FAll VIRTUAL CONTEMPLATIVE MENTORS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM

The Brown University Virtual Contemplative Mentors in Residence Program will make tradition-based contemplative practices available to students and faculty at Brown University and several affiliated institutions.

Our Contemplative Mentors in Residence are all skilled practitioners in their respective traditions and also PhD-level scholars who have extensive experience teaching at institutions of higher education in Asia, North America and Europe.  These practitioner-scholars are familiar with the Liberal Arts values typical of higher education and are thus able to suit their teaching to the academic environment. Too often contemplative practices, if they are taught at all in higher education, are deracinated versions removed from their cultural origins. Each of our Contemplative Mentors has extensive training in both the contexts and the methods of the practices they will be leading.

The Schedule

Our mentors will teach weekly in the noon hour Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for 12 weeks during each term of the upcoming academic year. The Fall Sessions start the week of September 18th 2023.

Mondays: Thai Śamatha (Concentrative) Meditation: Sarah Shaw
Wednesdays: Chinese Qigong Moving Meditation: Larson DiFiori
Fridays: Japanese Rinzai Zen Meditation: Masaki Matsubara

If you are interested in seeing what it's like to develop a consistent contemplative practice, we strongly recommend -- but do not require -- that you sign up for the entire 12-week period this semester. People are welcome to "shop" the first sessions the week of September 18th and then decide. Casual participation is also possible but not recommended.  Send your decision to [email protected] with "Virtual Contemplative Mentors" in the subject line. Students in courses who are assigned to specific weeks of Contemplative Practice Sessions do not need to do this.

LECTURES, WORKSHOPS AND CONCERTS