Mark McLaughlin found it very useful to teach new students at William & Mary in terms of how to connect meditation with philosophy and worldview.
So Professor McLaughlin, who teaches South Asian Religions, started the COLL 100 freshman seminar, which has now grown into the COLL 300 course Meditation and Wellness. This course is very popular and attracts students from all walks of life.
“We have a very diverse group of students at our table,” McLaughlin said. “Many of them come from STEM backgrounds and come to his religious studies class.”
He said studying meditation through a liberal arts lens creates an ongoing conversation in the classroom. At the same time, students who come in with varying levels of meditation experience are cultivating their own practices to see if it can be beneficial to them.
“Covering a wide range of topics, from neuroscience research to Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, gave me a comprehensive view of meditation that I didn’t know I needed,” says Religious Studies and Finance. said double major Sammy Chaitowitz ’25.
“This class gave me an intellectual reason to meditate and taught me experientially how to look at my thoughts and feelings without judgment. I practice mindfulness in my daily life by letting go of all thoughts during stressful and joyful moments.
McLaughlin and three students who also serve as wellness ambassadors in the health and wellness field promoted the course last spring on their podcast “Ways to Flourish.” Thriving is one of his W&M University Values, and the impact of this course was recently recognized when McLaughlin received his 2023 Connecting and Bridging Differences Award. This class represents the university’s commitment to providing the most personalized educational experience of any public university.
“This class gave me a deeper understanding of this practice, its intent, and its many benefits,” said Brooks Murphy ’25, a psychology major. “The discussion-oriented style fostered a collaborative environment that fostered strong connections within the class. A year later, many of the friendships I made in that class are still maintained.”
McLaughlin studies sacred space and how philosophy and contemplative practice intertwine within it to inform it and provide a site for practice and a means to experientially understand the underlying philosophy. , he said. He lived in a monastic community for six years studying meditation and yoga and decided to develop his own practice and use sacred space as a lens through which to explore these traditions.
As McLaughlin contacted Brown University faculty about neuroscience research into brain mapping of people meditating, he became interested in how the research expanded the idea that meditation could lead to health outcomes. I had it. A conversation between a religious researcher and a neuroscientist interested in the effects of meditation on well-being led him to envision this course.
Combining neuroscience and religious studies with topics of mindfulness and wellness carries the subject matter across campus. Mr. McLaughlin is teaching 50 students in his two sections of the course this fall, but he had 140 requests for overrides, which he was unable to grant.
Past students and alumni who have taken the program say it had a positive impact on their overall college experience, and they continue to come to McLaughlin for discussion and advice in ongoing conversations. he said.
Kevin Aviles ’24, a double major in neuroscience and psychology, took the course and for his honors thesis is conducting research with current students exploring the transformative impact of the course.
“The interdisciplinary approach of this meditation studies class provided multiple entry points to learning the language for a deeper understanding of our inner experiences and how we practice meditation,” Aviles said. “I don’t think these skills are commonly taught in a society where there is no rest, but these skills are valuable tools for positively shaping my own life and the community around me. That’s what I think.
Students are encouraged to think critically to understand the connections between meditation practices and worldviews, as well as current cultural understandings of health in the context of different historical traditions. At the same time, they are working on their own meditation practices, both in the Friday Lab led by McLaughlin as well as individually.
Ann Ryan Garais, 25, an English and religious studies major and wellness ambassador, emphasized the unique bond that students in her class share.
“What we ultimately came to realize is that all of us were able to take advantage of that vulnerability throughout the semester,” Garais said. “I found myself forced to share personal experiences and bring in random information specific to me and my background. And every time someone else did the same… , I was always so excited to hear their opinions.”
Students will continue that conversation as they learn awareness practices that they can use beneficially throughout their lives. McLaughlin said he has learned and grown from both teaching the course material and leading meditation.
“The deep learning experience comes from conversations with W&M students,” McLaughlin said. “The people at the table not only come from very diverse backgrounds, but also from diverse professional perspectives. Perhaps in the wake of reflecting on the STEM content, someone in the humanities will come from a completely different perspective. They may resonate with what was being shared and become involved in the conversation.
“In particular, one of the neuroscience students was speaking, and Ann Ryan was reminded of the transcendental literature of Thoreau and Emerson. And all of a sudden, literature was in dialogue with neuroscience. And that’s what the liberal arts That’s the essence of it, and we’re all learning from it. So being at that table is a great place for everyone.”
Jennifer L. Williams communication specialist
