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Journal of Contemplative Studies

@jcontemplatives.bsky.social

A peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing humanities-based and transdisciplinary scholarship in Contemplative Studies | Published by CSC at UVA. https://linktr.ee/ContemplativeJournal

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Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 3w ago

Read more from Noman Baig, Associate Professor of Comparative Humanities and Social Development and Policy at @habibuniversity on the Journal of Contemplative Studies, available for free at the link in our bio!

Graphic for an article titled "Dhikr: The Contemplative Life in the Sufi Tradition" by Noman Baig from Habib University. The background features an aerial view of a water body with land formations, and there's an image of an individual wearing glasses in front of a cityscape.

A quote card with a teal background features text discussing attacks on Islam's esoteric Sufism. It highlights Sufism's use of contemplation to unite the cosmic and material aspects of existence. Below, a prompt asks how one's practice connects "the cosmic" to the body, inviting comments. The background displays a detailed aerial view of brown landmasses against teal water.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · last mo.

Looking for your next read? Oriane Lavolé discusses Anne Klein's "Being Human & A Buddha Too" for the Journal of Contemplative Studies. Check out the full review on our website, available at the link in our bio!

This image is a graphic for a book review on "Being Human & A Buddha Too: Longchenpa’s Seven Trainings for a Sunlit Sky" by Anne Klein. It features a photo of someone named Oriane Lavolé with a Stanford University affiliation. The background is a textured, abstract design with red and brown tones.

A text on a textured background reads: "Being Human and a Buddha Too is a seemingly simple yet penetrating introduction to the all-encompassing wholeness of being . . . a practice manual for those who seek to pierce the mystery that guided the author’s own journey within this wisdom tradition: How can one be at once human and a buddha too?"

A book cover titled "Being Human and a Buddha Too: Longchenpa's Sevenfold Mind Training for a Sunlit Sky" by Anne Carolyn Klein (Lama Rigdzin Drolma). The cover has a yellow and white gradient with dotted patterns radiating from the center. The top banner reads "House of Adzom." The bottom has the phrase "Find More to Contemplate.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · last mo.

We recently sat down with Muhammad Faruque to dive deeper into his recent article, "Beyond Technical Fixes" (Special Issue #03), and discuss how it fits in with the field and his forthcoming book. Read the full interview on Contemplative Currents, available at the link in our bio!

This image features a portrait of an individual labeled as "Author Insights," with the name Muhammad Faruque from the University of Cincinnati. The background has a textured, artistic design.

Text on a dark background with white text. The text reads: “It is one thing to speak of interconnectedness at a theoretical level, but quite another to demonstrate, in practice, that it can be—and indeed is—achieved." "In Sufism, there is a host of practices that ultimately lead one toward union, oneness, and interconnectedness—with the non-human world, with the source of existence, with everything.”

Aerial view of floating ice on dark water. Text overlay introduces Muhammad Faruque as the Inayat Malik Assistant Professor and Taft Center Fellow at the University of Cincinnati, and Visiting Scholar at Harvard University. Author of "Sculpting the Self: Islam, Selfhood, and Human Flourishing" (2021).

Cover of the "Journal of Contemplative Studies" issue #03, 2023, featuring abstract art resembling a colorful landscape with a branching river. Edited by Douglas Christie, Simone Kotva, Ariel Evan Mayse, and Devin Zuckerman. Text below reads: "Find more to contemplate."

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 2mo ago

"Both Thinking at the Edge and Tibetan monastic debate rely on the body as a tool, but in very different ways." Visit the link in our bio to check out this article from Special Issue #02 - Mindful Practices and Embodied Critical Thinking: Tensions and Transitions!

The image is a graphic for an article titled "Using the Body to Think: An Analysis of the Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Thinking at the Edge and Tibetan Monastic Debate" by van Vugt et al. The background features an aerial view of a shoreline with a beach and ocean waves.

The image contains text over a background of a beach landscape with ocean waves meeting the shore. The text describes "Thinking at the Edge" as a philosophical method for deepening thinking by exploring concepts from various angles. It mentions the intention to compare this method with Tibetan monastic debate. A prompt at the bottom invites the audience to consider and share two unexpectedly related practices.

Authors list with associated universities on a textured background. Names include: Marieke van Vugt (University of Groningen), Jampa Soepa, Jamyang Gyaltsen, Kalden Gyatso, Thabkhe, Lobsang Phuntsok, Lobsang Donyo, Jampa Thakchoe, Ngawang Norbu from Sera Jey Monastic University, Amir Moye (University of Bern), and Sudhakar Mishra (Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur).

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 2mo ago

For this installment of Contemplation +, we caught up with international artist Wolfgang Buttress about his journey into art, the intersection between art and contemplative practice, and more. Read the whole interview on Contemplative Currents, available at the link in our bio!

Abstract artwork featuring a grid of black and white tiles with a gradient overlay of blue and green. Text reads: "Contemplation + Sensemaking, Wolfgang Buttress." A circular inset shows a person with a long beard.

Text on a textured background: "CONTEMPLATION + SENSEMAKING" followed by a quote. "Over the course of about a decade, I began to understand something fundamental: I wasn’t separate from nature—I was part of it. … My work was no longer about projecting inward turmoil outward; it became a response to something larger. A conversation. A celebration, especially in a time when nature feels so fragile, so precarious." - Wolfgang Buttress. Below the quote: "CONTEMPLATION + an ongoing series of dialogues that explores intersections of contemplation with diverse topics.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 2mo ago

"Enduring connection cannot be forged with the intellect alone . . . The entire soul, and the fullness of one’s physical vitality, must become connected." - Rabbi Kalonymous Kalman Shapira Check out the latest from Ariel E. Mayse, available at the link in our bio!

Graphic for an article titled "The Affordances of Mind: Contemplation, Ecology, and Jewish Thought" by Ariel E. Mayse, associated with Stanford University. The graphic includes a circular photo of a person smiling against a natural green background. The background of the cover is a rich, textured, earthy red.

A quote on a textured background reads: “Contemplative activity is both deeply nurturing and radically subversive precisely because it jolts us beyond the values and structures that dominate our lives, inviting us to reconnect our minds and bodies to the fullness of the world and to the spiritual infinities it can express.” Below, a prompt asks: "How does contemplation jolt you out of stagnant routines? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Cover of the Journal of Contemplative Studies, Issue #03, 2023. The cover features an aerial-style abstract image resembling a landscape with rivers and colorful terrain. Editors listed: Douglas Christie, Simone Kotva, Ariel Evan Mayse, and Devin Zuckerman. The bottom has the phrase "FIND MORE TO CONTEMPLATE.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This installment of Contemplation + SENSEmaking features Eve Ekman, PhD, MSW, a contemplative social scientist creating and evaluating tools for emotional awareness in healthcare, wellbeing, and technology. Check out the whole interview on Contemplative Currents, available at the link in our bio!

graphic titled 'Contemplation + Sensemaking' by Eve Ekman, featuring a close-up abstract purple and white design with a circular portrait of a smiling individual in the lower right corner.

A dark blue poster with a quote by Eve Ekman: "The skills and tools for deeper resilience can’t depend on outer circumstances, they must be found right in our own minds and hearts.” Below, it reads: "CONTEMPLATION + an ongoing series of dialogues that explores intersections of contemplation with diverse topics." A blurred background image is partially visible.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 3mo ago

"Speak to the earth, and it will teach you." - Job 12:8 Is a contemplative ecological renewal of Christianity even possible? Gunnar Gabriel Gjermundsen poses this question at the top of his latest article for the Journal. Check out the whole article at the link in our bio!

Graphic for an article titled "Tree of Life, Womb of Creation: Ecology and Sexuality in the Christian Contemplative Tradition" by Gunnar Gabriel Gjermundsen, University of Oslo. A circular photo of the author is in the lower right corner, set against a backdrop of a forest and winding road.

Aerial view of a forest with a winding road. Overlay text discusses the Western tradition's estrangement from nature and the divine feminine, suggesting a contemplative ecology based on Hebrew Wisdom and Christian "natural contemplation." A prompt below asks "What does ecological healing look like to you?"

Cover of the Journal of Contemplative Studies, Issue #3, 2023. Features an abstract aerial landscape with colorful formations and a river. Edited by Douglas Christie, Simone Kotva, Ariel Evan Mayse, and Devin Zuckerman. Text at the bottom reads, "Find More to Contemplate."

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 4mo ago

For this installment of Contemplation +, we spoke with Adam Lobel, PhD, who practices at the threshold of ecologies, Buddhist-inspired philosophy, contemplative education, and psycho-social political change. Check out the whole interview on Contemplative Currents, available at the link in our bio!

The image features a graphic with the words "Contemplation + Sensemaking" with Adam Lobel, with a background of a close-up of dew-covered grass. There is a circular inset with a person wearing glasses and a beard, set against a natural background.

The image features a quote by Adam Lobel on a green background. The quote reads, "Awakening, for me, is less about an inner cognitive shift and much more about collective and planetary flourishing." Below, text describes "CONTEMPLATION +" as an ongoing series of dialogues exploring intersections of contemplation with diverse topics. The background includes a blurred, monochrome pattern of light and dark areas.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Have you ever wondered how much meditation is too much? Check out this article for free on the Journal of Contemplative Studies, available at the link in our bio!

A graphic titled "Too Much or Not Enough of a Good Thing? Reconciling Differing Perspectives on the Optimal Dose of Mindfulness Meditation and Advancing a Dose-Response Research Agenda" by Bowles et al. The background features an abstract design in warm earth tones.

Text on a textured background discussing the limited knowledge about dose-response effects of mindfulness meditation. It emphasizes the need for research on the frequency and duration of practice required to achieve outcomes. The message invites comments on how different lengths of meditation affect personal experience.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 4mo ago

In this installment of Contemplation + Sensemaking, we spoke with James Gentry, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University. To read the full interview, visit Contemplative Currents at the link in our bio!

This image is a graphic titled "Contemplation + Sensemaking" by James Gentry. The background features an abstract, colorful pattern resembling close-up dandelion seeds. A circular photo of a person with short hair, glasses, and wearing a beige jacket is placed near the lower right corner.

An abstract black and white background features a blue rectangle with text. The text reads: "CONTEMPLATION + SENSEMAKING. 'The mind-body binary, the nature-culture binary [...] these kinds of dichotomies undergird a lot of the problems that we face as a global society in terms of the eco-crisis.' James Gentry. CONTEMPLATION + an ongoing series of dialogues that explores intersections of contemplation with diverse topics.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Dive into this article from Iain Sinclair on an often overlooked aspect of Śāntideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra (Introduction to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life) at the link in our bio!

The image shows a graphic for an article titled "The Hidden Bodhicaryāvatāra: Double Entendres, the Confession of Sins, and the Invocation of Mañjunātha" by Iain Sinclair of The University of Queensland. The background features an aerial view of fields in the sunlight.

Text discussing modern teachings on Buddhist meditation referencing Śāntideva's "Bodhicaryāvatāra" and how it developed with restricted tantric practices. A prompt asks about discoveries in personal practice not apparent on the surface, inviting thoughts in the comments. The background shows textured green and yellow fields.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 4mo ago

In this installment of Contemplation +, we spoke with interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner Andrew Holecek, Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies To read the full interview, check out the link in our bio!

Graphic for an interview titled "Contemplation + Sensemaking" featuring Andrew Holecek, with an abstract textured background of red and gray tones. A circular inset displays a portrait of Andrew Holecek at the bottom right.

Contemplation + Sensemaking quote from Andrew Holecek about the benefits of meditative arts. Text describes the opportunity to see reality deconstruct and reconstruct through dark retreat. The graphic mentions "Contemplation +" as a series exploring intersections of dialogues. Background features a speckled, abstract design.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 5mo ago

"Baja a la Tierra, que no es tan terrible vivir aquí. Come down to earth, It’s not so terrible to live down here." - Kevin Johansen and Lila Downs Visit the link in our bio and check out this article from Juan Pablo Restrepo, featured in Special Issue #03: Contemplative Ecology!

Graphic highlighting an article titled "Coming Down to Earth: Drifts of Spirituality in the Anthropocene" by Juan Pablo Restrepo from Universidad de Buenos Aires. Features a rounded image of a person speaking into a microphone, set against a background of an aerial view of a snowy landscape.

Text discussing the relationship between spirituality and ecological crisis, with a focus on how recognizing human-driven planetary changes is influencing spiritual narratives. It poses the question: "How might you physically engage with the Earth today?" and invites thoughts in the comments. The background is an aerial view of a landscape.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 5mo ago

In this installment of Contemplation +, we sat down with Pir Zia Inayat Khan to discuss his path in Sufism, the layered dimensions that make up the world we live within, and more. Check out the whole interview on Contemplative Currents, available at the link in our bio!

A book cover titled "Contemplation + Sensemaking" by Pir Zia Inayat Khan. The background features a close-up of a leaf with red veins, and there is a black-and-white circular portrait of Pir Zia Inayat Khan at the bottom right corner.

A quote on a textured background reads: “I’ve never regarded this universe as a solely, or even primarily, physical phenomenon. I’ve always had the feeling of inhabiting a multidimensional universe.” – Pir Zia Inayat Khan. Below is the title "Contemplation +", described as an ongoing series of dialogues exploring intersections of contemplation with diverse topics.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Check out the link in our bio to read this amazing article from UVA’s Devin Zuckerman! What do you look for in the clouds? Let us know below ⬇️

Cover image titled "Sky Divination: An Elemental Practice from the Unimpeded Sound Tantra" with a photo of an individual. The name "Devin Zuckerman" and "University of Virginia" are printed below.

A quote is written on a dark blue background bordered by abstract blue and green textures. The quote discusses divination through interpreting signs in earth, water, fire, and wind, manifesting as omens in the sky. Below the quote, there is a prompt asking "what do you look for in the clouds" and inviting comments.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 6mo ago

What's the relationship between material objects and spiritual practices? Let us know in the comments below, and read the full article from James Gentry at the link in our bio!

Graphic for a journal article titled "The Philosophy and Practice of Amulets in Tibetan Buddhist Tantra" by James Gentry from Stanford University. The graphic features an abstract background and a circular inset photo of an individual wearing glasses and a blazer.

A quote on a brown background discusses challenging perspectives on Tibetan Buddhist practices involving writing, wearing, and practicing tantric scriptures. Below, text invites discussion on the relationship between material objects and spiritual practices. All text reads: “This article aims to challenge this lopsided perspective by showing how Buddhists in Tibet integrated analytic contemplation into the practice of writing down, wearing, and putting into practice short tantric scriptures that claim to liberate through wearing. Consider: What’s the relationship between material objects and spiritual practices? Are they able to support each other? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!"

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 6mo ago

We had a wonderful time participating in the 3rd Annual International Society for Contemplative Research Conference last Fall! Read all about our key takeaways at the link in our bio 🔗

A cityscape with skyscrapers is visible behind a large, green park. The text reads "International Society for Contemplative Research 3rd Annual Conference Recap."

An event poster titled 'Keynote Speakers: The Arc of Life and Death.' It lists four speakers: Tawni Tidwell, PhD, TMD, with a talk on bridging worlds of body and consciousness in Tibetan Tukdam meditation, Anne Vallely on griefwork as contemplative practice, Robert W. Roeser, PhD, on developmental contemplative science, and Cheryl Woods Giscombé, PhD, on contemplative reflection on family and foundation for fostering harmony and well-being. At the bottom, there's a quote about the phenomena of life and death.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Last Fall, we convened with contemplative scholars at the 2025 American Academy of Religion annual meeting in Boston, MA! Visit the link in our bio for a look back on what was discussed.

An image of the Boston, MA skyline at sunset. The top of a cable stayed bridge is visible in the foreground. White text positioned in the sky reads: American Academy of Religion 2025 conference recap

An orange background with white text that reads: Contemplative Studies Unit. Author meets critic, Flourishing Kin, Indigenous Wisdom for Collective Well-Being by Yuria Celidwen. Contemplative Epistemologies: Diverse methods and practices. Confucian Contemplative practices and self-cultivation. Contours of Freedom: Contempaltive Practices in Jain Thought and Literature.

“...Contemplation as a category, as a way to collect voices, perspectives, and insights, is not just a recapitulation of tired and ingrained modes of academic pursuit.”

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Check the link in our bio to read more from Ashok Zaman's article for the Journal of Contemplative Studies!

An image of a snowy landscape with a green shadow over the left side. Bold white text reads: Contemplative Practices and Soteriological Epistemology. Ashok Zaman.

A green background with white text that reads: Recovering the contemplative element of practice in philosophical thinking cannot but carry the phenomenological project forward."

A green background with white text that reads: Ashok Zaman. PhD Candidate at the University of Western Australia. In the bottom right corner is a circle frame is an image of Ashok's face.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Nicholas Hobhouse of the University of Hong Kong reviews Elizabeth McDougal's "The Words and World of Ge bcags Nunnery" for the Journal of Contemplative Studies. Click the link in our bio to read the full review!

An image of an icy waterway covered in snow, partially obscured by a blue-grey shadow. White text over the shadow reads: Review of The Words and World of Ge bcags Nunnery by Elizabeth McDougal. Review by Nicholas Hobhouse.

A grayish-blue background with an image of the cover of Elizabeth McDougal's "The Words and World of Ge bcags Nunnery," as well as an excerpt from Nicholas Hobhouse's review that reads: “No Tibetan Buddhist monastic institution like Géchak has previously been the subject of such a rigorous ethnographic study, and McDougal’s work therefore serves as a valuable counterweight to the multiple ethnographies focused on Tibetan Buddhist institutions with a scholastic orientation.”

A grayish-blue background with an image of Nicholas Hobhouse wearing a black shirt. White text reads: Nicholar Hobhouse is a researcher based at the University of Hong Kong.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 7mo ago

In the latest installment of Contemplation +, we sat down with Robert W. Roeser from Emory University to discuss how the role contemplation plays in a holistic education. Read the full conversation at the link in our bio!

An image of a spirograph-esque design with white text that reads: Contemplation plus Education: an interview with Robert W. Roesner

A segment of Contemplation plus Education: an interview with Robert W. Roeser. White text reads: “I felt a yearning for something new, as I felt an absence of an education that attended to the head, the hand, and the heart. And I sensed in some way that our culture needed a new form of education if it were to survive in an increasingly materialistic age.”

Bio for Robert W. Roeser, featuring an image of him in front of green foliage. White text reads: Robert W. Roeser is the Alice Valli Professor of Compassion and Ethics, Professor of Behavioral Social and Health Education Sciences, and Research Director for the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-based Ethics at Emory University.

A promotional slide for the series "Contemplation plus." White text reads: Contemplation Plus: an ongoing series of dialogues that explores intersections of contemplation and diverse topics.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Visit the link in our bio to read more from Michael L. Raposa on the moral significance behind attention and one's capacity to control it.

Background image: a satellite image of a snowy landscape. A blue shadow encompasses the left side of the image. White text reads: Martial Spirituality and the Ethics of Attention, by Michael L. Raposa"

A blue background with bold white text that reads: While many martial arts include meditation as a part of their practice, some are regarded as being essentially spiritual exercises. Moreover, in a variety of religious traditions, certain forms of prayer and meditation are conceived as preparation for engagement in “spiritual combat.”

a blue background with an image of the cover of the Journal of Contemplative Studies' Special Issue #02, Mindful Practices and Embodied Critical Thinking: Tensions and Transitions

Blue background with white text that reads: Michael L Raposa is a professor of religion studies and the E.W. Fairchild professor of american studies at Lehigh University. In the bottom left corner is the image of a man wearing a blue button up shit and a blue blazer with a bookshelp full of books in the background.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 8mo ago

At SENSEmaking, music, art, and interaction were at the forefront of exhibits highlighting the relationships between the human senses and contemplation. Hear panel discussions featuring the innovators who brought their talents to SENSEmaking at the link in our bio!

Wolfgang Buttress, an artist, sitting on a bench in front of NINFEO, his illuminated art installation with vibrant blue and green lights made of hand-etched crystal blocks within the Contemplative Commons at the University of Virginia.

Group of people in the Conservatory within the Contemplative Commons at the University of Virginia. Some stand, while others sit, meditating with shut eyes. The lights in the room make the white canvas wall appear different shades of green and blue.

David Glowacki holds a guitar next to his piece, Tara Pachamama, a piece of art depicting a Hindu deity made of individual pieces, while an audience is gathered in the foreground on floor cushions.

Six individuals stand by Dell Pond facing various directions. All have some kind of headphones on, listening to a guided walkabout of the Contemplative Commons at the University of Virginia.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Throwing it back to one of our favorite memories of the Fall - SENSEmaking: a Symposium on Contemplative Technologies! Reignite your curiosity from October by revisiting the inspiring panels and presentations, available for view now at the link in our bio.

Panel discussion at an academic event with five speakers seated on stage, laughing and interacting in front of logos for the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia, Journal of Contemplative Studies, and CIRCL: Contemplative Innovation + Research CoLab. Several audience members are visible in the foreground.

JoVia Armstrong, a music professor at the University of Virginia, speaking at a podium with a laptop, in the Contemplative Commons.

UVA Professor of music Matthew Burtner holds a microphone up to a plant on a table in front of an audience in the Contemplative Commons.

David Glowacki playing guitar for an audience seated in a room with large windows, in front of a colorful tapestry featuring a Green Tara, titled Tara Pachamama

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Click the link in our bio to read more from Noah Brown in the Harvard Gazette! #meditation

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Click the link in our bio to read more from Douglas E. Christie's "Love's Deepest Abyss" article! #contemplation

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 9mo ago

The JCS team is very excited to be attending @aarweb.bsky.social 's November 2025 conference this weekend! Highlighted here are the authors and panels we are excited to see. Click the link in our bio to read the full descriptions.

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Last week, UVA's Contemplative Sciences Center held SENSEmaking, a symposium on contemplative technologies. Read Michael Overstreet's, a graduate research assistant with the journal, reflection of the conference by clicking the link in our bio!

Journal of Contemplative Studies @jcontemplatives.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Members of the Journal here at UVA are very excited to be attending the International Society for Contemplative Research’s 2025 conference next week! We hope to see you there.