| A recent article published in The Chronicle of Higher | | | | helpful skill for stress reduction.Jon Kabat-Zinn, widely |
| Education about teaching meditation in college has | | | | regarded as the maestro of meditation-as-medicine, |
| created a great deal of buzz. Several media folks | | | | has developed an outstanding |
| contacted me for my opinion, and they were surprised | | | | program--Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction--which |
| by my response.I am sure there are plenty of | | | | is being taught in communities all over North America. |
| meditation teachers who are grinning on their cushions | | | | We need much more of that--in workplaces, clinics, |
| at the notion of meditation being offered at universities | | | | hospitals, fitness clubs, retirement communities, |
| for academic college credit.Not me. I think it is a | | | | HeadStart programs and drug rehabilitation |
| misguided idea--and I'd like to suggest a much better | | | | centers.Yes, we need to bring meditation to the |
| one.It's not that I don't wholeheartedly believe that | | | | masses. But the most critical element is this: we must |
| meditation is a powerful way to reduce stress, | | | | open the world of mindfulness to include activities |
| increase concentration, and develop greater | | | | OTHER than meditation.Those who are most |
| awareness and compassion. It's not that I don't agree | | | | dedicated to the practice and promotion of meditation |
| that college students could benefit from | | | | tend to be Buddhists, whether they are teaching in a |
| meditation--especially during those stressful finals | | | | temple or a prestigious university. The irony is that if |
| weeks.But making meditation an academic college | | | | those who are most committed to creating a peaceful |
| course perpetuates a dangerous notion: that meditation | | | | world could release their attachment to meditation, |
| is for highly intelligent, educated people only. ANYONE | | | | they would be far more likely to spread the message |
| can benefit from meditation, and the more elite we | | | | of mindfulness to the masses.It's time to bring |
| make it appear, the more people will assume that they | | | | meditation down---WAY down.In fact, we'd do well to |
| are somehow not the "right kind of person" to | | | | shift gears entirely. Instead of focusing on teaching |
| meditate.Is a college professor the "right kind of | | | | meditation in college, we should jump into playing with |
| person" to teach meditation? While there are certainly | | | | mindfulness in kindergarten.We know that there are |
| those who have studied meditation personally and | | | | certain skills that are learned more quickly and easily |
| professionally, they are not necessarily the ones who | | | | by young children than adults--music, foreign languages, |
| can teach it as a valuable wellness tool instead of a | | | | sharing--and I propose that mindfulness is one of |
| Religion or Philosophy course.As much as I believe in | | | | them.After all, five-year-olds are much more likely to |
| the power of meditation, I'm not sure that paying | | | | stay fully present--that's what kids DO! And we want |
| $4000 (the going rate for one class at a private | | | | them to view it as an awe-inspiring way to see the |
| university in the U.S.) for a one-semester academic | | | | world around them with greater awareness and |
| course in sitting-and-breathing is an appropriate addition | | | | wonder.Kindergarteners learn by playing, so there's no |
| to the curriculum.Credit for sitting and breathing. | | | | need to force any particular sitting position or limit |
| Cha-ching! The universities find a new income | | | | oneself to traditional props. In fact, if five-year-olds |
| stream.Sure, I'm biased. After all, I have four teenage | | | | were encouraged to play with the idea of paying |
| daughters, two of whom are taking college classes, so | | | | attention, I guarantee that they would be far more |
| I tend to be rather mindful of the bang-for-buck | | | | creative about it than any 18-year-old.We don't need |
| quotient.I'm also wary of turning the practice of | | | | gongs in the kindergarten classroom--a kazoo would |
| nonjudgmental awareness into yet another adult task | | | | work just as well. We don't need to incorporate |
| to be evaluated, another achievement to enable us to | | | | cushions, esoteric language, or religion of any kind.What |
| get ahead in a competitive world. Judging one's ability | | | | we do need are creative teachers who recognize the |
| to be nonjudgmental seems counterproductive.The | | | | value of having students who are able to focus calmly |
| alternative--offering pass/fail grades only--is equally | | | | in order to play well with others, listen, and learn.Step |
| problematic. A pass/fail class that consists of mostly | | | | away from the idea of meditation as an academic |
| sitting and breathing would be a shoo-in for the | | | | area of study, and jump into the notion that playing |
| no-brainer credit award. We don't need to create | | | | with preschoolers is a far more effective and |
| more elitism around meditation, but neither do we want | | | | enjoyable way to make mindfulness a lifelong |
| it to become the leading bonehead course on campus.I | | | | practice.Maya Talisman Frost has taught thousands of |
| believe meditation should be offered on every college | | | | people how to pay attention. Her playful, powerful |
| campus--but make it an activity credit, like yoga or tai | | | | eyes-wide-open approach to mindfulness has been |
| chi, instead of an academic credit. Or better yet, offer | | | | featured in over 100 publications around the world. She |
| it at no charge in every student union building as a | | | | has been meditating for 30 years. |