The 3rd Annual UMW Mindfulness Week will take place during the week of Mon., Sept. 28-Fri. Oct. 2nd, and will feature a variety of workshops and lectures on the theme of Mindfulness.  All events are free and are open to UMW faculty, students, and staff.  The keynote lecture on Fri. Oct. 2nd is also open to the public.

Mon. Sep. 28: Introduction to Mindfulness Workshop:  Bhante Seelananda, Bhavana Society of West Virginia,  Ridderhof Martin Art Gallery, 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Bhante Seelananda of the Bhavana Society of West Virginia, a Buddhist monastery, provides an introduction to mindfulness, an overview of some of the benefits of mindfulness, discussion of the 21^st century challenges for being mindful, and strategies for incorporating mindfulness into daily life.

Tues. Sep. 29th:  Guided Mindfulness Meditation Practice: Bill Brooks, Manse Fields Mindfulness, ITCC Digital Auditorium, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Take a pause from your busy routine — give yourself the gift of silent reflection. This Mindfulness Week event will help you touch your natural ability to meditate. You will have the opportunity to participate in guided meditations, to receive instruction on meditation and how to practice, and to ask questions and discuss your meditation experience. This event is suitable for beginning and experienced meditators.

Tues. Sept. 29th: “Spaces of Contemplation”: Prof. Caitie Finlayson, UMW Dept. of Geography, ITCC 307, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

This presentation explores the geography of spaces of contemplation throughout history and how geographers study these unique sites. It also demonstrates how individuals might become more attuned to their own spaces of contemplation and what makes these sites inspire mindfulness.

Thurs. Oct. 1: Mindfulness Yoga on Ball Circle: Bill Brooks, Manse Fields Mindfulness, Ball Circle, 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Looking for a way to re-energize as the weekend nears? Join us on Ball Circle for a mindful yoga practice under the open sky. Bringing a quality of mindfulness, present moment awareness, to the practice of yoga unifies and enriches our experience of body, breath and mind. And it feels good too! This event is open to those new to yoga, and to those experienced. Bring your yoga mat if you have one. Mats will be available at the event if you don’t.

Thurs. Oct. 1: Flourishing in the Creative Process: A Workshop: Kris Iden, local artist, Melchers 202, 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Can learning be transformed into one giant, on-going art project, infused with ‘the pleasure of finding things out’ (R. Feynman) as its central activity? Come explore this essential question in an interactive, hands-on workshop that offers experiences for cultivating greater present-moment awareness, objectivity, curiosity and humor through an acquaintance with the creative process – not just for art department students & faculty – everyone welcome!

Fri. Oct. 2: Contemplative Cross-training for Improved Concentration, Emotional Balance, and Compassion: A Meditation Workshop, Dr. Emily Wolf and Dr. Miles Neale, Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, 412 Lee Hall, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Enter the mental gym and sample a variety of meditative techniques prescribed to cross-train various psychological skills. Through brief guided meditations and interactive discussions, participants will learn three distinct techniques that will help improve performance and quality of life: concentration meditation develops mental focus and clarity, embodied mindfulness helps regulate emotions and increases distress tolerance, and compassion meditation deepens empathy and enhances social-stress resilience.

Fri. Oct. 2: Keynote Lecture: Mindfulness Meditation: From Buddhist Origins to Clinical Applications, Dr. Miles Neale, Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, 412 Lee Hall, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Originating in Indian Buddhism 2500 years ago and applied in the pursuit of enlightenment, mindfulness meditation is now increasingly popular in Western mainstream culture. After several decades of rigorous scientific research, it has been secularized and successfully adapted for use within clinical, therapeutic, educational, creative, and corporate contexts. This lecture introduces the long history and traditional intent of mindfulness, then surveys the active ingredients and psychological mechanisms that make it so effective in such diverse fields today. A special focus will be the integration of mindfulness practices into psychotherapy for the alleviation of depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health issues.
For more information, go to: http://meditation.umwblogs.org or contact Prof. Angela Pitts, apitts2@umw.edu, (540) 654-1338

Sponsors of UMW Mindfulness Week include: UMW Departments of Classics, Philosophy, and Religion, Art and Art History, Office of Student Life, Campus Recreation