Promoting Mindfulness Through Contemplative Education

Abstract

For years, higher education institutions in the United States have developed courses in the field of liberal education that focus on social, political, economic and environmental issues with a global outlook. As such, students are taught critical thinking, critical reasoning, and critical writing skills. While students learn to engage in debates, decisive speaking, and critical analysis, they are rarely taught to feel compassionate toward these issues. Hence, in the current global community in which many countries are at war, or are facing poverty and financial crises, it is essential that higher education institutions prepare knowledgeable citizens that not only ascertain critical assessment and judgment skills, but also ascertain the art of contemplation. This article reviews literature from various disciplines and suggests that higher education institutions must work toward integrating contemplative education and mindfulness in their curriculum in order to enhance students’ learning and understanding through contemplation and personal insight. Furthermore, it is essential that higher education institutions implement multidimensional educational strategies that encourage a vigorous and universal understanding of cross-cultural communication. Additionally, this paper examines the role of elements, such as experience, contemplations, and transformation, in teaching and preparing future graduates for the current global community. Furthermore, it evaluates strategies that can be used by higher education leaders in creating multidimensional and effective learning environments.