contemplative practices may be so watered down and secularized in order to "sell" them to academia (or medicine, or psychology, etc.) that they may lose their spiritual roots, which I feel is what they are really about. Yet if the spiritual aspects are emphasized, there does seem to be a potential problem with the church-state issue. Have you or others thought about how to redefine or reframe contemplative practices in such a way as to keep the connection with spirituality alive, but to de-emphasize their religious origins? (I am defining spirituality and religion differently here, and I realize that some may disagree.) Do you think this is even possible?
Arthur Zajonc:
We have focused on two areas of practice. One concerns the basic practices of attention and clarity of mind. The other practices are directed more toward the goal of contemplative inquiry and knowing. These usually raise few church-state issues. We also recognize that many of these practices have their roots in spiritual traditions, and we have granted fellowships to a number of professors studying these traditions, especially in the West where less his known. Of course, this is a large and important issue which many of us have thought about since the program's beginning.
Question from Jennifer K. Ruark, The Chronicle of Higher Education:
Meditation -- successfully "quieting" the mind -- takes years of practice, and I imagine is especially challenging for the current generation of college students, people not accustomed to spending time simply sitting in silence. How effective can a single semester's worth of meditative practice really be?
Arthur Zajonc:
Of course you are right. But we have found that students are grateful for being introduced to contemplative practice. We also support venues other than the classroom for practice, and hope that students will choose to continue to deepen their practice throughout their time at the university, and beyond.
Question from Doug Hanvey, Indiana University Bloomington:
Elizabeth Best brings up an interesting point. While I think she misinterprets contemplative practices as being “dissociative” (authentic contemplative practices are quite the opposite in my experience), certainly emotional challenges can arise when engaging in a contemplative practice. Do you share her concern that professors who may not be thoroughly trained or experienced in meditation may not know how to deal with such challenges in the classroom?
Arthur Zajonc:
By creating a contemplative space in the classroom, Mary Rose O'Reilley (St. Thomas) and others have found that they are better able to hold and respond to student contributions, even those that come from a deep emotional level. In our experience this has not been a great problem. Students do often seek out closer relationships with their professors as a consequence, which means more time commitment for academics.
Question from Viviane Ephraimson-Abt,Colorado State University:
Do you have any examples of meditation and contemplation being incorporated into student life programs beyond health, counseling, or recreation centers, such as residents halls or student leadership programs?
Arthur Zajonc:
Yes, we know other practice venues are quite widespread but we have not tracked them.
Comment from Suzanne Montgomery College:
I think this is a wonderful topic to consider adding to curricula. Arthur Chickering et al. just published a book on authenticity and spirituality in higher education. One of the points in the book is that authenticity cannot happen without real reflection on what we think, who we are, what our lives mean - the essential questions. I think that meditative practices can help students to focus on these issues - to help them develop in all areas of their lives - not just the intellectual.
Question from Frank Forman, U.S. Department of Education:
Is meditation, or any school of practice of meditation, a progressive discipline? I do not know of any progress in this field, just techniques that were perfected hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago. If not, it doesn't mean medidation is useless, but why no advances?
Arthur Zajonc:
While many of the practices do indeed come from traditions of the past, many of our fellows are working with their own insight and initiative to develop or modify practices so they suit modern life and the academic context.
Question from Constance Krosney, Vermont College of Union Institute and University:
What is your goal for the incorporation of contemplative practice in higher education? Is there something specific you hope will be achieved?
Arthur Zajonc:
We feel that the academy excels at analytical and critical modes of thinking and writing. While we all fully recognize the importance of these modalities, we feel that they should be balanced by a curriculum that honors and supports a more integrative form of inquiry and insight. I have written on this in a forthcoming article for the Teachers College Record. See our website, Academic Program Report, Love and Knowledge, Recovering the Heart of Learning through Contemplation.
Question from Guy Burneko, The Institute for Contemporary/Ancient Learning (Seattle):
Do we know if the brainwave activity of mature contemplatives and meditators is regularly associated with a corresponding chemical signature?
It would seem the interdisciplinary intersection of sciences, (chemistries, biologies, psychologies, anthropologies, etc.) and humanities (religious studies, literatures, hermeneutics, political studies, etc.) in the case of researching meditation would allow opportunity for an entirely new curriculum.
Morevoer, doesn't it seem such inquiry would be especially suited to our present needs if, as Theodore Roszak has argued, the world population is getting older? What might we learn about the possibilites of human (self) understanding if education, (as Julian Huxley proposed, and Thomas Berry in his way) were reconceived as a significant agent of human evolution? Or do you suppose that is over-thinking the issue? Thanks
Arthur Zajonc:
Yes, there is now ample research that demonstrates the chemical and neural correlates of meditation. The best known research is that of Richard Davidson of the Keck Lab University of Wisconsin, Madison. Expert meditators have dramatically different prefrontal activity than a standard population. See the Mind and Life website for reseach results and new acitivity in this area.
Comment from Ed Sarath, The University of Michigan:
Comment: Someone mentioned the possibility of diluting contemplative disciplines in order to make them suitable for academic contexts. This is a valid concern. Another concern is integrity of practice. One way some of us are dealing with these issues is having students learn meditation at local meditation centers in conjunction with university coursework.
Question from Maya Talisman Frost, Real-World Mindfulness Training:
Do you find that most univerisities are more likely to embrace the notion of meditation being incorporated in an academic course (philosophy, religion, art) or are some opting to teach meditation as an activity credit course only?
Arthur Zajonc:
Nearly all of the courses we know of are academic in character.
Comment from Elizabeth Kirkley Best PhD:
I am aware deeply the nature of 'contemplative' practices across religions and those which some deem 'independent'. The truth is however, that some meditative practices do indeed involve a dissociative process: e.g in traditional transcendental meditation there is a process referred to a 'witnessing' [far from the Christian concept] in which one is trained to see oneself as a part of an oversoul or oversoul-like entity, and become a part of that viewing the natural life. Depersonalization phenomena [sometimes called derealization] is a psychological process entirely similar although usually involuntary, and can occur in normals, in intense situations, in drug use and in certain forms of mental illness and is often a 'symptom' of premorbid schizophrenia. It appears to be in the short run in normals a defensive cognitive-emotional reaction and in the long run a disintegration of the personality or self: there are elements of transcendental meditation in which this is literally trained. In Christian and Jewish meditation, there is form and substance to the meditation, i.e. the Scriptures, and not just a divorcing of one part of consciousness or an 'emptying' of self toward no other cause than what is defined as clear thinking. This is theory tainted with religion: it should be in the realm of individual choice outside the classroom in secular universities.
Question from Cori Mar, University of Washington:
Do you think that mindfulness meditation is potentially subversive with regards to the values of a consumerist society where more and faster is encouraged?
Arthur Zajonc:
Ethical issues naturally arise in the context of contemplation. One example is an economist who uses compassion as an important contemplative practice as we consider the distribution of wealth. David Levy (IT, Seattle) is working on contemplation and the speedup associated with our information society. These are but two examples. Alan Klima in teaching Anthopology at Bard explores violence and the media, and uses contemplationto help students deconstruct images of violence.
Question from anonymous Gallaudet U.:
Has anyone tried this with deaf education?
Arthur Zajonc:
Yes, there is an effort to work with deaf students. We have a fellow who is working especially with the disabled.
Arthur Zajonc:
Dan Holland at University of Arkansas is the person working with the disabled.
Question from Viviane Ephraimson-Abt,Colorado State University:
How important is it that faculty/ staff themselves have a strong contemplative practice as they are introducing it into their settings in classes or student life. Academia, with its competing demands, can make it difficult to build and maintain contemplative practices. In what ways have you seen faculty and administrators strengthen themselves in this area?
Arthur Zajonc:
While many of our fellows have strong practices of their own, others are inspired by the work to begin or strengthen their practices through retreats and other means. Some do not rely on their own expertise, but rather bring in local meditation or movement teachers.
Question from Judith Simmer-Brown, Naropa University:
This is such an important conversation. How do we continue it beyond today?
Arthur Zajonc:
We agree that this conversation is important for the future development of higher education. Please write to us at info@contemplativemind.org and we will do our best to respond and keep the dialogue going. Thanks for asking...
John Gravois (Moderator):
Sadly, we've come to the end of our allotted time. Feel free to take a moment of silence now that the conversation's over, and thanks for joining us.