Classical physics and human embodiment: The role of contemplative practice in integrating formal theory and personal experience in the undergraduate physics curriculum
April 16, 2018 Zosia A. C. Krusberg, M. Ward
Two contemplative practices—a sensory meditation and a contemplative videography—helped undergraduate physics students connect formal theory to their personal, embodied experience. In written reflections, students reported suddenly noticing countless manifestations of physics principles in their surroundings, experiencing physical embodiment, heightened sensory awareness, somatic relaxation, and mental stillness. They also described insights about the role of observation in science, reawakened curiosity, intrinsic motivation to understand physical phenomena, and deepened awareness of their cognitive and emotional processes. This is the first analysis of contemplative practices' effects on learning in undergraduate physics courses.