Responding to the Challenges of a Contemplative Curriculum

The undergraduate Psychology program at John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, California, is one of a small number of undergraduate programs that offer a holistic, transformative, and integrative approach to psychology. One important dimension of the program’s educational approach is the use of contemplative practices in the classroom. Drawing on the teaching experiences of four experienced faculty members, the author discusses the multiple educational purposes that contemplative pedagogies serve as well as the various strategies used to introduce and integrate these transformational pedagogies into the classroom. The author also discusses ways to maintain students’ psychological safety, ensure instructors’ contemplative competence, and maintain the separation of church and state

The association between alcohol use, alcohol use disorders and tuberculosis (TB). A systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2004, tuberculosis (TB) was responsible for 2.5% of global mortality (among men 3.1%; among women 1.8%) and 2.2% of global burden of disease (men 2.7%; women 1.7%). The present work portrays accumulated evidence on the association between alcohol consumption and TB with the aim to clarify the nature of the relationship.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A systematic review of existing scientific data on the association between alcohol consumption and TB, and on studies relevant for clarification of causality was undertaken.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There is a strong association between heavy alcohol use/alcohol use disorders (AUD) and TB. A meta-analysis on the risk of TB for these factors yielded a pooled relative risk of 2.94 (95% CI: 1.89-4.59). Numerous studies show pathogenic impact of alcohol on the immune system causing susceptibility to TB among heavy drinkers. In addition, there are potential social pathways linking AUD and TB. Heavy alcohol use strongly influences both the incidence and the outcome of the disease and was found to be linked to altered pharmacokinetics of medicines used in treatment of TB, social marginalization and drift, higher rate of re-infection, higher rate of treatment defaults and development of drug-resistant forms of TB. Based on the available data, about 10% of the TB cases globally were estimated to be attributable to alcohol.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The epidemiological and other evidence presented indicates that heavy alcohol use/AUD constitute a risk factor for incidence and re-infection of TB. Consequences for prevention and clinical interventions are discussed.</p

Cultivating Joy: Chasidic Perspectives and Practices

Cultivating Joy: Chasidic Perspectives and Practices The Baal Shem Tov, the 18th-century founder of European Chasidism, was a legendary mystic, healer, shaman, and spiritual revolutionary. He popularized Kabbalah, emphasizing the spiritual and healing power of joy as well as the path of the loving, humble heart. This talk examines his understanding of the role of joy in daily life, in divine service, and in healing. Also discussed are his practices for finding joy in the midst of suffering, and sweetness in the face of adversity

Mystical Teachings and Contemplative Practices in Judaism, Christianity & Islam.

Love’s Ecstasies and Obligations: Jewish Mystical PerspectivesThe Jewish tradition understands love as an act of caring, connecting and knowing. Some forms of love are religiously obligatory: it is a religious duty (mitzvah) to love God, our neighbors, and the stranger and to give generously to the less fortunate. Other forms of love are not obligatory but are strongly encouraged: e.g., visiting the sick, tending to the needs of the elderly, protecting animals. We will examine how compassion and justice are wedded in most forms of sacred love as well as experience some practices for opening the caring heart and hand. The Challenge of the Desert: Passions and Emotions in Early Christian Spirituality In the fourth century of our era, the tradition of Christian spirituality that developed in the Egyptian desert envisaged the practice of the virtues as the first stage in a process of spiritual ascent that would culminate in the contemplation of the divine reality beyond the realm of shape and form. In this perspective, the body was largely a hindrance to be left behind as the individual ascended towards a higher and higher intellectual insight. After the fifth century, however, the greater emphasis on the mystery of the incarnation within Christian theology ensured that Christian spiritual practice would come to view the embodied condition of humanity, as well as its attendant passions and emotions, as a fundamental resource for individual growth. As the individual transcends the border between the human and the divine realm, the ensuing intellectual and affective transformation accomplishes a dramatic reconfiguration of the inner life where the body is not shed, but is utterly transfigured. This presentation will focus primarily on the works of Evagrius Pontikos (345-398 ca.) and Maximos the Confessor (580-662)

Interreligious Dialog: Mystical Traditions & Contemplative Practices in Judaism, Islam & Christianity (panel discussion)

In this talk, Darleen will explore how being present at the bedside of the dying at Zen Hospice Project has informed her historical research in late medieval Christian spirituality. This talk focuses on the dying and death of Francis of Assisi and the lay woman who ministered to him, Jacoba dei Settesoli. While she is little known today, she offered the gentle ministry of presence to provide comfort in his final hours. Darleen will explore how her understanding of her spirituality and her leadership in ministry has been informed and deepened by sitting with the dying, having been trained to do so with Buddhist precepts. Sufism: The Heart of Devotion This presentation includes exploration of the transformative aspect of Sufi teachings rooted in the inter-religious understanding of mystical wisdom. Sufism is a journey within the heart to discover the inner landscape of love. Come discover the richness of your inner landscape. The Sufis have discovered the centrality of the human heart. The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) has said: “Remembering God is the cure for the heart.” (Translated by Dr. Nahid Angha in Deliverance, 1995, p. 53.) Purified heart-centered intentions guide the human being to discover meaning beyond words, to uncover the veils of illusion that hide us from our hearts. To awaken to the inner experience of unity. As Dr. Nahid Angha wrote in The Journey of the Lovers: “In the journey of the heart, the goal for the Sufi is to attain the knowledge of the Self, as a doorway towards understanding the Divine.” (Angha, 1998b, p. 10.) The goal of the heart is to attain knowledge and the human being is guided to the doorway of the heart by the truthful Teacher. All hearts connect beyond labels of religion or spiritual practice that separate human beings. The fundamental principle of unity inwardly and outwardly connects all of humanity. Understanding the Past by Sitting in the Present: How my Research in Medieval Christianity is Informed by my Volunteer Work at Zen Hospice Project In this talk, Darleen will explore how being present at the bedside of the dying at Zen Hospice Project has informed her historical research in late medieval Christian spirituality. This talk focuses on the dying and death of Francis of Assisi and the lay woman who ministered to him, Jacoba dei Settesoli. While she is little known today, she offered the gentle ministry of presence to provide comfort in his final hours. Darleen will explore how her understanding of her spirituality and her leadership in ministry has been informed and deepened by sitting with the dying, having been trained to do so with Buddhist precepts. The Transformative Power of Nothingness: Jewish Mystical Perspectives and Practices In Kabbalah, Nothingness (Ayin) is the highest divine power, the first and foremost outpouring of the Infinite One. It is the boundless, formless energy that is the creative source of all being and non-being. By connecting to this infinite potentiality within and around us we are able to transform self and world. Kabbalists believe that in the depths of our souls, each of us is always rooted in the Nothingness, and they offer powerful practices for tapping this root reality which contains the sacred direction of our lives. The experience of Nothingness suggests that form is rooted in formlessness and that our formal religious differences are less fundamental than our common formless origin. It also reminds us to be humble about our ability to understand the mysteries of divinity, humanity and cosmos

Substance Use Research with Indigenous Communities: Exploring and Extending Foundational Principles of Community Psychology

Many Indigenous communities are concerned with substance use (SU) problems and eager to advance effective solutions for their prevention and treatment. Yet these communities also are concerned about the perpetuation of colonizing, disorder-focused, stigmatizing approaches to mental health, and social narratives related to SU problems. Foundational principles of community psychology-ecological perspectives, empowerment, sociocultural competence, community inclusion and partnership, and reflective practice-provide useful frameworks for informing ethical community-based research pertaining to SU problems conducted with and by Indigenous communities. These principles are explored and extended for Indigenous community contexts through themes generated from seven collaborative studies focused on understanding, preventing, and treating SU problems. These studies are generated from research teams working with Indigenous communities across the United States and Canada-inclusive of urban, rural, and reservation/reserve populations as well as adult and youth participants. Shared themes indicate that Indigenous SU research reflects community psychology principles, as an outgrowth of research agendas and processes that are increasingly guided by Indigenous communities. At the same time, this research challenges these principles in important ways pertaining to Indigenous-settler relations and Indigenous-specific considerations. We discuss these challenges and recommend greater synergy between community psychology and Indigenous research