Contemplative Community Week

Monday, September 15 – Friday, September 19

Depth. Connection. Wholeness.

We are excited to announce our sixth annual Contemplative Community Week for Sept. 15-19! 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, the Center for Catholic Studies, University Libraries, and Campus Ministry. Continue below for the full week’s schedule, links, and additional resources.

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, September 15

Coloring for Contemplation
1 – 3 p.m. | 2nd floor, Walsh Library
Drop by the 2nd floor of the Library 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. Refreshments will be available.

Practice of the Day: Mindful Eating
Each day this week we will recommend a mindfulness practice. Today try eating one of your meals “mindfully." Click here to learn more»

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. Learn more about Nod»

Tuesday, September 16

Taize Prayer Service
1 – 1:45 p.m. | Immaculate Conception Chapel

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.

Wednesday, September 17

“Meditation Workshop for Health Care Professionals”
1 - 2:15 p.m. | Interprofessional Health Sciences Campus, Room 3118, and Teams
Speaker: Pradeep Desphande, Ph.D., a professor emeritus and a former chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Louisville

One SHU, One Breath
1 p.m. | Location? Wherever you are!
At 1 p.m. today all members of the Seton Hall 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. We express our gratitude to our friends at St. Thomas for sharing this idea.)

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 Moving Art's collection 'Gratitude Revealed' »

Thursday, September 18

Walking Meditation
11 a.m. - noon | The Green (meet by the seal)
Join us to discover contemplation through movement with this walking meditation; it will be led by Kelly Shea, Ph.D., of the English Department. We'll meet by the seal.

SHU Meditates
12:30 – 1 p.m. | Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Relieve stress and anxiety with a brief guided meditation session led by an experienced instructor.

“Falling Leaves Picnic”
1 - 2 p.m. | The Green, meet by the seal.
Bring your lunch and a blanket to sit on and enjoy a relaxing mid-day break on the Green. Snacks and beverages will be provided.

Practice of the Day: Email/Text mindfully
Learn more about being a more mindful sender: "The Six Rules of Conscious Emailing."

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. Visit the Hallow website to learn more »

Friday, September 19

“Is it possible to think slow in the age of AI?”
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Seminar Leaders: Ruth Tsuria, associate professor of Communication ad Media and Judith Stark, professor of Philosophy and the Environment

In the media-saturated, hectic and busy lives — both professional and personal — how can we find ways to de-compress and unwind? The book entitled The Slow Professor can help us enormously with these difficult challenges. Published almost ten years ago and written by Maggie Berg and Barbara K. Seeber, the authors present creative strategies to address challenges faculty face in their academic lives. The session will specifically touch on how we as faculty are bombarded with more tasks, more media and more technologies that we are encouraged to adopt.

In this session, we can listen and learn how these technologies can be used “for good,” along with how to stay centered in a constantly moving world. What strategies does the “slow movement” offer us in today’s AI generated work environments? Come and join this important and highly relevant conversation.

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 »

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).

Don’t want this week to end?
If you would like to keep learning about contemplation and/or continue/nurture 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 every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in Teams for a weekly guided meditation; check the Events calendar for the link.
Be on the lookout for announcements about Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 faculty development opportunities.
Join the Sant’Egidio prayer group which meets every Thursday 4 - 4:30 p.m. in the Xavier Hall chapel.
Download an app like Calm, Headspace, Hallow, or Integration.