Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2026
Anna Rumjahn
Teacher burnout and attrition in K-12 schools are rising, prompting a search for sustainable ways to reduce exhaustion and emotional strain. Building on Christopher McCaw's work about contemplative practices shaping teacher identity, this paper reconsiders definitions of mindfulness for teacher professional becoming by introducing less-explored Greco-Roman philosophical perspectives. It specifically examines prosochê (attention) and the Stoic exercise of praemeditatio malorum to expand the conceptual framework of the contemplative practitioner. Drawing on personal reflections as a beginning teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic, the author explores the implications and limitations of using philosophical premeditation as a contemplative practice for educators.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2026
Maha Shoaib, Jing Lin, Yueyue Wang
The authors argue that K-12 education systems, shaped by anthropocentric and capitalist paradigms, treat nature as an object of study and contribute to ecological alienation. They propose a shift toward contemplative, holistic education grounded in Daoist philosophy, Islamic teachings, Hindu ethics, and Indigenous worldviews. Such education would reimagine learning as a relational and sacred engagement with the Earth, using practices like mindfulness, meditation, nature walks, journaling, and environmental activism to cultivate reverence, love, and embodied awareness. The authors contend that this approach can foster ecological healing by awakening ecological consciousness and nurturing a love for life.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2025
Ciara Hoyne, Jing Lin
Contemplative practices such as meditation and mindfulness can enhance self-understanding, reduce stress, deepen connection to host communities and cultures, and promote healing during short-term study abroad. Drawing on personal experiences and integrating relevant literature, the essay argues that intentionally incorporating these practices into study abroad programs fosters individual and collective growth, connection, and healing.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2025
D. Smith, Thomas Falkenberg, R. Low et al.
In response to rising polarization, violence, ecological disasters, and student mental health crises, the fields of contemplative inquiry and somatic studies offer holistic educational approaches that cultivate presence of mind, promote healing, and integrate physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and ecological dimensions of wellness.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2025
Lauren Brown
Contemplative practices such as mindfulness, presence, deep listening, and loving kindness can guide a researcher's ethical decisions and deepen understanding of study participants. Drawing on personal experience as both a novice researcher and experienced practitioner, the author argues that contemplative practice is not merely an enrichment for narrative inquiry but is central to it, making narrative inquiry a methodology that is contemplative at its core.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2026
Jason Goulah, Riya Kartha
This article examines Japanese philosopher Ikeda Daisaku's concepts of wisdom and "human revolution," a contemplative practice central to his philosophy of "human education." Using bilingual and critical discourse analyses of Ikeda's writings, the authors summarize his philosophy, highlighting how human revolution cultivates wisdom. They analyze various Sino-Japanese character compounds Ikeda uses to convey wisdom, arguing that explicating the original Japanese terminology deepens academic understanding often lost in translation. The authors conclude by examining human revolution and wisdom within Ikeda's four interlocking commitments: dialogue, global citizenship, value creation, and creative coexistence. They propose Ikeda's perspectives as worthwhile approaches for more humane curricula and pedagogy across age spans and cultures.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2026
Nevan Sidhu
Contemplative education can counteract the fragmenting effects of the Eurocentric British Columbia K-12 system and help cultivate wise, whole human beings. The article draws on the experiences of B.C. Punjabi male students subjected to harmful gang narratives that current educational approaches leave unaddressed. It argues that bringing attention to this issue allows alternate paradigms to flourish through contemplative approaches, supporting not only Punjabi males but also other marginalized students facing similar hegemonic discourses. The article proceeds in three parts: a positionality vignette, an analysis of Punjabi gang narratives and the education system's inadequacies, and specific contemplative pedagogical approaches and classroom activities for holistic growth. It concludes with a call to action for educators to incorporate contemplative education to advance equity and social justice.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2026
Kaisu Aldom
Rest and restfulness can serve as a contemplative practice in elementary schools, where children and teachers face constant pressure to achieve and perform. The author, a Canadian elementary teacher, argues that schooling in a burnout society prioritizes productivity, leaving little room for contemplativeness. Drawing on the etymological meaning of scholar as leisure or free time, the author proposes creating oases of rest in the classroom through reflective practices tied to curriculum content. Using reflective journaling, the author shows how such activities can foster restfulness for both students and teacher.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
January 1, 2024
Natalie Mera Ford
This essay argues that instructor self-care, particularly through meditative exercises from contemplative pedagogy, is a necessary complement to student-focused wellness efforts in higher education. The author contends that practices like labyrinth walking offer faculty a flexible way to find stability within demanding work-life constraints. Such self-care can foster community among educators and sustain their ability to support students across professional, domestic, and civic spheres. The essay proposes that expanding the discourse on academic well-being to include instructors shifts academic culture toward a more holistic approach to teaching and learning.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
May 1, 2023
Patricia Morgan
Combining contemplative and creative practices can enhance learning. Over twenty-three years of research, the author developed the concept of an elemental ground of learning containing an integrating force called the feeling nexus. Art-making serves as a bridge between pre-conceptual knowing and cognitive assimilation after contemplation. The Meditative Process Art (MPA) method was created to engage the heuristic power of combining creative and contemplative practices.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
May 1, 2023
Avraham Cohen, Thomas Falkenberg
In an interview, Avraham Cohen and Thomas Falkenberg discuss the origins and practices of their personal inner work and argue for integrating such reflective, self-aware practices more broadly into society. They explore how inner work—cultivating self-awareness, emotional honesty, and ethical presence—can address contemporary crises and improve education, relationships, and community life. The conversation emphasizes the importance of intentional inner development for personal and collective well-being.
Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education
May 1, 2023
David C Chang
After a year of contemplative solitude on a remote island off the coast of British Columbia, David Chang argues that those who can practice such solitude have an educational duty to share its lessons with society. He contends that contemplation is meaningless unless it confronts contemporary problems, and he offers invitations to carry the stillness of the forest into urban life.