Contemplative Community Week

September 18-22

Depth. Connection. Wholeness.

We are excited to announce our fourth annual Contemplative Community Week for September 18 - 22! This is a week of presentations, meditation, prayer, and contemplative practices aimed at inviting the whole Seton Hall community to promote holistic well-being, enter into study more thoughtfully and deeply, and form stronger personal and communal bonds. Events and resources for the week will be shared in a variety of modalities - in-person and virtual, indoor and outdoor, synchronous and asynchronous. We are grateful to our co-sponsors for bringing this week to fruition: the Center for Faculty Development, Counseling and Psychological Services, Great Minds Dare to Care, Campus Ministry, Hillel, and Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology. Continue below for the full week’s schedule, links and additional resources.

Monday, Sept. 18

Coloring for Contemplation
12:00-2:00 p.m
Location 24-Hour Room, Walsh Library (across from Dunkin)
Drop by the 24-hour room to start the week with a relaxing coloring session featuring contemplation-inspired images. Coloring pages and crayons/colored pencils will be available free of charge.

1:00pm One SHU, One Breath
Location: Wherever you are
At 1:00pm today all members of the SHU community are invited to pause whatever they are doing to take one deep, intentional breath. The One University - One Breath initiative was originated by the Project for Mindfulness and Contemplation at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota.

Maker Event: A Virtual Reality Meditation Journey
2:00-3:00 p.m
Location Walsh Library Space154
Escape the stress, pressure, and noise of everyday life and experience the calming and soothing meditation of virtual reality. By using Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard, Meta Quest, and Merge 360 headsets, immerse yourself in the world of virtual reality. Please bring a cell phone with you.

Registration is required.

Practice of the Day: Mindful Eating
Each day this week we will recommend a mindfulness practice. Today try eating one of your meals “mindfully” with tips from the guide here.

Resource of the Day: Nod app
This app combines science and student-powered design to give students the skills they need to build meaningful social connections. Take guided steps to progress toward your social goals, complete exercises to reduce negative thoughts and build resilience, and hear from fellow students working toward the same goals.

Tuesday, Sept. 19

12:00-1:00 p.m. Contemplative Pedagogy and Trauma-Informed Care: Supporting Student Growth from Classroom to Clinic
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgRHa6VuMcQ
In this presentation Dr. Meryl Picard will provide an overview of Contemplative Pedagogy and TIC principles, along with ideas to thoughtfully integrate Trauma-Informed Contemplative Pedagogy (TICP) into the classroom.

Practice of the Day: Mindful Pause
Today whenever you hear a bell or chime (a phone, on your computer, the bell on campus), stop whatever you are doing and take a deep breath before continuing with your activity.

Resource of the Day: Headspace app
“Meditation and mindfulness for any mind, any mood, any goal.” Sleep better, reduce anxiety, relieve stress, feel better, relax. Check out the Headspace app with a free trial here.

Wednesday, Sept. 20

12:00-1:00 p.m. Contemplative Practices in the Classroom
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Click Here to Join the Meeting.
Join Dr. Ruth Tsuria and Dr. Chad Thralls for a discussion of resources they have created for faculty who would like to incorporate contemplative practices into their Core courses or other humanities courses.

12:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Falling Leaves Picnic
Location: University Green (meet at the Seal)
Bring your lunch or some snacks and join us for conversation. This will be followed by a Walking Meditation if you choose to participate. We will meet on the University Green at the seal.

1:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Walking Meditation
Location: University Green (meet at the Seal)
Join us to discover contemplation through movement with this walking meditation; it will be led by Dr. Kelly Shea of the English Department. We'll meet at the seal.

9:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Moonlight Mercy and Confessions
Location: Chapel of the Immaculate Conception
Come light a candle, say a prayer, and discover God’s gifts of peace and forgiveness in your heart. Sponsored by Campus Ministry.

Practice of the Day: Gratitude
Sit quietly. Reflect on the many things you are grateful for. Write down three of them.

Resource of the Day: Gratitude Revealed
Select from among 15 beautiful film shorts to explore what gratitude is, why it’s important and what we can all do to live more gracious lives. Visit the link here to learn more.

Thursday, Sept. 21

12:00-1:15 p.m. Kata Holos Conversation Series with Dr. Marianne Lloyd
Location: Mooney Hall 339
Join Dr. Jonathan Heaps, an instructor with the university core, and moderator Dr. Patrick Manning of the ICSST for a candid conversation about what it means to strive for wholeness in one’s life, what practices and resources support this wholeness, and what sometimes gets in the way. Lunch will be provided and space is limited, so registration is required.

12:30-1:30 p.m. SHU Meditates
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Click Here to Register for the Meeting.
Relieve stress and anxiety with a brief guided meditation session led by an experienced instructor.

Practice of the Day: Email/text mindfully
Slowing down your sending process can improve you communicate digitally. Learn more about being a more mindful sender.

Resource of the Day: Hallow app
“Hallow is an excellent resource for people searching for deeper spiritual lives….” A Catholic app for prayer and meditation, Hallow is also a resource for sleep, calming music, journaling, scripture, inspiration and more. Click here to learn more.

Friday, Sept. 22

2:00-3:30 p.m. Contemplative Practices Open Discussion
Location: Jubilee 132
Would you like to learn more about contemplative practices? Are you interested in incorporating some into your daily routine or your classroom? Please join us for an informal discussion with some of us who are doing this and share your ideas and experiences. The session will begin with introductions and a guided meditation.

Practice of the Day: Beholding
Find a tree (or a stream or clouds, etc.) and watch it attentively for 5 minutes. Try to notice details that you would normally overlook.

Resource of the Day: Garrison Institute Virtual Sanctuary
A virtual space for connection and balance. Participate in retreats and meditation sessions, learn about mental health and contemplative practice in webinars and articles, and explore other resources. Visit the Garrison Institute site to learn more.

IHS Campus Schedule:

Monday, Sept. 18

3:10-4:10 p.m. Student Occupational Therapy Association. All IHS students are welcome
Location: Rooms 3416/3418
Activities include Mindfulness BINGO, Zen corner, and mandala coloring.

Tuesday, Sept. 19

More Contemplative Community Week Opportunities:

Videos of previous Contemplative Community events
Check out the Contemplative Community YouTube playlist for talks on how mindfulness can improve your performance in various areas of work and life, how to use technology mindfully, a musical meditation, and more.

Book Display at Walsh Library
Check out this display of books on mindfulness, contemplative practices and prayer, and a variety of other contemplative topics at the end of the reference book stacks on the second floor of the library (near the photocopiers and Dunkin Donuts). The book titles can also be viewed online.

Don’t want this week to end?
If you would like keep learning about contemplation and/or continuing nurturing a contemplative practice, consider the following:

Join the Contemplative Community Teams group (open to all) or the Contemplative Pedagogy Teams group (for faculty) to explore more resources and connect with others.
Join faculty and staff Thursdays at 12:30pm on Teams for a weekly guided meditation.
Be on the lookout for announcements about spring 2023 faculty development opportunities.

Share Your Feedback
Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey and offer your feedback on Contemplative Community Week and/or share your contact info so you can stay connected with the Contemplative Community Initiative.