CSE BLOG
FALL 2024
News, Topics & Events
October Spotlight
Our monthly Happiness Calendar is a day-by-day guide to well-being. This month, we hope it helps you calm your busy mind.
How to Feel More Hopeful
Featuring TOMÁS Q. MORINÍN | Episode 2 from: “Climate Hope & Science” | The Science of Happiness Podcast | Greater Good Magazine How can we build a sense of hope when the future feels uncertain? Poet Tomás Morín tries a writing practice to make him feel more...
Cultivating the Spiritual Core
Over 200 participants joined live for a keynote addresses from Dr. Lisa Miller and Dr. Timothy Shriver…
CSE Supports the Awakened Campus Summit
Campus-based professionals are reporting a surge in spiritual seeking and an increase in requests by students for support to explore existential questions.
How to Meditate for Beginners
How to Meditate for Beginners Ten Percent Happier | Podcast Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last decade or so, you’ve likely heard that ‘meditation’ is beneficial… Read...
Spiritual Practices & Empathy in Classrooms so Nature Nurtures Spirituality
Spiritual Practices & Empathy in Classrooms By RAAGAV PANDYA, Ph.D | Educator, scientist, Consultant Read...
How to Do good for the Environment (And Yourself)
Walking can increase our sense of connectedness with the earth and motivation to take climate action, which might be an important aspect of our well-being.
A Fiction Writer Tells the Truth
What do you do when something terrible happens? Do you think of taking care of yourself first? You should. Then, do you seek the students? That’s what they want.
How Do People Around the World Help Each Other Out
What do you do when something terrible happens? Do you think of taking care of yourself first? You should. Then, do you seek the students? That’s what they want.
More Than a Feeling
Most of us have gotten at least a little emotional at some point recently. It’s natural. But why do we have emotions and how much should we pay attention to them on any given day? Can we learn to skillfully choose which emotions to listen to and which ones to just let move on by?
Three Ways to Inspire Kids to be Generous
Most of us have gotten at least a little emotional at some point recently. It’s natural. But why do we have emotions and how much should we pay attention to them on any given day? Can we learn to skillfully choose which emotions to listen to and which ones to just let move on by?
Your Happiness Calendar – January 2024
Happiness Calendar for January For children, it's not always clear why, when, and how they should show kindness to others. BY HALI KIL | Greater Good Magazine With the holiday season just around the corner, families and households will soon be gathering to give and...
Your Happiness Calendar – February 2024
Happiness Calendar for Educators for February 2024 This month, learn how to bridge differences in schools and classrooms. BY LAUREN LEE| Greater Good Magazine Our monthly Happiness Calendar for Educators is a day-by-day guide to building kinder, happier schools...
Your Happiness Calendar – March 2024
Happiness Calendar for March 2024 This month, be a force for good. BY LAUREN LEE| Greater Good Magazine Our monthly Happiness Calendar is a day-by-day guide to well-being. This month, we hope it helps you be a force for good. Read...
Around the Globe
Good News for Humankind!
The world’s latest milestones for climate, justice, peace, health, and more
Ten percent of the world’s tropical forests are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). But the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the DRC is losing 1.2 million acres of forest every year. To help address this, a Congolese government program aspired to plant 1 billion trees between 2019 and 2023, aiming to strengthen climate resilience, alleviate poverty and protect biodiversity, and achieved 90% of their goal.
What Does Justice for Animals Look Like?
According to philosopher Martha Nussbaum, animal justice means allowing animals the freedom to live full lives.
11 Films that Highlight the Best in Humanity
It’s time for the Greater Goodies, honoring movies from the past year that exemplify optimism, love, empathy, and other keys to our well-being.
Where People in 17 Countries Find Meaning in Life
A new report asked people around the world what made their life meaningful during the pandemic.
Five College Campuses that Managed to Bridge Differences
Campus leaders across the U.S. are implementing strategies for better relationships, dialogue, and understanding across divides.
What Can We Learn from the World’s Most Peaceful Societies?
A multidisciplinary team of researchers is discovering what makes some societies more peaceful than others.
Indigenous Youth at COP26 to Influence Policy
Being an Indigenous youth at COP is extraordinarily limiting and tokenizing in a number of ways, both by nature of being Indigenous and by being youth.
Students Engage in Community Service at the Dakota Zoo
Bismarck Public Schools is teaching their students that giving back is key.
Grandma Ach
In two science classes on March 20, 2023 at the wonderful Rainbow Community School in Asheville, NC, I taught some thirty plus seventh and eight graders a lesson on the chemistry of bread, then we made my Grandma’s famous ‘crisps’ – fried pizza dough that you dip in powdered sugar.
The Unseen
What do you do when something terrible happens? Do you think of taking care of yourself first? You should. Then, do you seek the students? That’s what they want.
What’s in the Background?…
For those who are experiencing a space of healthy mind and spirit, ready to invent new possibilities and adventure in life, here’s what could be a fun perspective on loosening up that “curtain”.
Looking Up…
For those who are experiencing a space of healthy mind and spirit, ready to invent new possibilities and adventure in life, here’s what could be a fun perspective on loosening up that “curtain”.
The Power of Hope
Hope is the only positive emotion to require negativity or uncertainty to be activated. Learned hopefulness demonstrates how hope can be taught and cultivated, and how doing so gives us the ability to become more resilient in the presence of daunting obstacles.
Creating a Spiritual Community
I had the pleasure of presenting the main research of CSE at the Symposium on the Spirituality of Children hosted by Virginia Theological Seminary in late October 2021.
A New Years “Note” of Reflection | Spirituality in the Arts
As the world takes another ‘tour’ around the sun, choirs and a multitude of musical artists are still waiting for theirs… since health warnings still loom for public gatherings, and especially singing.
On Science & Spirituality
The Reverend Norman Hull, chaplain at Campbell Hall in southern California and CSE fellow, has recently written a reflection on his work encouraging middle school students to share their spirituality through the school’s Chapel program.
Ethics and Emptiness
On this show, Dan talks with eminent meditation teachers, top scientists, and even the odd celebrity. Guests include everyone from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Brené Brown to Karamo from Queer Eye.
Curiosity Quiz
On this show, Dan talks with eminent meditation teachers, top scientists, and even the odd celebrity. Guests include everyone from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Brené Brown to Karamo from Queer Eye.
How Can We Make Politics Less Hostile
On this show, Dan talks with eminent meditation teachers, top scientists, and even the odd celebrity. Guests include everyone from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Brené Brown to Karamo from Queer Eye.
2023 Global Peace Index
2023 Global Peace Index ICELAND #1 Peaceful Country in the World Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2023 Global Peace Index. SOURCE: CNBC: The 2023 Global Peace Index released its annual ranking of the most peaceful countries...
Meditation in Troubled Times
Meditation in Troubled Times By Norman Fischer There’s an old Zen saying: “The world is topsy-turvy.” Who is not aware of this today? The state of the world is painful to everyone. The world careens onward in its topsy-turvy course, causing a pervasive sense of...
Effort and Freedom
Effort and Freedom A Conversation with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo In Effort & Freedom, Sam speaks with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo. They discuss Tenzin’s years-long retreat in a remote Indian cave; her studies with the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche; the role of pointing-out...
The Moldy Fridge of Shame
The Moldy Fridge of Shame Dr. Susan Pollak | 10 Percent Happier What can you do if you get walloped by an attack of shame? Seized by the talons of a poisonous inner critic? When you've had a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day," as the classic...
Refelections…
The Power Of Equanimity
by Ruth King | Founder of Mindful of Race Institute, LLC. | Celebrated author, educator, and meditation teacher. (excerpt from a 2020 piece prior to elections)
Fortunately, even outside of formal meditation, you can orient the heart toward embracing equanimity simply by bringing to mind intentions of equanimity..
Here are a few meditations… Take time to relax and linger in the goodwill of motivating these phrases:
– May I bear witness to things just as they are.
– May I offer care without hesitation, knowing I may be met with gratitude, anger, or resistance.
– May I be free from preference and prejudice.
– May I see the world with quiet eyes.
How to Communicate with Love (Even When You’re Mad)
A marriage therapist offers a step-by-step guide for a conversation with your partner when emotions are running high.
Helping Students to Find Their Voice
Who are you? Why do you matter? For students, knowing, and then showing yourself in an essay is a new challenge.
Science and Spirituality
Using Science Education for Transformation / “Can Humankind Re-Integrate Our Spirituality”
How to Stop the Pain of Wishing People Were Different
Sometimes it's hard to just accept people for who they are. Here's how to be at peace with someone, faults and all.
Happiness Break: Awe for Others
The communities we create are one of the most awe-inspiring parts of our lives. Host Dacher Keltner guides us in a meditation on awe and togetherness in this week’s Happiness Break.
Three Ways to Help Your Students Cultivate Their Inner Lives
Providing space for young people to explore their spirituality may benefit everyone.
Self-Compassion Could Help You Be More Tolerant of Others
A new study finds that when you’re warm and accepting of yourself, those feelings may extend to other people, too.
How to Practice Gratitude When You’re Not Feeling Thankful
One way to feel more thankful for things is to imagine life without them. Our guest tries a practice for seeing the bright side, even when you feel down.
The Case for Discussing Spirituality in Schools
Research suggests that spirituality may be a natural developmental process—so what does this mean for secular schools?
What Multicultural Families Can Teach Kids About Character
There are more multiethnic and multi-faith families than ever. A new study reveals how their values and traditions are coming together.
Spiritual Practices & Empathy in Classrooms: How Nature Nurtures Spirituality
Thousands marched from the Army Corps of Engineers to Lafayette Park, in front of the Whitehouse, where a rally was held.
Can Mindfulness Make You Better at Apologizing?
After a short mindfulness practice, people are more willing to admit to transgressions to help repair their relationships, a new study finds.
Moving Toward and Away
10 Opportunities to Transform Yourself While Teaching/”Recovering Your Childhood in Adulthood”
Five Ways to Celebrate Your Student’s Cultures
Developing cultural competence can help teachers create more trusting relationships with students and a more positive learning environment.
How to Find Your Purpose in Life…
Are you struggling to discover your purpose? That may be because you feel isolated from other people. Here’s how you can overcome that.
How to Help Teens Put Less Pressure on Themselves
Self-compassion can help teens who are struggling with toxic perfectionism.
20 Opportunities to Transform Yourself While Teaching
A workshop taken from actual experiences that honor spirituality in education.
Moving Your Body is Like a Tune-Up for Your Mind
If we want a healthy, happy mind, we need to move our body more, a new book explains.
How We’re Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Health Issues
Shame and shunning make mental illness worse. But new studies suggest that attitudes are changing for the better—and that’s largely due to young people.
Looking at Spiritual Development as a System
Spiritual development in young children through reflections of research and changing thoughts and experiences.
Honoring Aristotle: A Science Lesson that Fosters Intellectual Humility
Intellectual Humility, Critical Thinking, and the Art of Making Mistakes
Invisible Forces
Spiritual flourishing is invisible and yet, it can be a very powerful force in helping us humans to be more optimistic, better able to make good choices for ourselves and the world.
Learn to Return
In 1971, I tried to learn to return to the here and now. I went to India where I was meditating for 25 days in an ashram in Haridwar, India, right at the base of the Himalayas, on the Ganges River.
Human Senses Versus Technology
What do you do when something terrible happens? Do you think of taking care of yourself first? You should. Then, do you seek the students? That’s what they want.
How to Reframe Your “Problems” as “Puzzles”
On this show, Dan talks with eminent meditation teachers, top scientists, and even the odd celebrity. Guests include everyone from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Brené Brown to Karamo from Queer Eye.
Finding Sanity 2024
Finding Sanity in 2024 Making Sense Podcast with Sam Harris Powerful words of inspiration and meditative tools to help navigate towards the experience of love, compassion and gratitude as we embark on a new journey around the sun. ...
Generosity, Cynicism, and the Future of Doing Good
Generosity, Cynicism, and the Future of Doing Good (Episode 349) A Conversation with Chris Anderson Sam Harris speaks with Chris Anderson about generosity in the age of the Internet. They talk about the new spirit of cynicism in tech and finance, the problems with...
The Moldy Fridge of Shame
The Moldy Fridge of Shame Dr. Susan Pollak | 10 Percent Happier What can you do if you get walloped by an attack of shame? Seized by the talons of a poisonous inner critic? When you've had a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day," as the classic...
News, Topics & Events
October Spotlight
Around the Globe
Good News for Humankind!
Ten percent of the world’s tropical forests are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). But the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates the DRC is losing 1.2 million acres of forest every year. To help address this, a Congolese government program aspired to plant 1 billion trees between 2019 and 2023, aiming to strengthen climate resilience, alleviate poverty and protect biodiversity, and achieved 90% of their goal.
Reflections
Meditation and Neuroscience: Unlocking the Science Behind Mindfulness
Meditation is becoming more popular every year globally. According to the Center for Disease Control, the proportion of adults in the United States who meditated in the past year tripled from 2012 to 2017.
Studies in the field of neuroscience have shed light on the tangible effects meditation can exert on the brain and even help with reducing chronic pain. From the first studies in Western scientific literature in the 1950s and 60s to the present, scientists have investigated meditation’s effects on the body and mind.
