The Subtle Art of Doing Nothing

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Originally presented at Sparking Success on Jan. 11, 2024 by Bart Everson and Wendy Gaudin.

Slides

Presentation deck on Google Slides

Definitions

What is mindfulness? Here are some definitions we hope you might find helpful.

  • Mindfulness is a conscious, purposeful way of tuning in to what's happening in and around us. — Deborah Schoeberlein
  • Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally. — Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Direct experience, as distinct from narratives. — Bart Everson

What is contemplation?

Contemplation includes the focusing of the attention in a sustained fashion leading to deepened states of concentration, tranquility, insight and contextualizing orientations. These are the basis of a clear and spontaneous cognition that is able to attend effortlessly to whatever presents itself, and of compassion, love, loving-kindness, and various other-regarding ethical orientations. It occurs on a spectrum: from the rather common spontaneous experiences of absorption in an activity to the most profound experiences deliberately cultivated in religious traditions. (Adapted from Harold Roth, Brown University)

We recognize the diversity of contemplative practices, as illustrated via the tree metaphor by the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society.

Books

Much of the inspiration for this workshop comes from Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness by Deborah Schoeberlein, billed as a "guide for anyone who teaches anything." Highly recommended.

For a broader scope of practices, more focused on higher education, see also Contemplative Practices in Higher Education.

Credits

Most of the images used in the presentation are licensed under Creative Commons with attributions on the final slide. Many thanks to the generous photographers and graphic designers who have allowed their work to be reused.

Graphic

This graphic is dedicated to the public domain; please feel free to use it to promote discussion of mindfulness on your campus.

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