Contemplative Studies

Christy Wenger argues for the inclusion of Eastern-influenced contemplative education within writing studies. She observes that, although we have "embodied" writing education in general by discussing the rhetorics of racialized, gendered, and disabled bodies, we have done substantially less to address the particular bodies that occupy our classrooms. She proposes that we turn to contemplative education practices that engages student bodies through fusing a traditional curriculum with contemplative practices including yoga, meditation, and the martial arts.

The works included in this column are a small number of the many titles available. These titles were chosen because they were written by well-regarded authors, researchers, and teachers in the meditation community. Undoubtedly there are other worthy titles that may have been left out, as it is simply not possible to include everything. Some of these titles may no longer be in print but should be available in the used book market for librarians looking to build a collection in this area. There is an important experiential aspect to meditation, and books can be supplemented with recordings available through web resources that offer talks, lectures, and guided meditations by experienced and knowledgeable teachers. These audiovisual resources provide a useful adjunct to books, and they can enhance and accelerate the learning process for anyone trying to understand meditation and develop a practice.