Listening to Self
3.4 Listening Deeply to Self in the Classroom: Meditating to Cultivate Attention and Insight
In this section I narrate the why and how of meditating in the classroom. The general ideas can be applied to those providing meditation instruction outside the classroom such as in a workshop or other small group setting (e.g., health care, therapy, sports, and spiritual contexts).
It is Thursday evening, almost 7:00 p. m., and students begin to file in for the once a week listening class that begins at 7:10 and ends at 9:50. Some students notice the word listen printed in big bold blue letters on the whiteboard. I begin the term, “Welcome, I’m Dr. B . . . I invite you to ‘drop out’ of your digital world for a few minutes, and ‘drop in’ to your inner world by meditating with me.” I provide preliminary instructions on meditation, and the whole class sits quietly, holding the word listen at their center[1] for a few minutes. Softly I speak, “It’s time to bring your mediation to a close [pause], slowly open your eyes [pause], take in a deep breath [pause], stretch a bit if you like [pause]. I invite you to share something from your mediation with the class.”[2] Hesitantly, one student raises their hand and speaks. Eventually, others join in, “That was the first time I’ve been able to relax all day”, “I’ve never meditated before”, “My thoughts kept jumping around”, and “I wondered what you meant by ‘listen,’ like, maybe that’s the whole point, we need to listen more.” I affirm and encourage all responses.
Classroom meditation is a kind of self-listening. The content of the meditation may involve any of the SONG of life contexts such as others, nature, and the Divine in addition to the self. This kind of meditation as listening to self is part of an upper-level undergraduate course on listening. I teach this kind of meditation in a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses including Religion and Health, Dream Research Methods, Communication Theory, Nonviolent Communication and Peace, Communicating Love, and Listening to the SONG of Life.
Goals and Purpose of Meditation in the Classroom
Care must be exercised by the instructor in teaching meditation in the classroom. It is vital to emphasize that we hold the goals of meditation loosely, like a bird in the hand. Often, when there is too much emphasis on trying to reach the proximate goal of meditation, the benefits of meditating are hindered. In the version of meditation I facilitate for the class, I communicate several interrelated goals for students. I encourage students to cultivate experiences of first-person attention, concentration, and awareness. I invite them to develop capacities for insight, imagination, exploration, and discernment. I want them to recognize that the ideas percolating from meditation are part of their course learnings and can be applied to everyday life. In addition, another goal (beyond the idea of meditation as self-listening) is to provide an opportunity for students to dialogue about their personal insights discovered during meditation.
There are many types of contemplative practices that cultivate deeper listening in the life world contexts of self, others, nature, and the Divine, including, for example, meditation, prayer, art, poetry, and dance. Meditation is situated as one of many types of contemplative practices.[3] Virtually every known religion-spirituality has some type of meditation practice.[4] Of the many types of meditation,[5] the class meditation described herein combines the two traditional meditation practices of concentration and insight. The class meditation utilizes focused attention on a symbolic center while simultaneously holding an attitude of openness and acceptance of insights related to that center. These meditative skills of concentration and openness are generalizable to broader listening processes. By way of illustration, in human communication, listening may involve an intentional focus on another person (i.e., their thoughts, feelings, needs, and behavior), and being open and understanding of the ideas that emerge from the dialogue with that person.
The intention of introducing meditation at the beginning of the class period is three-fold. First, meditation can assist students in transitioning from the stressors of the day (e.g., other classes, work, and personal relationships) to a more relaxed and open learning environment. Specifically, the simple preliminary meditation behaviors of sitting erect with eyes closed and breathing deeply can stimulate feelings of relaxation and renewal. Second, the meditative skill of concentration is focused on a symbolic center while attending to ideas that percolate from that center. These attentional listening processes can arouse wonder and curiosity for students, preparing them for discussion later in class. Third, students that choose to share their meditation experience provide intellectual fuel for the often unexpected and rewarding dialogues that follow meditation.
Preparation, Steps, and Procedures for Meditation in the Classroom
Ideally, instructors introducing meditation into the classroom already engage in a personal daily meditation practice. Instructors that embody a long-term daily meditation practice respond to student questions about meditation from the ground of their own personal experience.[6] There is no substitute for an authentic meditation teacher that has traveled the path of meditation for many years (or at least many months!). I recommend instructors engage in some form of daily meditative practice for at least several months before introducing students to meditation in the classroom.[7]
I suggest introducing the idea of meditation the first day of class as the first item on the agenda. Provide a context for the meditation, for example:
I invite you to meditate with me on a word (or phrase) for a few minutes. Meditation is not an esoteric practice that requires you to believe in a particular type of religious dogma, but rather a method of reflection designed to assist you in relaxing the body and cultivating the listening skills of attention and awareness.
Instruct students to “turn off” all electronic devices and “turn on” to their inner world. Provide specific instructions on how to meditate beginning with choosing a word or phrase for the class to mediate on that represents a theme for the course content of that class period. Write this word (or phrase) on the board next to the word “meditation.”
I introduce the basics of class meditation in the following ten steps. All the posture related instructions (steps one through five) are helpful in creating a sense of stillness and self-respect, but they are optional for those that prefer a different posture. I recommend beginning with steps seven through ten and add additional steps to these each time the class meditates until all the steps are covered. Periodically, it is helpful to review the steps with the class by asking students to describe “how to meditate” to a friend who is unfamiliar with meditation. By drawing the steps of meditation out of the students rather than telling them the steps, it becomes apparent what areas need further review.
Following are the ten steps to mediating in the classroom that I developed[8] over the last decade:
1. Sit with the spine erect, like a violin string attached to the base of the spine and extending up through the crown of the head. Taught but not too tight. The head is erect and centered with the chin tucked slightly in.
2. Legs are uncrossed with feet flat on the floor to promote blood circulation in the lower body.
3. Hands rest comfortably on the thighs, palms open and positioned up or down to provide a sense of stability.
4. The mouth is closed or slightly open with the tip of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth or resting gently against the back of the lower teeth to decrease salivation and facilitate a sense of stillness.
5. The eyes can be gently closed or remain open. If the eyes remain open, the gaze should softly focus on the floor or a spot below eye level about three feet in front of the body. The proximal goal is to cultivate an interior focus on the symbolic center by decreasing external distractions.
6. Exhale completely, then breathe in slowly and deeply through the nose, hold briefly, and breathe out slowly and fully. Do this three times. Then, let go of breath control and breathe naturally to induce a sense of calmness, relaxation, and focus.
7. Bring conscious attention to the symbol of the day (the word or phrase suggested by the instructor) by silently repeating the word or phrase a few times. Then, hold the symbolic word or phrase at your “center” (e.g., in the area of the head, heart, or gut) for the remainder of the meditation. This provides a mental and somatic focal point for the meditation.
8. Cultivate an attitude of openness and acceptance of thoughts, feelings, or images that emerge and are related to the symbolic center. Witness without judgment. Allow ideas space to emerge and grow.
9. If you discover that your thoughts are moving too far away from the symbolic center (e.g., thinking about your next class, or planning a menu for dinner), then acknowledge where you are (e.g., “I have moved from my center”), and gently return to the center by silently repeating the symbolic word or phrase. This step requires some discernment and discipline and is only invoked when one is aware of feeling disconnected from the symbolic center.
10. Continue nurturing the presence of the symbolic center, remaining open, holding ideas related to the center, and returning to the center as needed until the meditation time is brought to a close (announced by the instructor).
Guiding Students Through the First Meditation
After providing preliminary instructions and answering questions, initiate the meditation in class by modeling the meditative posture and reminding students of the instructions aloud the first few times you meditate together as a class. For example:
Let us begin our meditation by sitting comfortably with eyes closed or softly gazing at a spot in front of you on the floor [pause], breathing easy and comfortably from the belly [pause], gently and silently repeat the word you are holding at your center in the head, heart, or belly [pause], allowing ideas to emerge from this center, and when you feel distracted, gently returning to the center by silently repeating the meditation word [pause], continue in this manner until the end of the meditation is announced.
Initially, the class might meditate for two to three minutes. Keep track of time or set a mobile phone device to quietly “chime” at the end of the meditation.[9] Gradually increase the meditation time each class period until, at the end of a sixteen-week semester, the class is meditating for about ten to fifteen minutes.
The meditation period is concluded (with the option of a live or digital chime) by further verbal instructions from the instructor such as:
As you feel ready [pause], begin to bring your meditation to a close [pause], gather your thoughts, images, and feelings [pause], reconstruct the classroom in your imagination [pause], take a few deep breaths [pause], gently open your eyes and re-orient to your external environment and each other[pause], stretch a bit if you wish.
Post Meditation and Class Debriefing
After the meditation, there is an option to invite students to write about their meditative experience for a few minutes. Writing immediately after the mediation solidifies insights that tend to otherwise evaporate from working memory rather quickly. Writing can also clarify and assist with elaborating on the initial meditation insights. Sometimes, for instance, an image appearing briefly during meditation, when unpacked by the writing process, can uncover hidden meanings. Moreover, students find it easier to share something from their meditation experience when given an opportunity to write about their experience. Perhaps the act of writing itself, engaging the kinesthetic modality, seeing the concrete words, or simply having time to gather one’s thoughts, better prepares students to share their meditation experience with the class.
After the meditation and optional writing activity, invite students to share part of their meditation experience with the class. Students might share something about the actual experience of meditation or content related to the ideas that surfaced during the meditation (e.g., a feeling, thought, image, or question).
I intentionally decrease the impact of potential demand characteristics associated with asking students to share their meditation experience by reminding students that they are free to keep their experience private. There are times when we may not feel like sharing our mediation experience, and that is okay. I also remind students that sharing their experience is not a graded activity.
As students begin to share, I do my best to affirm their experience without judgment. Depending on the content they share, I may ask them to elaborate. For instance, if a student shares a one-word response, I might ask, “Could you tell us more about that?” For other responses, I might relate their insight to the course content, ask a question to the class, or use their response to provide further meditation instruction. For instance, if a student shared, “My mind just kept racing. I couldn’t focus on the center,” I might respond with, “That is a common and normal experience. Our minds can be like grasshoppers jumping all over the place. By gently returning to your center each time you are distracted, you strengthen your ability to concentrate.” The sharing of meditation experiences in class is often surprisingly fruitful in facilitating class discussion about the day’s topic.
In the beginning, a few students may respond critically to the meditation practice with comments like, “I don’t like meditating” or “I don’t see the point of meditating.” I have found it best to affirm these feelings and provide more information for them to consider. By way of illustration, I might respond, “Yes, meditation can feel awkward at first. I invite you to consider meditation a form of self-exploration, a chance to listen to yourself. You may discover surprising things about yourself. Hang in there a few more times before you render a final verdict.” Students usually adapt to meditation by the third or fourth session. Some students even express how they look forward to the meditation time.
Students are encouraged to listen to their own inner wisdom when choosing to participate in class meditation or not. For those few that need to (e.g., someone with a recent untreated trauma that is not currently in therapy), I offer an “opt-out” option where they can observe a “time of silence” while the rest of the class meditates. No one needs to know they are opting out as they externally appear to be meditating. Respecting student autonomy is vital. As instructors, I believe we should encourage, but not force. The choice to meditate or not ultimately rests with the individual. Some discernment is required in these matters as sometimes students are loaded with negative cultural conditioning associated with the word meditation. In such cases, I explain that our class meditation does not require any religious or spiritual beliefs. I invite them to consider the meditation time as a process of listening to self, a time for reflection, contemplation, and introspection.
A few students every semester immensely enjoy the meditations and want to learn more. For students already grounded in a particular religious or spiritual belief system, I recommend exploring resources about meditation in their faith or tradition. For other students less inclined toward religion or spirituality, I recommend exploring “mindfulness meditation” beginning with either Thich Nhat Hanh or Jon Kabat-Zinn, or by exploring internet apps on mindfulness meditation.[10] Both Hanh and Kabat-Zinn are based in the Buddhist tradition, and their methods of meditation can be learned in a secular form.
Assessing Classroom Meditation
I do not recommend instructors formally assess students’ meditative experiences as part of the course grade as it sets up the expectation that there is a “right” or “best” meditation experience. Also, the continuous sense of evaluation while meditating is antithetical to the purpose of meditation. Ideally, one meditates for the sake of meditating, and the insights and skills that develop are secondary benefits.
However, if one needs to create an evaluative component for the meditation (e.g., to satisfy the administration that students are learning), I recommend some form of self-assessment.[11] By way of illustration, students can journal about what they learn from their meditation each week and evaluate themselves with a letter grade at mid- and end-of-term. The evaluation could be based on an instructor generated rubric such as “quantity and quality” or “effort and insight.” Alternatively, students could create their own rubric for grading individually. Another possibility is to have the class collectively create the rubric. For instructors who need a sense of control, rubrics can be approved or sent back for revisions until a mutually agreed upon rubric is complete.
- In this type of meditation, one's "center" is a place in the body where attention is directed to gently "hold" the meditation word or phrase. For many students, their center is in the head, heart, or gut area of the body. Some students already know where their center is, but for others that do not know, I encourage them to experiment with different places in the body and see what feels most natural and comfortable for them. The following source provides a neuroscientific perspective on the head, heart, and gut as information systems to which we can listen. Daniel J. Siegel, IntraConnected. (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2023),105-107. Another resource on the philosophy and experience of centering is, Mary Caroline Richard's, Centering: In Pottery, Poetry, and the Person (Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 1989). ↵
- I do not require students to share anything from their meditation with the class if they, for any reason, do not feel comfortable. The meditations and sharing are not part of the course grade so there is no external motivation to share. Students can retain confidentiality of the content of their class meditations for the entire course if they choose to. However, I encourage students to share something (e.g., an emotion, comment, question, image, or insight) if they feel the urge to. I explain that their sharing may be something that someone else wanted to say but was too shy to voice. Their sharing might also spark an insight for someone else, and help the another person learn something new. In sum, I encourage them to share not just for themselves but for the benefit of others as well. ↵
- The following source provides an extended discussion of the purpose and types of contemplative practices in higher education. Daniel P. Barbazat and Mirabi Bush, Contemplative Practices in Higher Education (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2014). ↵
- Joel Beversluis, ed. A Sourcebook for the Community of Religions: An Interfaith Guide to Religion and Spirituality (Novato: New World Library, 2000). ↵
- For a comprehensive typology of meditation, see, Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson, Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Mediation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body (New York City: Avery, 2018). ↵
- Susan Kaiser-Greenland suggests that children [and I add, students in college as well as adults outside the college context] are adept at smelling or spotting inauthentic teaching. She writes, "…keep it real by teaching only what you have directly experienced." This is a challenging but foundational motto for teaching that I try to live by. Susan Kaiser-Greenland, The Mindful Child: How to Help Your Kid Manage Stress and Become Happier, Kinder, and More Compassionate (New York: Free Press, 2010), 52. ↵
- For those not familiar with meditation, or those just beginning to meditate, see the following source for an introduction to several types of meditation in a variety of spiritual traditions that cultivate concentrative and insight types of meditation central to the proposed classroom meditation. Marcia Z. Nelson, Come and Sit: A Week Inside Meditation Centers (Woodstock: SkyLight Paths, 2013). ↵
- There are many sources that influenced my version of classroom meditation. I have read books and journal articles on meditation for over three decades. Thus, a comprehensive list of sources is beyond the scope of this chapter. However, there are three notable sources that are helpful and stood the test of time for me. Gerald G. May, The Open Way: A Meditation Handbook (Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1977); Eknath Easwaran, Meditation: An Eight-Point Program (Petaluma: Nilgiri Press, 1978); and, Herbert Benson, Relaxation Revolution: The Science and Genetics of Mind Body Healing (New York: Scriber, 2011). ↵
- Some meditation teachers like to use a musical instrument to signal the onset and conclusion of the meditation. For instance, one can "sound" Tibetan Tingsha Cymbals or a Singing Bowl for this purpose. ↵
- Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life (New York: Bantam Books, 1991), and Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life (New York: Hyperion, 1994). There are also many computer apps (applications) for meditation available online. As one example, I recommend Jeff Warren's thirty-day "How to Meditate" program on the Calm app. I have personally completed this program several times and felt inspired to create, along with my son, an album of songs related to these meditations as a gift for Jeff. These are available to anyone who wants to listen and learn more about mindfulness meditation. The entire album of seven songs is about ten minutes. Link to the album here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OtZGMYaBKHCOdhVgeHMwLVRsQ9BJ3VzePFzSdBQrZKQ/edit. ↵
- These recommendations about assessing meditation also apply to instructors teaching meditation outside of the classroom in, for example, health care, therapeutic, sports, or spiritual contexts. ↵