Synopsis

Can I get a time out? Between deadlines, conferences, projects, and applications, juggling career and personal life while finding time to breathe can feel especially challenging for academics. Yet here’s the secret of mindfulness practice: we don’t need much time to reconnect with our bodies, the present moment, and the joy that is our birthright — we simply need to remember to stop and be present, even for a moment. This is the simple wonder of mindfulness. In this two-part workshop, participants will learn basic meditation and mindfulness practices to integrate into daily life, supporting mind-body well-being, a positive mindset, and a better balance between academic work and personal life. 

Session 1, Mindfulness Meditation as Embodied Presence: Participants will learn simple, accessible, and realistic short mindfulness practices that can be done anytime, anywhere, learning to get out of their heads and back into their bodies, and to tap into the calming and energizing power of conscious breathing and embodied presence. 

Session 2, Mindfulness Practices for Emotional Regulation: Participants will learn mindfulness practices beyond meditation, such as gratitude lists, self-compassion, positive affirmations, and somatic practices, to help train the brain toward a positive bias in everyday life and to better face the more pressured moments of academic life.