Overview
The Contemplative Education Center at Mahidol University is an innovative center for the teaching and research of contemplative education and practice in Thailand. The center advances a contemplative approach to education and human development, and brings together groups of scholars, practitioners, activists and learners to work toward personal and social transformation.
The Center was founded in 2006. It emerged from the support of the "Contemplative Practitioners Network", a group of scholars, practitioners and activists who have applied contemplative practices in their work in classrooms, prisons, the business sector, government agencies, and many more. This network believed that it was timely for a formal education institution to establish a center which could offer various forms of education including a masters program, public seminars, workshops and an annual conference.
At our center, we work with reflective practices such as meditation, bodywork, creative process, dialogue, and others to explore, understand and address personal, interpersonal, organizational and societal issues. The educational goal of our center is to foster the skills and knowledge of contemplative practitioners and educators. We hope to inspire our students to continue developing their personal as well as professional skills and knowledge, which can benefit themselves and others. Increasingly, our work has been recognised, both nationally, and internationally, for its commitment to the promotion of wellness and transformation of society.
Our center consist of scholars from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, including medicine, environmental studies, economics, education, science, psychology, creative arts, business, religious studies and philosophy. We are passionate about educating through contemplative approaches in order that students can discover their potential to become change agents in society. Our students also come from different walks of life including academics, school teachers, health practitioners, facilitators, yoga teachers, writers, journalists, entrepreneurs, and many more. Our graduater have gone on to successful careers in various sectors, and have made important contributions. Alongside our teaching we have conducted a number of research projects including: capacity building of contemplative educators; spiritual rehabilitation for female prison inmates; and, leadership for the future. Our goal is to build the centre's research profile in a way that connects personal development and social transformation.
We are proud that since 2006, our centre has become a hub for the creation, dissemination and practice of contemplative studies in Thailand. So far our work has reached thousands of members of the public through our books, seminars, workshops and annual national conference. We welcome partnerships and collaborations on projects at a national, regional and international scale.
Our current partners include Mind and Life Institute, Sem Sikkalai, Arsom-Silp Institute, and The Thai Health Promotion Foundation.