People and Nature
October 7, 2025
Rose Macaulay, Cullan Joyce, Katherine A. Johnson et al.
1 citation
Interventions combining nature-based activities with contemplative practices can help people cope with eco-distress—the psychological pain from climate and ecological change. Interviews with 11 teachers and leaders of such practices, plus two workshops, revealed four pathways to adaptive change: restoration and reduced stress through present-moment awareness; facing and working with difficult emotions; shifting and expanding self-boundaries; and strengthening values and commitments to action. These mechanisms build on and reinforce each other over time. Workshop data also produced design recommendations for implementing these practices. The findings integrate insights from contemplative studies and environmental psychology.
Pedagogy Culture and Society
December 8, 2025
Christopher T. Mccaw, Haisu Sun, Julieta Galante et al.
A model for applying contemplative pedagogy in higher education emphasizes rich contextualization and interdisciplinarity. The framework places embodied contemplative practices within concentric layers of context, drawing from multiple disciplinary perspectives. It addresses challenges educators face in contemporary universities, using cosmopolitanism to navigate epistemological, cultural, and practical diversity. The course 'The Art and Science of Meditation' illustrates this approach.
February 11, 2025
Christopher T. Mccaw, Julieta Galante, Cullan Joyce et al.
A conceptual framework is presented for applying contemplative pedagogy in higher education, emphasizing rich contextualization and interdisciplinarity. The model places embodied contemplative activities within concentric layers of socio-cultural, political, religious, ethical, and material context. Cosmopolitanism is introduced to address epistemological, cultural, and practical diversity encountered by educators and students. The framework is illustrated through a case study of an undergraduate subject, The Art and Science of Meditation, designed by the authors.
JMIR research protocols
July 17, 2026
Lillian Ofori Ward, Cate Bailey, Prai Wattanatakulchat et al.
A protocol for a prospective longitudinal cohort study will follow 600 beginner meditators in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom over one year to investigate whether regular meditation practice improves quality of life and mental well-being. The study will compare effects between secular and spiritual practitioners, assess cost-effectiveness in terms of quality of life, and track the incidence and functional impact of any adverse effects. Participants report practice frequency and duration weekly via an app, with monthly sampling of quality of life, well-being, practice characteristics, costs, and adverse effects. Data collection began in October 2025; results are expected in January 2028.