About the Program

The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society believes that a fully democratic society requires a system of higher education that trains students for reflective insight as well as critical thinking. We believe that the cultivation of mindfulness amid the busy-ness of contemporary life can open up the possibility for developing new wisdom through introspection, to complement existing intellectual and analytic undertakings. We also believe that contemplative practices can help shape the direction of social action, contributing to an integration of the ethical and the political, the spiritual and the practical; the undergraduate college is one place where these issues can and should be thoughtfully explored.

In academia, contemplative practices have rarely been explored for their impact on the development of thought or pedagogy. Through the Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education, our contemplative retreats for educators, the annual Summer Sessions on contemplative curriculum development, and the effects of our past Contemplative Practice Fellowship Program, we hope to establish the ground for examining contemplation in modern western culture and in other periods and cultures.

If you would like information on the Academic Program or the Contemplative Practice Fellowships which this web site does not provide, please contact Beth Wadham at beth(at)contemplativemind.org.