Description:

Are you curious about meditation but feel like you don’t have time to practice it? Have you tried meditating once or twice but worried that you weren’t “doing it right”? The good news is that anyone can reap the rewards of meditation in as little as five minutes per day, and there’s no wrong way to do it. In this course, award-winning psychology professor and Zen monk Douglas Gentile helps you “learn by doing,” guiding you in meditation practices designed to make you happier and wiser. An expert on the intersection of Buddhist philosophy and Western psychological science, he helps you replace unhelpful habits with positive patterns of thoughts and emotions. Dr. Gentile debunks common myths about meditation and explores meditation techniques that can help you break out of negative patterns and habits. Throughout the course, he walks you through practices focused on three integral concepts of meditation: 1. Mindfulness. Explore dimensions of mindfulness such as breath, feeling, functions of thought, space of mind, and awareness. 2. Compassion. Cultivate self-compassion and “loving-kindness” toward those around you. 3. Familiarization and Cultivation. Learn a new approach to overcoming negativity through joy, spaciousness, the Buddhist practice of Tonglen, and other effective tools. Whether you wish to understand the philosophy behind meditation, to integrate meditation into your daily schedule, or to be more open to your life and relationships, you will find Dr. Gentile’s lectures captivating and enriching.