Class Title:   The Science and Practice of Mindfulness

                        ISSS 3045

                       

Three undergraduate credit hours

 

Instructor:    Susanna Williams, PhD

 

Contact Information:

 

Course Dates:         Fall 2016, August 23 – December 16, 2016

 

UVACollab Site:       ISSS 3045 The Science and Practice of Mindfulness

 

Course

Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies or Bachelor of

 Professional Studies in Health Sciences Management Programs

 

Course Description:  

 

As meditation and mindfulness practice are increasingly shown to have multiple positive impacts on us – from improving memory and concentration to strengthening our connection to those we live and work with - many of us are left wondering how this actually works, does it work and if so how to do it in the midst of a busy and demanding life? 

Mindfulness can be described as focusing our attention on our inner experience at the moment it is happening.  This course will delve into some of the latest scientific findings about what is happening within the brain and the body, and offer the opportunity to experience them as well through direct meditative practices. Learn, for example, about the brain and emotions, the brain and mental health, the Mind-Body connection, mindfulness in education, and mindfulness in relationship.

We now know that meditation and mindfulness have the power to structurally alter the brain in significant positive ways. Just as we train our bodies through physical exercise, we know that it is possible to change the brain through training as well.  Meditation and mindfulness practice have been shown to generate a sense of calmness, increase concentration, improve learning and memory, and strengthen our connection to others. There are other benefits as well – such as stress and burnout reduction, increased work-related satisfaction, and a better quality of life.

Class time will be divided between learning about the mechanisms within the brain that are impacted by mindfulness and meditation, then actually engaging in several different mindfulness practices in order to experience and ultimately embody them. This course is a highly interactive, collaborative learning experience that gives students the opportunity to explore formal and informal mindfulness practices, the contextual background of mindfulness, and the application of mindfulness to a variety of professions and settings. It will cover a wide range of contemplative exercises that cultivate emotional balance, concentration, and the ability to cope with stress.

 

 

Course Learning Outcomes:  Upon successful completion of this course through active participation and engagement, you will be able to: 

 

1. Explain basic neural anatomy and terminology
2. Discuss how meditation facilitates neurological and physiological changes
3. Explain the plasticity of the brain and the practices that promote and curtail it.
4. Discuss the relationship between education and mindfulness
5. Discuss the ‘mind/body connection’ and how mindfulness plays a role in health and well-being as well as pathophysiology
6. Explain how emotions and various mental states impact and are impacted by our brains and minds
7. Distinguish the stress cycle as well as the ‘de-stress’ cycle
8. Apply and internalize (through practice) mindfulness and meditation practices that demonstrate all of the above – in other words, how to use these exciting discoveries of neuroscience to change your life.
9. Give evidential support, citing at least 3 sources, for integrating mindful principals into education or health care.

 

Required Texts:

 

The Happiness Hypothesis
Author:           Jonathan Haidt 
ISBN-13:       9780465028023

Full Catastrophe Living
Author:           Jon Kabat-Zinn
ISBN-10:       0345536932

Real Happiness –The Power of Meditation
Author:           Sharon Salzberg
ISBN:              978-0-7611-59

Mindfulness App – cost $1.99 from ITunes or App store