Post: Infusing a Buddhist Practice in an American Market

In previous post, I spoke about moving our education system into the 21st century and how that’d look like. It wasn’t until I read chapter five “Buddhist Pedagogy” of Tanya Storch’s Buddhist-based Universities in the United States: Searching for a New Model in Higher Education that I began questioning how can I move my education into the 21st century. In the chapter I read, Storch focuses primarily on the “three rules of Buddhist education” which included mindfulness, the interconnectedness of all life, and finding the right motivation for giving and receiving education. Similar to Paulo Freire’s ideology, Storch believes education is a process of MUTUAL growth that removes any permanent self (ego) and infuses this sense of interconnectedness. With all of this being said, it’s easy to get lost in the big ideas and try tackling them head-on. But, how can I infused this Buddhist pedagogy into my next semester and beyond?

Mindfulness

The first thing I need to do is infuse and revalue mindfulness as a component of my education. Taking the same type of seriousness, and maybe even more, into mindfulness the same I would with an extra-curricular activity will activate a more engaging experience. Mindfulness is more than just meditation as it can take the form of arts (singing in unison with a group provide similar effects on the brain as meditation) and mindful-social activities. By simply becoming a more mindful person to myself and to those around me can release stress, sharpen my mental and psychological focus, and provide a useful mental and physical rest from the heavyweights of life. By practicing daily acts of mindfulness and meditation before and or after class brings me closer to practicing a Buddhist form of education.

Interconnectedness

Practicing interconnectedness, the idea that all human beings and life-forms are all connected, becomes a tricky thing, especially at a university that adds respect to social status and ranking. The best way to reach interconnectedness is to begin appreciating the gifts of life, taking short mental appreciations for the food and space around you when you can. The second way is to practice social equanimity, the idea that there are no special privileges for anyone as everyone is equal. Like I said before, this part becomes tricky when special privileges and benefits are granted to different peers. It’s important that at the end of the day we are all human beings, life-forms, who depend on each other, one way or another. This concept is both powerful, as everyone becomes your equal, and yet powerless, as you depend on your society (a society undergoing pain and hurt expressed through oppression and violence). Nevertheless, I feel it’s important to understand the concept of interconnectedness, and the easiest way to begin is by becoming more environmentally conscious, something I’m going to take much more seriously. The more you appreciate nature, the easier it becomes to understand we are all connected.

Motivation

I always thought I was internally motivated to participate in class and extracurricular activities, but as this zoom transition shows — that is not true. I lost motivation, at least, for the first time during this transition to “zoom university” and I’ve been struggling ever since. In this struggle, I’ve realized I’m going to need to switch my mindstate about education. Rather than seeing education as this materialistic thing, a thought instilled in me thanks to American capitalism, into an act of self-liberation. This transition, as I imagine, will be a very difficult thing to do but by becoming more of myself and emotionally honest I can at least start that transformation. When I say “more of myself,” I mean doing the things I want to do, in terms of classes, extracurriculars, and internships. Instead of taking the course or extracurricular deemed popular, I’ll take the course I deem necessary. In this, I begin to take some pride and joy in what I’m doing which will motivate me to continue. Also, by becoming more emotionally honest with myself and others, I can begin connecting with others in a way that promotes thoughtful learning experiences.

Documenting

Participating in these steps towards a more meaningful educational experience seems daunting because it seems like a lifestyle change. But I don’t necessarily see it that way, maybe because I’m going to be taking it one step at a time and whatever happens, happens.