Cogenerating insights into the dialectics of contemplative practices in educational and lifeworld settings

Abstract

Contemplative practices are used with increasing frequency across various fields of knowledge, and increasingly so within educational settings as a means of promoting wellness and wellbeing. In this paper, we draw on qualitative data derived from primary students' experiences of meditative breathing and use them as a springboard to extrapolate meaning and cogenerate novel insights around contemplative practices. Theoretically framed within an authentic inquiry | contemplative inquiry dialectic, this approach seeks to situate the research team within the contemplative process, striving to make a difference for stakeholders. Intentionally acknowledging and drawing on our values, beliefs, and lifeworlds, this authentic inquiry | contemplative inquiry allows for the cogeneration of deep and meaningful insights. Insights coalesce around four emergent dialectics of contemplative practices: relaxed | stressed, attentive | distracted, still | energized and unbounded | constrained. Our co-constructed contemplative narrative argues that within the complex space of unbounded Lead Editor: K. Tobin. This manuscript is part of the special issue Contemplative Inquiry, Wellbeing and Science Education, guest edited by Kenneth Tobin.

Pedagogy of Belonging: Pausing to be human in higher education

“…The foundation of PoB is grounded in pausingslowing down and cultivating an intentionality to approach, embrace and be curious with how care and self-care can prioritize connectedness, inclusion, selfawareness, and self-examination within the context of higher education (Pizzuto, 2018;Powietrzynska et al, 2021;Zouch et al, 2021). A by-product is enhanced wellbeing and a wellbeing literacy.…”