Contemplative Practices and Acts of Resistance in Higher Education
The contemplative pedagogy movement in the US and Europe that began in the 2000 grew out of a growing dissatisfaction with an education system that too often treats students (and teachers) as brains without bodies, hearts and spirit. This volume reclaims the radical roots of the movement at a time when mindfulness and contemplation are being commodified and defanged (think "McMindfulness") and coopted by the productivity worship of the neoliberal University. This collection further updates the language -- and to a certain extent also the goals -- of the contemplative movement by centering social and environmental justice.
The contributors to this volume – educators, student affairs practitioners, and higher education staff – heartfully share a broad range of contemplative practices and acts of resistance used within the confines of shattered systems and institutions for themselves, their colleagues, and their students. The narratives in this volume broadly imagine, inspire, recount, and guide readers toward the fullness of their humanity and wholeness within institutions of higher education. At the same time, these accounts navigate the operational realities of daunting demands on the mind, body, and spirit, the growing turbulence of working on higher education campuses across the country, and a sense of urgency toward collective life affirmation within modern higher education institutions. Each chapter features critical framing of a concept, personal stories of this concept in action, and descriptions of contemplative practices for readers to use in their own contexts. Together, chapter authors demonstrate what it means to be a contemplative practitioner attentive to issues of power, racism, and marginalization in higher education today. With a deep breath and mindful awareness, this book invites faculty and staff at colleges and universities on a transformational journey with the contributors toward fullness in pursuit of becoming whole and inspiring change.