A group of people chatting by the fireplace.
Ten students participated in Bowdoin’s first event from March 9 to March 11, the first weekend of spring break. Awakened Mind, Awakened Self Workshop at Camp Wabas, a 100-year-old summer camp on Lake Damariscotta. They meditated, practiced Qigong, journaled, and had many fireside conversations about the relationship between spirituality and health, the focus of the retreat.
Kate Nicholson, one of the retreat organizers, said during the first activity Saturday morning, students took turns tending the fire while telling a little about themselves and sharing why they were drawn to this opportunity. That’s what it means.
“Everyone took a turn to describe the items they brought home that were significant to their spiritual journey,” she said. “Maybe it was the silence in the fireplace or the lack of phone calls, but her 30-minute drive from campus immediately felt like another world.”
Nicholson, who leads Bowdoin student health management, collaborated with Oliver Goodrich, director of the Rachel Lord Center for Religion and Spiritual Life, to host Bowdoin’s first workshop on spirituality and self-care.
This retreat is open to all and is designed for students on a variety of spiritual paths. Participants explored the potential health benefits of spiritual practices without focusing on any particular religion or belief system.
Inspired by Lisa Miller’s book The Awakened Brain: A New Exploration of Spirituality and a Quest for an Inspired Life, the retreat was funded by a seed grant from Columbia University’s Institute for Spirituality, Mind and Body. The Institute provides funding to organizations interested in addressing the intersection of mental health and mental well-being.
Goodrich said Miller’s research brings a scientific lens to spirituality in a way that examines the potential benefits of spiritual practices. “I am grateful that her work has opened new doors for students who wish to explore spirituality and find greater happiness,” he said.
Reflecting on his collaboration with Nicholson, Goodrich emphasized the broad and inclusive nature of the retreat. “It’s really exciting for the Rachel Road Center to partner with Student Wellness to offer such an inherently multidisciplinary service,” he said.
“I deeply appreciate Mr. Bowdoin’s commitment to prioritizing the overall well-being of his students. I was even more impressed by his students’ openness to exploring these topics. I was truly amazed by the candor, curiosity, and courage my students displayed as they explored concepts and practices such as mindfulness, vulnerability, interconnectedness, altruism, and guided visualization during the retreat. ”
At the end of the program, participant Colleen Doucette ’24 reflected, “This is a great experience. “Three days felt like two years because every moment was so immersive, so present and full of love.” This means that if you want to feel good all the time, do nothing and meditate. , I feel it’s a good reminder that I need to create space to step away from everyday stressors. ”
Although the workshop’s focus was on exploring the intersection of spirituality and wellness, it also provided an opportunity for student participants to gain insight from each other, which Nicholson said was an intentional part of the design. states.
“The beauty of mini-retreats is the opportunity to slow down, turn inward, and discover community with other students with similar interests,” she said. .
For Juliana Covey ’24, these were some of her favorite parts of the three days. “I loved the moments when we all sat around the dining table and talked about life and had rambling conversations,” she said. Although it wasn’t about a particularly relevant topic, it still reflected what they were learning and trying to incorporate into their daily lives. Today’s life.
After the success of this initiative, Goodrich and Nicholson hope to reapply for an Innovation Forward grant through Columbia Teachers College and offer the Awakened Mind, Awakened Self retreat again next year.
