Ekaterina Vlasova
Bryn Mawr College
Project
Cultures of Healing: Exploring Mindfulness as a Healing Practice in Contemplative Communities
Germany, Japan, Thailand, Bhutan, India, Peru
A mindful awareness of our thoughts and emotions in the present moment promotes healing and physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. On my Watson journey, I will study how the cultures of contemplative communities which gave rise to forms of Western mindfulness view mind-body practices such as meditation, yoga, prayer, and ritual in connection to healing. I will travel to communities of contemplation and healing to understand how mind-body practices encourage mindfulness. By observing, practicing mind-body techniques, and speaking to contemplatives, I seek to understand how cultivation of mindful awareness achieves healing for individuals, communities, and the natural environment.