1 - 10 of 14 results for: WELLNESS

In the face of social, economic, environmental, and public health upheavals, many of us are experiencing an unprecedented degree of uncertainty, isolation, and stress affecting academic and day-to-day life. Challenging times ask us, in a voice louder than usual, to identify sources of strength and develop practices that sustain and even liberate. In this experiential, project-oriented class: Explore practices to find true ground and enact positive change for self and community; Cultivate natural capacities of presence, courage, and compassion; Develop resources to share with one another and the entire Stanford community.

This interdisciplinary and practice-based course develops foundational life skills that enable students to realize their potential in school, work, and life in the 21st century. Research over the last few decades has shown that one's ability to thrive is highly correlated with growing and developing as a person: emotionally, socially, cognitively, and psychophysically. This course fosters inner growth through a specific form of evidence-based meditation called Transcendental Meditation, shown to enhance awareness, creativity, resilience, and balance. Students will also develop key communication, relationship building, and collaboration skills. The course features recent research on holistic human development, neuroscience of performance, and integrative leadership. Its design is based on a training program utilized by thousands of leaders of larger established organizations, venture backed startups, NGO's, and government agencies. This integrative approach to leadership development can reduce stress and lead to emotional balance, mental clarity, and increased effectiveness in life pursuits.

Learn to cultivate and sustain emotional, physical, and sexual intimacy in relationships. Course takes a sex-positive approach. In addition to scholarly readings on science-based perspectives, the course includes individual, paired, and group exercises in and out of class. Didactic components address the art and science of intimacy through a sociological lens, addressing embodiment, the nuances of consent, needs and boundaries, empathy, safer sex and safer heart conversations, flirting, attunement, escalation and de-escalation, fantasies, pornography, pleasure, selecting partners, repairing relationships, and breaking up.

This course will introduce initiated fraternity and sorority members to the Sexual Citizenship Framework as well as fundamental skills and practices to support creating positive change. Students will be provided opportunities, guidance, and resources to design and implement their own projects to advance a culture of sexual citizenship in their chapters and broader fraternity and sorority communities. This course is limited to initiated fraternity and sorority members only. A permission code is required to register.

Examine the main factors impacting metabolic rate including stress, sleep, movement, and nutrition. Review the science behind the continual need for nourishment from these factors and how they work together synergistically down to the level of gene expression. Practically apply principles of metabolism to one's unique physiology and lifestyle for optimal wellbeing

Discover a deeper relationship with yourself and the Earth through nature-based contemplative practices that cultivate wonder for this beautiful, diverse world. This experiential course explores how nature connection practices can support wellbeing and flourishing. Develop a more meaningful relationship with the Stanford campus by visiting different locations each week, including the O'Donahue Family Stanford Educational Farm, the Cactus Garden, the Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden, the Cantor Arts gardens, Windhover, and Frenchman's Park. Drawing on perspectives from Transformative Learning, Indigenous Knowledge, and Contemplative Science, course activities will include place-based mindfulness exercises, walking meditation, Council sharing, journaling, and creative expression.

Introduces diverse forms of meditation practice in both theory (contemplative neuroscience, phenomenological traditions) and practice. Practices in guided imagery, compassion, loving kindness, positive emotion, mindfulness and mantra meditation will be offered to enhance stress management and well-being. While meditation practices emerge from religious traditions, all practice and instruction will be secular.

Discover the power of the breath as a gateway to reach a meditative state of mind. Combine meditative practice with activities that inspire connection and purpose through community building and mindful leadership. Learn through breathwork, meditation, lecture, class discussion, experiential learning, and yoga. Cornerstone of the course is evidence-based SKY Meditation technique that utilizes the breath to quiet the mind, supporting a deep experience of meditation and a practical approach to happiness. Course requirements include attendance at a mini-retreat (see "notes" section). Also note: Wellness 132 was previously offered as MED 130.

Introduces diverse forms of meditation practice in both theory (contemplative neuroscience, phenomenological traditions) and practice. Selected practices in focused attention, mindfulness, guided imagery, compassion, loving kindness, positive emotion, and/or mantra meditation will be offered to enhance focused attention, insight, stress management, and well-being. Takes place in a weekend immersion format (on campus), which allows more immersive exploration of the topic space. While meditation practices emerge from religious traditions, all practice and instruction will be secular.