A practical session + discussion
So what’s the deal with meditation anyway? A growing body of research, including here at CMU, suggests that meditation leads to a variety of health benefits such as managing psychological stress, depression and anxiety. However, it is rooted in ancient Eastern spiritual practices which often may involve supernatural hocus pocus. Should modern science embrace the health benefits of meditative practice? Or does meditation belong in the dustbin of pseudoscientific nonsense such as homeopathy, astrology or numerology?
On Tuesday, join us for a quick and easy, guided introduction to basic meditative practice, followed by a discussion of the science behind its’ alleged benefits. Our guide will lead us through about a 20 minute session of quieting and focusing our minds. This session is thoroughly secular, and is designed to be a quick and easy introduction for beginners. Then, we will discuss our experiences and whether meditation is pseudoscience and religious, or a scientific and secular practice.
This week, instead of the usual room, we will meet in the Mindfulness Room on the 1st floor of West Wing building (MAP HERE) at 4:30.
Alternately if you don’t think you can find the room, meet Clara at the usual room (Wean 5304) by 4:20 and she will walk you guys over to the Mindfulness Room.
Again that’s 4:30 @ the Mindfulness Room OR 4:20 at Wean 5304.
Meanwhile, watch what happened to Anderson Cooper when he tried mindfulness meditation while reporting for 60 Minutes in this clip.