*Or anytime at all! I am very aware that the concepts of individual resilience and self-care are receiving considerable critique at the moment. I think that this is important and timely because the way that they are being used usually overlooks the wider social and economic context in which our struggles arise, placing the responsibility … Continue reading Contemplative self-care for the bank holiday*

Creating our Open Space agenda, Emerson College 2018 As you are probably aware, a few weeks ago we opened the booking for the 2019 Contemplative Pedagogy Symposium in September 2019 - 'Contemplative pedagogy in higher education: building confidence and community ' We know that committing to come to a four day symposium is a big … Continue reading Thoughts from last year’s Contemplative Pedagogy Symposium participants

I was pretty shocked to realise that the last blog was back in February. I hope you are all doing well. This is going to be very brief but I wanted to share with you the resources I have generated during my recent 'Applying Contemplative Pedagogy' series here at Essex. The descriptions of each workshop … Continue reading Applying contemplative pedagogy at the University of Essex

Many thanks to Dr Terry Biddington, University of Winchester, for contributing this really encouraging blog about the work they are doing in supporting students to explore their spiritual lives, whatever their beliefs. A brilliant example of contemplative community. Some years ago a conversation began here about setting up an interfaith community of students and staff who would … Continue reading University of Winchester Student Contemplative Community

At this point each year since 2014 I have puzzled about what to write in a blog before heading off for the Christmas break. This year I thought I'd draw attention to an article that has influenced my thinking on the relationship between critical and contemplative pedagogies. I think that one of the important areas … Continue reading Reflections on a critical contemplative pedagogy at Christmas

Many thanks to Heather Dyer for this insightful blog. If you wish to comment below, or ask questions, please do so and I will ensure Heather receives them. Enjoy! I’m not interested in contemplative pedagogy because I want students to become more compassionate or self-aware. I just want to help them finish their theses - … Continue reading Not-knowing and creative insight

The inspiration for this blog come from reading a paper by Boggs and Mitchell (2018) who describe how the consensus of the current ‘crisis’ in higher education is papering over important debates which challenge the image of the university as ‘a good in itself, as an institution defined ultimately by the progressive nature at its … Continue reading Crisis, critique and contemplation

As many of you know, in August we held our first four day Contemplative Pedagogy Symposium at Emerson College. I had been thinking about the design of this event for several years but it took time for things to fall into place in order to make it a reality - not least having Iddo, Siobhan … Continue reading Reflecting on the Contemplative Pedagogy Symposium

Exploring contemplative practices within Higher Education during times of social, economic, and environmental turmoil By Steven Stanley This event on Contemplative Pedagogy  in August 2018 is an excellent opportunity for educators, students and professional services staff in further and higher education to come together to discuss meanings and applications of ‘contemplative’ practices – such as meditation … Continue reading Why I am attending the Contemplative Pedagogy Symposium…

Recently I have had cause to reflect on what it means to feel 'inspired'. That lovely feeling of flow when energy for a project seems to bubble up without much effort, a natural sense of confidence just arises and the next steps seem clear. In the organising of our symposium in August, I have, over recent weeks, … Continue reading Meeting ‘uninspiredness’ through community