- IS: Introduction to Mindfulness: Nourishing Our Inner Lives

Catalog description

This experiential course is an introduction to mindfulness and other well-being practices aimed to support and enhance the inner lives of students. Scholarly research finds that mindfulness practice increases attention, improves interpersonal relationships, helps with emotional regulation, strengthens compassion, decreases stress/anxiety, promotes calm, and much more. Through the course, students will learn the principles of mindfulness, develop their own mindfulness practice, and apply principles to daily life. They will learn strategies to skillfully work with thoughts, emotions, and sensations, while developing their capacity to enhance mind-body awareness of present-moment experience. They will study theory and research in the field of mindfulness and the emerging science that shows promising, beneficial effects for physical and mental health and well-being. This course is designed for beginners and is also suitable for those with previous experience who want to deepend their understanding of mindfulness. Classes will consist of a combination of lecture, experiential learning/practice, discussion, and reflection. Other course responsibilities include: readings, written responses/reflections of the readings, daily practice, mindfulness journal, research on a mindfulness topic resulting in a final group project/presentation.