Curriculum for MED130: The Practice of Happiness
The Practice of Happiness is a 1-unit credit course that provides students with tools and strategies to develop a sustainable approach to their happiness and well-being. Students will learn breathwork- and meditation-based processes to decrease stress and increase happiness and peace. In addition, students will also engage in community-building group discussions, interactive processes, and study happiness-based research to discover for themselves what happiness is, and how it can be sustained as a personal practice.
Week 1: Introduction. An introduction to meditation and breathing techniques. We discuss the link between stress, health, and contemplative practices, followed by introductory breathwork and meditation practices.
Week 2: Stress, health, and you. Interactive presentation on the surprising biology of stress (for the non-scientist!). Guided group process on stress and its impact on you. Discussion followed by breathwork and facilitated guided relaxation process.
Screening: Stress: A Silent Killer.
Week 3: Sustainable happiness. Group discussion on strategies for creating sustainable happiness. Group process based on the importance of compassion and service in long-term happiness. Group breathwork and meditation practice.
Screening: Martin Seligman: The new era of positive psychology
Guest lecturer: Dr. Tom Schnaubelt, Executive Director, Haas Center for Public service.
Week 4: Immersive Yesplus retreat. A facilitated self-development workshop. Extensive breathwork and meditation practices including a take-home practice, tools to decrease stress and anxiety, improve interpersonal communication skills, and develop leadership and service-based activities. Mandatory portion of the course. timings: Thu-Sun. Jan 29 - Feb 1
Week 5: Happiness and Productivity. An interactive presentation on how peace of mind and happiness can inform our ideas of success and boost productivity.
Guest lecturer: TBA
Week 6: Developing a practice. Lecture on positive psychology-based strategies to build positive habits into one’s life, with an emphasis on sustaining a meditation practice. Interactive group discussion and processes. Group breathwork and meditation practice.
Guest lecturer: Denise Marcus, a meditation and well-being instructor at Kaiser Permanent, and a long-term meditator, who has maintained a personal practice for over 40 years, will discuss the nuances of building and maintaining a long-term meditative practice.
Week 7: Connection and vulnerability. Discussion on the role of interpersonal relationships in maintaining happiness as well as building better communication. Guided communication exercise. Group breathwork and meditation practice.
Screening: Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability [TED talk]
Week 8: In-depth breathwork and meditation practice, and review.
Week 1: Introduction. An introduction to meditation and breathing techniques. We discuss the link between stress, health, and contemplative practices, followed by introductory breathwork and meditation practices.
Week 2: Stress, health, and you. Interactive presentation on the surprising biology of stress (for the non-scientist!). Guided group process on stress and its impact on you. Discussion followed by breathwork and facilitated guided relaxation process.
Screening: Stress: A Silent Killer.
Week 3: Sustainable happiness. Group discussion on strategies for creating sustainable happiness. Group process based on the importance of compassion and service in long-term happiness. Group breathwork and meditation practice.
Screening: Martin Seligman: The new era of positive psychology
Guest lecturer: Dr. Tom Schnaubelt, Executive Director, Haas Center for Public service.
Week 4: Immersive Yesplus retreat. A facilitated self-development workshop. Extensive breathwork and meditation practices including a take-home practice, tools to decrease stress and anxiety, improve interpersonal communication skills, and develop leadership and service-based activities. Mandatory portion of the course. timings: Thu-Sun. Jan 29 - Feb 1
Week 5: Happiness and Productivity. An interactive presentation on how peace of mind and happiness can inform our ideas of success and boost productivity.
Guest lecturer: TBA
Week 6: Developing a practice. Lecture on positive psychology-based strategies to build positive habits into one’s life, with an emphasis on sustaining a meditation practice. Interactive group discussion and processes. Group breathwork and meditation practice.
Guest lecturer: Denise Marcus, a meditation and well-being instructor at Kaiser Permanent, and a long-term meditator, who has maintained a personal practice for over 40 years, will discuss the nuances of building and maintaining a long-term meditative practice.
Week 7: Connection and vulnerability. Discussion on the role of interpersonal relationships in maintaining happiness as well as building better communication. Guided communication exercise. Group breathwork and meditation practice.
Screening: Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability [TED talk]
Week 8: In-depth breathwork and meditation practice, and review.
