Dear MDECOE and greater community,
Conversations about race in higher education are not always easy. “Years of simple mindfulness meditation practice—which helps you recognize more readily when you need to take a moment—helps you develop the emotional intelligence and psychological flexibility required for greater mastery over the challenging moments when you engage in difficult conversations.” In Mindful magazine, Rhonda Magee discussed her “Inner Work of Racial Justice” and how to take a thoughtful and caring beat when experiencing a challenging discussion, especially pertaining to race. “So much of what we know as reactivity begins as an emotional charge in response to what we see, hear, read, think about, and otherwise experience in life,” states Dr. McGee, a professor of law at the University of San Francisco. She goes on to share, “I realize that what had been my own, personal strategy for dealing with difficulty around these issues—compassion-based mindfulness practices—needed to come out of the closet and into the center of my work.” To read more about this calm, focused, and empathy-focused approach, go to https://www.mindful.org/rhonda-magee-on-her-inner-work-of-racial-justice/
For a list of many self-care options, please see our College of Education self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community:
https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
May mindful compassion meditation be of help with difficult conversations.
Warmly,
Shari