I teach a class on Social Justice. Of course we discuss many of the big
issues of the day such as U.S. poverty, homelessness, war, veterans, global
poverty and hunger, etc.
A requirement of the students in this class, as with all students at the
school, is to complete 25 hours of service.
After reading the book, Awakening the Buddha Within, by Lama Surya Das, I
have found a wealth of information regarding meditation and Buddhism and have
discovered how well these two things integrate with service learning.
Just as a "reflection" component is essential to service learning in
terms of understanding a service experience and processing it, so to is
meditation or interior reflection essential in not only producing social
change, but in changing the person who is meditating/reflecting, at least in
my experience.
Part of what meditation does is it helps the individual focus on
self-awareness, personal peace, and compassionate action, all in a
non-sectarian way.
I have integrated a daily meditation component into my class and it has
become intrinsic to the way I teach about social justice and a vital aspect
of the service projects the students complete.
Does anyone else use meditation in relation to service?
Steve Herrera
Archbishop Mitty High School