Journal of Contemplative Inquiry
Abstract
Mindfulness has emerged as a novel and research-supported way to provide professional development to those who teach. Mindfulness, however, is a personal practice that requires persistence in order to maintain. In this paper, I focus on one teacher’s experience with a mindfulness offering and her efforts to sustain it over a five-month period. I draw on findings from traditional case study research, with my analysis of findings showcasing a supportive group dynamic and accountability structures as vital both during the retreat and the subsequent months afterward. Based on this study’s results, I argue that mindfulness professional learning communities (PLCs) might be a promising next step for the field since they build upon elements of both the mindfulness literature, which suggests the importance of continual practice, and the professional development literature, which posits the effectiveness of sustained, collaborative opportunities as critical to growth.
Recommended Citation
Dunn, Molly Serene
(2021)
"Monday Morning After: Sustaining a Mindfulness Practice after the Initial Retreat,"
Journal of Contemplative Inquiry: Vol. 8:
No.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/joci/vol8/iss1/4