Dartmouth next week will host a series of programming to explore mindful practices, Buddhism, and the scientific mind in a cross-campus collaboration.
From April 1 to 7, senior monastic teachers from Deer Park Monastery in California—part of the Plum Village tradition of scholar, poet, peace activist, and Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh—will lead Zen and the Art of Mindful Living programs that include walking meditations, mindful meals, and relaxation activities.
Mindfulness is the practice of staying fully present and aware of one’s thoughts, emotions, and surroundings, developing clarity and focus without judgment.
The mindfulness programming coincides with The Buddha The Scientist Retreat and Symposium on April 6 and 7, which includes a keynote address by Jon Kabat-Zinn, professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and creator of mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Kabat-Zinn is a leading figure in bringing mindfulness into modern medicine, and the symposium is being hosted by the Geisel School of Medicine and several other Dartmouth sponsors in collaboration with the Deer Park Monastery and Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health.
Designed for scientists at all career stages, the symposium will explore Thich Nhat Hanh’s vision of integrating mindfulness and scientific inquiry. Talks by monastics and scientists will reflect on how mindfulness can foster creativity and resilience while addressing global challenges and fostering resilience and well-being.
All community members are invited to attend the various programs, which are sponsored by the William Jewett Tucker Center, the Student Wellness Center, and members of the Mindful Dartmouth Initiative, along with additional support from numerous campus partners. Registration is required for some events, and fee waivers are available to Dartmouth students through the Student Wellness Office.
This will be the third year in a row Deer Park monastics have come to Dartmouth in the spring.
Diane Gilbert-Diamond ’98, a professor of epidemiology, medicine, and pediatrics, played a key role in planning the symposium. She says that “Buddha” in this context refers not to a deity but “represents the awakened nature that we can all experience,” a perspective central to the Plum Village tradition.
“I am particularly interested in the humanity of scientists. How do we overcome self-doubt, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problems that we are addressing?” Gilbert-Diamond says.
Solomon Diamond ’97, associate professor at Thayer School of Engineering and co-director of the Design Initiative at Dartmouth, also contributed to the symposium planning. He says that mindfulness is particularly important to those working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“While the scientific method may help us to design faster microprocessors and more effective medicines, this training can also become an impediment to understanding our own feelings and behaviors that affect our relationships,” says Diamond.
Zhuoya Zhang, a PhD student in the Quantitative Biomedical Sciences program says, “It is easy to get caught up in the chase for merit, be it the number of citations, rather than creating positive impacts. Mindfulness practice helped me step back and reconnect with my intentions of pursuing a doctoral degree.”
Commitment to Care, Dartmouth’s strategic plan for supporting student mental health and well-being, outlines additional initiatives and resources that support students in continuing their journey to holistic well-being.
Mindfulness activities are offered through the Student Wellness Center. In spring term, undergraduate students will have the opportunity to enroll in a new Introduction to Buddhist Practice for Well-being course offered for wellness credits through the Tucker Center; students will participate in the Zen and the Art of Mindful Living event as part of the course.
“A lot of students ask, ‘If I let go of my stress, will I have any motivation left?’” says Gilbert-Diamond, “but mindfulness presents an alternate way to stay engaged and excited about our work that may be more sustainable.”
The slate of events focuses on engaging in mindfulness as a community, an essential part of well-being. “I am excited for this because I find joy in being around kindred spirits and like-minded individuals. Although I am very shy, I also love to meet new people, and this is a great way for me to interact with individuals I may never have the opportunity to meet,” says Adrianna Milton, a postdoctoral fellow at Geisel.
