One memorable course was Secular Mindfulness at Fulbright. This course taught mindfulness meditation in a secular manner, making the practice more accessible through daily exercises like mindful breathing and eating. The course also explained the benefits of mindfulness from a neuroscience perspective, including how different parts of the brain function in forming the self, regulating emotions, and making decisions.
<aside> 📷 In picture, meditation activities begin in each class
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We also learned how mindfulness practices affect the brain. Additionally, we explored the historical and social contexts of mindfulness. For example, we learned about Thich Nhat Hanh and his unique historical background, as well as the development of mindfulness in both Eastern and Western traditions. From the Eastern perspective, we studied its Buddhist roots, while from the Western perspective, we looked at therapeutic adaptations such as Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
A key takeaway for me is that mindfulness is a practice for everyone, and I can always find peace in the present moment by focusing on my breath. This was demonstrated through our final project video. The 13-minute video details the course and its impact on students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2oqQVdbF6ivO_4mytGJK-ZKs5Kamc41NPG261XmfEthSN11U2yL8g19mM_aem_AaMc1yImW3wtMduRcajkfEiuwVhX1a7qXK4yt9ym7Cv9BOoDlnKLX0rMHRiA95yDuWTBQmD3XS5QCC6QQHbXVkr-&v=dg5ylSQPomw&feature=youtu.be
Although this may not be directly related to the course, reflecting on the overarching role of Eastern perspectives on the world has provided me with diverse ways of interpreting, approaching, and solving problems. This is particularly important in the educational context at Fulbright, where the scientific method (analyzing the world) and knowledge (understanding the world) are dominated by Western viewpoints. Therefore, Eastern perspectives, approaches and knowledge offer me a broader and more diverse understanding of life and problem-solving.
For instance, while Western approaches often focus on analyzing phenomena in depth and detail, Eastern perspectives place more emphasis on the holistic and the interconnected. Humans are not just agents to explore and change the world (a Western view), but are themselves an integral part of the world, interdependent with their surroundings (an Eastern view). So, here is my essay on "Eastern Perspective on Education and Wisdom," which is part of my independent study at Fulbright about Education:
https://www.notion.so/studywithlong/Eastern-Perspective-on-Education-and-Wisdom-b135e44a4605441eac55672639edad9c?pvs=4
I am particularly interested in transforming knowledge into personal understanding through self-explanation. Therefore, I have created a summary note that combines what I've learned about meditation with my own interpretations, illustrated through examples.
This note is still a work in progress for further update.
https://studywithlong.notion.site/Reflect-on-my-knowledge-on-meditation-b114fbb98b7042d4ba2de844156c27d9
