Gently riding waves in the ocean of our humanity

Embodying contemplative practices

Authors

  • Narelle Lemon Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
  • Joanna Higgins Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
  • Linda Noble Brooklyn College, New York
  • Malgorzata Powietrzynska Brooklyn College, City University of New York

Keywords:

contemplative practices, humanity, self-care, wellbeing, autoethnography

Abstract

In the tradition of hermeneutic phenomenology, this paper highlights contemplative practice vignettes that emerged from our interpretive, participant-centered inquiry. Each unique vignette provides an autoethnographic exploration into being an academic, a teacher, a musician, a poet, a gardener, and a swimmer, while at the same time reflecting multiple identities within ourselves. We share how we each embody contemplative practices in different ways and with(in) different contexts through poetic expression, musicianship and being nurtured by earth and sustained by water. Yet, at the same time, our experiences interlock and intersect to reveal our shared humanity. As participant researchers, we are reflecting on our sense of well-becoming through our narratives of humility and gentleness that surface while riding the internal | collective flow.

 

Community Voices: Applications of Holistic Education Worldwide

Author Biographies

Narelle Lemon, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia

Dr. Narelle Lemon is a Professor and VC Professoriate Research Fellow Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Narelle is an interdisciplinary scholar across the fields of arts, education, and positive psychology. Her research expertise is in fostering wellbeing literacy in the contexts of K-12 schools, initial teacher education, higher education, and community education - that is, capacity building in wellbeing and self-care of proactive action across diverse areas of evidence-based wellbeing science in order to flourish. Narelle is interested in the lived experience of being an academic - care, collaboration, mindful and supportive practices. She is series editor for Wellbeing and self-care in higher education: Embracing positive solutions (Routledge) that is attracting much attention and supporting the dialogue of self-care being worthy of our attention.

Narelle’s contribution to the field of education has also been acknowledged through a 2019 National Teaching Citation, awarded by Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT), in scholarship of learning and teaching for sustained development of curricula and resources to support the integration of social media into initial teacher education to benefit student learning and engagement. Narelle blogs, posts, grams and podcasts as a part of her networked scholar practices.

Joanna Higgins , Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Joanna Higgins is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Joanna taught in primary schools prior to joining the university as a mathematics teacher educator. Her research interests include: studies of self-care particularly associated with playing jazz; inquiry into classroom learning environments with a focus on emotions; professional inquiry and development; and wellbeing policy analysis and

Linda Noble , Brooklyn College, New York

Linda Noble and Malgorzata Powietrzynska are Adjunct Assistant Professors in the School of Education at Brooklyn College and Molloy University, New York. Their respective full time positions are: a public high school teacher and an academic affairs manager in a postsecondary institution. Linda and Malgorzata have spearheaded the creation of a Mindfulness Center in Linda’s school that is the site for SEL programming. Their research focuses on self-care, contemplative practices, and equity in education. Linda and Malgorzata co-author publications on mindfulness in everyday living and transformation and are writing fellows with the education program at the Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley.

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Published

2023-11-29

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2023): Contemplative Perspectives and Practices in Holistic Education

Section

Gallery Walk