Welcome to the Science of Meditation!

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:46 PM | 0 Comments

Familiarize yourself with the blog. You'll quickly notice that all of your assignments are listed here in chronological order. 

The course calendar (given to you in class, and available as a link on the Course Resources tab--look near the top of your screen) is a really important document. It shows your assignments, due dates, and in-class meetings. 

The Course Resources tab has links to important information that you will need to access throughout the course. One such link is the How To Register link. You'll need to go there next, click the link, and read and follow the directions carefuly. Make sure you have scrolled all the way to the bottom of the document so you follow all the directions.

The Explore! links on the Course Resources page are designed for you to browse at your leisure. You may find them useful for some of your assignments, and they can provide a starting point for your own searches.


Exploration Blog: Beginning How Tos

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:45 PM | 15 Comments

For this blog, you will report on your preliminary efforts to meditate. There are some links in the Course Resources tab, as well as I'd specifically like you to read these sections of our books:  Hansen & Mendius Ch 11, pp 86-87; Dorjee pp 18-20, Nataraja Ch 1 & 7

In your blog response, please let us know generally your past experience with meditation (with none being completely acceptable), as well as insight on your effort to learn and practice meditation. What was it like for you? Where did you meditate? How "successful" do you think you were? What problems did you encounter?

Explore!

Reading Blog: H&M Chs 1-3

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:44 PM | 15 Comments

Please read H&M Chs 1-3 and Nataraja Chs 2 & 3.

For this blog post, and the remaining Reading Blogs, please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:43 PM | 16 Comments

For today's post, (and for all of the other Thursday blogs called Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic), what I'd like you to do is to choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: H&M Chs 4-7

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:42 PM | 18 Comments

Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:41 PM | 17 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: H&M Chs 8-10

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:41 PM | 15 Comments
Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:40 PM | 16 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: H&M Chs 12-13

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:36 PM | 17 Comments

Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:34 PM | 15 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: Dorjee Intro & Ch 1

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:33 PM | 18 Comments

Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:31 PM | 16 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: Dorjee Ch 2

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:30 PM | 18 Comments

Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:29 PM | 15 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: Dorjee Ch 3

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:27 PM | 16 Comments

Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:27 PM | 14 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: Dorjee Ch 4

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:26 PM | 16 Comments

Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Explore!

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:25 PM | 15 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: Dorjee Ch 5

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:24 PM | 15 Comments

Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:23 PM | 14 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: Dorjee Ch 6

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:21 PM | 13 Comments

Please summarize what you read. After summarizing, you can reflect on the following questions to guide the rest of your writing, but you should not just list and answer them. What did you find most interesting? Most confusing? What do you want to learn more about? Is there any information that you find dubious or that you are suspicious of? You do not need to explicitly answer these, rather, I'm interested in your summary, and ultimately your thoughts and insight on these readings. 

Please list the main key words you used in your post.

Exploration Blog: Chosen Topic

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:20 PM | 16 Comments

Choose a topic from Tuesday's readings that you were particularly interested in. Your job is to do some more indepth research on that topic. That may mean looking up some of the original research cited in the chapter and finding and reading the original research article. It also could mean searching the internet for other content and information out there on this topic (ranging from videos, news releases, summaries of research findings, others' blog posts, etc). 

One you have completed your search and explorations I would like you to clearly state what your topic is, discuss how it relates to the readings, and thoroughly discuss what you learned about this topic from your additional resources. 

It is possible to do this assignment with one source (an original research article). I encourage you to use this approach for at least half of these types of assignments. The other method, is to find suitable internet content that helps you learn more about your topic. If you choose this method, I'd like you to provide 3 sources of information (in the form of internet links). Do not be tempted to just discuss each of the links separately. You must synthesize the information, and discuss the topic as a whole.

At the bottom of your post, please include several key terms that reflect your topic, as well as your sources (either the citation for the 1 research article, and link if it is available on line, or 3 links to the internet content you discussed). 

Please be prepared to discuss your topic, as a portion of each in-class day will be devoted to hearing from all of you about what you learned.

Reading Blog: Attention

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:19 PM | 16 Comments

Exploration Blog: Meditation Apps

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:19 PM | 15 Comments

For this weeks Exploration Blog, I'd like you to evaluate on 'app' regarding meditation. Some are listed here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/30/the-internet-might-hold-t_n_4461797.html You can also search the internet or various app stores for other ones. Many are free. You are not required to purchase anything for this assignment. I want you to provide a review of the app. What it is designed to do. How effective it is in doing that, and, most importantly, do you believe there is any scientific basis for the success or use of this app?

Reading Blog: Sleep

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:16 PM | 10 Comments

Exploration Blog: Fairfield, IA

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:15 PM | 14 Comments

For this week's Exploration Blog, I'd like you to find out whatever it is that you can and that interests you about Fairfield, IA, in particular how it relates to meditation and meditation practice. You can be as broad or as specific as you prefer. But do demonstrate that you spent some time learning and exploring what Fairfield is all about. Please provide any relevant links to sources at the bottom of your post. 

Reading Blog: Creativity

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:12 PM | 15 Comments


Explore!

Exploration Blog: Vedic City Field Trip

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:08 PM | 13 Comments

On a date or dates to be announced, we will be taking a field trip to Vedic City, IA. We will get a guided tour of the town and its facilities. Please thoroughly review the town's website http://www.maharishivediccity-iowa.gov/. The cost of the tour is $10 per person. I will cover transportation costs. We'll discuss as a class the best day to go. For this blog post you will reflect on your experience and knowledge of Vedic City.

Reading Blog: Relationships

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:06 PM | 15 Comments

Meditation Project

By maclink on January 12, 2014 4:01 PM | 0 Comments

Your meditation project is a semester long project chronicling your meditation practice experiences, as well as summarizing your indepth knowledge of a particular topic area relevant to meditation (e.g., impact on stress, health, sleep, attention, creativity, relationships, etc). 

A portion of your documentation of your meditation project is simply noting in some fashion when, where, how long, and your experience with meditation. This can be in the form of an annotated calendar, diary entry, or short essays (if you have another idea, let me know). Another portion of documentation is your reflection on any changes you notice in your self, life, well being, as a result of meditation. These will likely be in the format of short essays. You will be meditating at least once, if not twice per day (and thus will be documenting those experiences daily). Your reflections on any changes you notice, can occur weekly. You will then likely have a longer reflective essay at the end of the course encapsulating your entire meditation practice experience.

The topical portion of your mediation project will likely be in the form of a paper on whatever aspect of meditation you choose to explore indepth. If you have other ideas of how to demonstrate your knowledge in this culminating project (besides a paper), please let me know.

During the final period, you will turn in your project, and will briefly present aspects of it to the class.
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