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CENTER FOR CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICES
Upcoming Events
Silent Saturday Half Day Retreat
This half day retreat on Saturday, April 20th from 9:30am to 12 noon in the SBSB courtyard is an opportunity to pause, to reflect, to notice and to develop deep awareness. Our daily lives are so busy that we often forget to pay attention to our inner selves, to our environment and to each other.
This retreat will provide guided meditations, movement, art and other ways to connect deeply with ourselves and the world around us. You may be surprised by what you find!
Come join us for a healing inward journey.
CCP Summer Conference June 21 - 23, 2024 - Register Now!
Transforming Higher Education Through Contemplative Practices
June 21 - 23, 2024 | 3-day Conference at CSUSM
We invite you to join us for a three-day conference on how contemplative practices can transform higher education. The unprecedented events of the last several years have made it evident that we need to prepare ourselves and our students to be resilient in the face of constant uncertainty. Research has demonstrated that contemplative practices can expand our capacity for compassion, focus and resilience. More about the Center for Contemplative Conference
About Us
History & Purpose
Contemplative practices have been used for centuries in many diverse traditions including Buddhist practice, to quiet the habitual chatter of the mind, cultivate a capacity for deeper awareness and understanding of one’s purpose, and enhance feelings of connectedness and compassion. Recent research conducted by scientists in a variety of disciplines has empirically supported the value of such practices. The overall purpose of Mindful CSUSM: Center for Contemplative Practices is to provide support to all members of the campus community through contemplative practices, pedagogy and research that foster deep learning, reduced stress, increased capacity for compassionate listening and increased well-being. Our work is based on the premise, best stated by Nelson Mandela that: “If they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love”. Hence, our activities are focused on creating a more just and compassionate community. Learn more about Mindfulness
Our Mission
We wish to foster a community of awareness and appreciation for our own and other's experiences through contemplative practices, pedagogy and research. We affirm that in an increasingly interdependent world, learning to listen with kindness and curiosity generates compassion, connectedness and the ability to see the world from diverse perspectives.
Why Mindfulness?
Now more than ever before, we need to learn how to focus our attention and our energies towards meeting the local and global challenges we collectively face, such as pandemics, climate change, racial tensions, economic insecurity, and mental health crises. The unprecedented events of the last two years have made it evident that for our students to be successful we need to prepare them and ourselves to be resilient in the face of constant uncertainty. We must learn how to engage with people who have different lived experiences and worldviews with the intention of finding a shared purpose grounded in our common humanity. In short, we need to learn how to be more compassionate and how to work together toward the greater good. Having a Center for Contemplative Practices will coalesce our efforts at providing these learning opportunities in a consistent, coordinated, and time-sensitive way.
What Does the Research Say?
Research studies and our own experiences with contemplative pedagogy have demonstrated that mindfulness practices can expand our capacity to be resilient under uncertainty, to be compassionate, to be focused, and to listen to each other with kindness and curiosity. Consistent practice of contemplative techniques can literally change brain functionality and help us use our cognitive, emotional, and physical selves more effectively and foster deep learning. Research has shown that contemplative practices can help students improve readiness to learn, reduce stress and anxiety, increase focused attention, and regulate emotional reactivity. Contemplative pedagogy is now widely recognized and accepted by research and practitioner communities as an innovative and effective teaching practice. It can help create more inclusive, identity-safe student learning communities that have the courage and resilience to listen and learn from each other and together transform the world.
What We Offer
Online & In-Person Mindfulness Sessions
Come join us for a daily dose of mindfulness on a drop-in basis!
- online or in person
- no prior experience necessary
- bring a friend, a family member, or a colleague
Workshops, Retreats, & Courses
We offer 2-hour workshops, half-day retreats, four or six week or semester long courses
- all offerings are free
- no prior experience necessary
Contemplative Pedagogy Workshops
If you are an educator and want to learn more about how you can incorporate contemplative pedagogy into your classes please join us for a workshop, a summer retreat, or a year long faculty learning community.
Attend a Conference
We offer an annual conference in the summer. Please stay tuned for information about our next conference
Research Opportunities
Participate in research opportunities run by our faculty on contemplative practices and the impact of stress, compassion, civic action, and emotional well-being
Service Learning & Internships
We offer service learning and internship opportunities for students every semester.
Here's what some of our students have to say about their experience!
Partner With Us!
We are always open to the possibility of exploring new partnerships and ways of engaging with you.
Invite us to provide a Customized Session for you
We are happy to work with you to provide you or your unit/organization with customized sessions/workshops/ trainings/retreats.
Registration
If you would like to register with us or have inquiries: Center for Contemplative Practices Interest Form