Eastern Thoughts, Western Practices: Meditation and Mindfulness for Learning and Wellbeing in Adult and Higher Education

• In Event: Meditation and mindfulness for effective teaching/learning & wellbeing in adult and higher education settings

Proposal

This paper presents meditation activities for adult and higher education settings, discusses Eastern ancient meditation methods as alternative for Western contemplative inquiry, and suggests teaching practices for holistic education and wellbeing. First, the context of developing relaxation activity and implementing a first-year seminar in higher education is presented along with its effects in teaching practice of higher education. Second, is a review of Eastern ancient meditation methods from the Book of Secrets by Osho (1974), and some consideration of the research related to these and similar Eastern meditation techniques for wellbeing. Finally, conclusions, implications and resources for more effective teaching, learning and well-being are presented for educators.
Being an international faculty member, having expertise in international and comparative education and non - Western perspectives of teaching and learning, I was asked to develop a new course to broaden first-year students’ global awareness and non - Western perspectives. Reflecting on the long history and rich cultures from the East, I decided to introduce Eastern perspectives on life and ways of teaching and learning to students. While I was consciously empathetic for the difficulties or even the reluctance that may be present when learning something so foreign to the students. These concerns and my own personal experience made me aware of searching for strategies that would help my students to become more open-minded, accepting of the way things are, and non-judgmental towards new perspectives and discoveries before we even began the learning. My cultural background and personal involvement with research resulted in having a 10 minutes mindfulness based relaxation activity designed for my teaching, which showed hugh success.
Research continues to support effectiveness of practicing them and that they enable a person to witness his/her own sensations, emotions and thoughts without judgment, which can help to acknowledge and accept as it is across daily life (Grecucci, Pappaianni, Siugzdaite, Theuninch, & Job, 2015), with openness, curiosity and awareness (Fulton, 2018). Literature also indicates that many meditation techniques practiced in the East are integrated into Western mindfulness activities. Suzuki and Watts in the 1950s Westernized meditation techniques from Zen Buddhism making it popular in the West. It was further developed by Kabat-Zinn (1994) into mindfulness activities and used for health/wellbeing, business, and education (Langer & Moldoveanu, 2000). However these techniques perhaps can be found in the 112 5000-year old meditation techniques in the Book of Secrets (Osho, 1974). This paper briefly reviews Osho’s teaching and commentaries on these meditation techniques that may expand insights for moving forward both towards research and practice of mindfulness and meditation in adult and higher education settings.
In conclusion, the scientific results on effects of meditation proves borderless and beyond cultures. Becoming open to ancient Eastern meditation methods facilitates deeper and broader study to celebrate the whole human being. Comparative and international education facilities learning between East and West. Continued scientific research will enable human wisdom from Eastern traditions to be further understood creating more alternatives for expanding current western mindfulness activities and contemplative inquired related programs for improving learning and wellbeing.

Author

• Qi Sun, University of Tennessee, Knoxville