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Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 8:42:34 AM

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'At quiet time we try to be as calm as we can," says Reko, a seventh-grader at Ideal Academy, a Washington, D.C., charter school that incorporates a 20-minute transcendental meditation program into each school day. "We close our eyes and think of our mantra so we can be relaxed." On the other side of the country, students at Emerson Elementary School in Oakland practice techniques called "mindfulness" that have been adapted from Buddhism. The children learn to follow their breath, watch their thoughts and focus their attention by listening to the tone of a Tibetan singing bowl until the sound is too faint to hear.

"Mindfulness makes me feel marvelous," says Curtis, a fifth-grader at Emerson.

As the movement to bring mantras and Tibetan singing bowls to public schools gathers steam, some activists who keep an eye on church-state issues are crying foul.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-street25jul25,0,7528677.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 9:09:58 AM

Owner59

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Level

'At quiet time we try to be as calm as we can," says Reko, a seventh-grader at Ideal Academy, a Washington, D.C., charter school that incorporates a 20-minute transcendental meditation program into each school day. "We close our eyes and think of our mantra so we can be relaxed." On the other side of the country, students at Emerson Elementary School in Oakland practice techniques called "mindfulness" that have been adapted from Buddhism. The children learn to follow their breath, watch their thoughts and focus their attention by listening to the tone of a Tibetan singing bowl until the sound is too faint to hear.

"Mindfulness makes me feel marvelous," says Curtis, a fifth-grader at Emerson.

As the movement to bring mantras and Tibetan singing bowls to public schools gathers steam, some activists who keep an eye on church-state issues are crying foul.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-street25jul25,0,7528677.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail

Ah, Level,.... the pot stirrer.

Spirituality, is not religion .Meditation is not praying.People conflate the two,but they`re different issues(though related).

The"activists" who are crying foul. are the people trying to insert Jesus ,into public school.Of course they`ll make a fuss,but that dog won`t hunt.

Peace

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 9:10:50 AM

Aileen68

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Ohhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 9:26:21 AM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Aileen68

Ohhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm

LOL

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 9:29:22 AM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

quote:

ORIGINAL: Level

'At quiet time we try to be as calm as we can," says Reko, a seventh-grader at Ideal Academy, a Washington, D.C., charter school that incorporates a 20-minute transcendental meditation program into each school day. "We close our eyes and think of our mantra so we can be relaxed." On the other side of the country, students at Emerson Elementary School in Oakland practice techniques called "mindfulness" that have been adapted from Buddhism. The children learn to follow their breath, watch their thoughts and focus their attention by listening to the tone of a Tibetan singing bowl until the sound is too faint to hear.

"Mindfulness makes me feel marvelous," says Curtis, a fifth-grader at Emerson.

As the movement to bring mantras and Tibetan singing bowls to public schools gathers steam, some activists who keep an eye on church-state issues are crying foul.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-street25jul25,0,7528677.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail

Ah, Level,.... the pot stirrer.

Spirituality, is not religion .Meditation is not praying.People conflate the two,but they`re different issues(though related).

The"activists" who are crying foul. are the people trying to insert Jesus ,into public school.Of course they`ll make a fuss,but that dog won`t hunt.

Peace

Now, some would agree with the "pot stirring" comment.......

However, according to the article, the ones crying foul are, in fair amount, atheists.

Personally, I neither mind quiet prayer, nor meditation, in schools, but I don't want school and religion to mix, if that makes sense.

And some would disagree with meditation not being a form of prayer.

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 9:30:57 AM

cuddleheart50

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I agree with meditation AND prayer in schools.

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 9:44:22 AM

slaveboyforyou

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I don't understand why they need to adapt methods from Buddhism. In my mind, that does approach religious indoctrination. You can learn breathing exercises without the aid of a Tibetan singing bowl. I remember doing breathing exercises in combination with stretching and other relaxation techniques in P.E. class. That would be the ideal place to teach techniques like this. The argument that this is no different from teaching choral music would hold merit if the exercises were performed in a P.E. class. I would have no problem with teaching the doctrines of different religions in a comparitive religions class under a philosophy curriculum. I have always thought that philosophy should be taught in secondary schools. It's one of the hallmarks of a classical education. As for prayer in schools, it has never been outlawed. Frankly, I get a little sick of that argument. No one can stop you from saying a quiet prayer to yourself. The only thing that has been disallowed is school officials organizing and leading group prayer. There is no need for a moment of silence. If you can't recite a simple prayer in your mind amongst the noise of others, than you have concentration issues not spiritual issues.

< Message edited by slaveboyforyou -- 8/5/2007 9:45:35 AM >

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 9:47:44 AM

cuddleheart50

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I also think they should say the Pledge of Alligance like I did when I was in school.

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 9:58:05 AM

velvetears

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They still do... why did you think they didn't??

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 10:03:34 AM

LuckyAlbatross

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I think having 10 minutes of "quiet time" for people to rest or think or do whatever they want quietly (heck go masturbate) is a great idea.

I'm against any directed thinking though, including meditation.

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 10:04:39 AM

cuddleheart50

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quote:

ORIGINAL: velvetears

They still do... why did you think they didn't??

They dont in schools around here. Don't know about anyplace else.

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Love like you've never been hurt
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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 10:07:34 AM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: LuckyAlbatross

I think having 10 minutes of "quiet time" for people to rest or think or do whatever they want quietly (heck go masturbate) is a great idea.

I'm against any directed thinking though, including meditation.

*emphasis added*

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 10:09:31 AM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: cuddleheart50

quote:

ORIGINAL: velvetears

They still do... why did you think they didn't??

They dont in schools around here. Don't know about anyplace else.

cuddles, what stopped it, I wonder?

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 10:16:18 AM

cuddleheart50

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I have no idea Level. It just saddens me that we dont have it anymore.

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Love like you've never been hurt
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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 10:35:08 AM

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You know what I'd do? Either call your local school, or write to your congressman, and see what's up.

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 11:01:13 AM

velvetears

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We still have it here, but you cannot force the kid to say the pledge but they do have to stand up, that's mandatory.

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 11:19:50 AM

JackM1

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thats the same thing we have where i am; i personally dont say the pledge, but i did have to stand up. i have to say though, most of the students in my school didnt say the pledge, but unlike me most of them were just not doing it out of pure laziness. i have my own personal reasons for not saying the pledge, none of which have anything to do with religion.

i think its a great idea that they do meditation in school. most of you are waayyy out of school by now, but being fresh out of hs my self and just starting my higher education journey, i can safely say that at the end of the day, i dont know how the hell i do it. its stressful trying to balance school, work, a social life and then MORE school in the form of exams(which used to give me panic attacks, to be honest with you) and homework. i wish way back when, that i had some way to simply RELAX during the day(i made a sugestion for my school to create a "scream room" during exam time, because there were times that my friends and i felt like we were going to POP from stress....they didnt seem to think it was a good idea, so we got together at someones house, turned up the music and screamed into pillows instead). its not religion, because meditation is not a form of prayer, even if it was created/started/used by a certain group that happens to believe in a certain god. the alternative is to simply impose upon the students a "quiet time" during the day, where they are able to do any activity they want, as long as they are not talking(sounds a lot like study hall to me, though, only i think you can quietly talk during study). of course, knowing the students they will have screaming contests just to be little jerks, but i think the majority(especially the older students) would really appreciate that time to themselves. i think the younget students would still benefit from having guided relaxation time, just so they are able to learn how to do it for themselves in the future, but it doesnt have to be.

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 11:30:40 AM

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quote:

ORIGINAL: velvetears

We still have it here, but you cannot force the kid to say the pledge but they do have to stand up, that's mandatory.

Sounds reasonable to me.

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Let go it's harder holding on
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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 11:35:20 AM

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Here's another story on meditation and school:

CBS) Every day Americans do virtually nothing in deafening silence. This is the face of modern meditation. A kind of inner contemplation gaining mainstream attention, not necessarily for spiritual enlightenment, but for matters of mind and body.

The unlikely town of Fairfield, Iowa, has become a mecca for transcendental meditation, reports CBS News correspondent Mika Brzezinski.

The Maharishi School and Maharishi University are named after the guru the Beatles followed — remember Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? Here, students practice his technique of transcendental meditation, or tm for short.

One student defends the school's focus, saying that the regimen is neither weird or freaky. "If it makes you feel good, then what's the problem?" the student asks. She adds, "It's just a natural experience. And I think anybody that tried it and felt the effects that it had in their life, would not think it was weird at all."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/09/sunday/main1483025.shtml

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RE: Meditation in schools? - 8/5/2007 11:44:05 AM

CuriousLord

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Level

However, according to the article, the ones crying foul are, in fair amount, atheists.
[...]
And some would disagree with meditation not being a form of prayer.

Meditation can be used as a form of prayer, I suppose. Still, it can also be used as a mental discipline, which is fine in schools.

This atheist finds no fault in teaching basic meditation. Now, if you start to talk about "spirits guiding" people through some alternate reality within their minds, or how the ying conflicts with the yang in eternal balance and that the recognition of this is necessary to achieve enlightenment/inner-peace, then we have a problem.

Still, I love meditation. I even know a great fighting style derived from it that's been quite useful in the past.

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