Meditations

Life in academia isn’t easy.

We've experienced its challenges in our own careers in higher education, and we've seen them in our work with hundreds of academic clients. 

We’ve also experienced the immense power of pausing. Whether it's slowing down to mindfully pay attention, spending time in self-reflection, or simply taking a deep breath, pausing can reduce anxiety and improve clarity. This can be especially important when we’re feeling overwhelmed or stuck, when it seems as if we’re fully at the mercy of our circumstances without any sense of agency or options.

The exercises and practices below provide us a way out, supporting us through our experience and helping us move forward, whatever difficulties we face. We think of these practices as meditative contemplations as they contain elements of both meditation and inquiry or self-reflection. They vary in length, and focus on situations commonly faced by faculty and other academics.

In addition to offering respite during intense moments, these exercises can enhance our resilience, strengthening our ability to respond skillfully to future struggles that arise. We encourage you to return to them often. 

We hope you find these practices helpful. If so, please share them with others, and let us know what other situations or challenges you’d like us to address.

Finally, a gentle reminder: Sometimes our struggles outweigh our ability to cope. In that case, seeking professional assistance is highly recommended. We have both found therapy to be an important component of our growth and healing.

With kindness,
Victoria and Elizabeth