Meditation used as therapy for better relationships and personal growth
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has integrated meditation practices into its curriculum for students studying marriage and family therapy as a way to teach them how to inspire empathy and focus on the present.
The practice of meditation has been shown to have many health benefits and strengthen the mind-body-spirit connection, but this suggests that it may also help people understand each other.
Student Rachel Cramer said the practice has taught her skills that will be valuable in her future career as a counselor.
"Although I thought I understood active listening intellectually, the actual practice of listening without trying to form a response or a counter-argument or an intervention, and just to sit and take in what the other person was saying peacefully, was a huge challenge for me," Cramer said.
She said it was helpful to think of problems as outside issues which can not be solved immediately in the present, and instead to think about the other person and how they may be feeling.
The fact that universities are recognizing meditation as effective therapy supports philosopher Ilchi Lee's beliefs that regularly focusing on the brain can have major mental health benefits. Additionally, using meditation as a way to gain empathy and understanding may bring individuals a little closer to becoming Earth Citizens.
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Tags: Ilchi Lee meditation, mind-body-spirit, personal growth
