Berkeley Law makes mindfulness meditation available as a way of increasing well-being, balance, and effectiveness.
Mindfulness meditation is a simple practice of paying attention to your moment-by-moment experiences. While the benefits of meditation have been understood for centuries, recent studies in neuroscience and psychology suggest that regular practice increases the ability to concentrate, enhances perceptual acuity and resolution, and increases one’s ability to be make empathic connections and be present with challenging situations. Meditation can also reduce stress, increase immune response, and increase positive emotions.
Our mindfulness practice is open to individuals of all backgrounds, orientations, religious affiliations, career aspirations, and levels of skepticism. Our programs are designed for those with no meditation experience.
Students who are new to meditation and eager to experience the benefits often ask how best to begin. The best approach depends on each individual’s learning style and schedule, however one of the following approaches is likely to work for most people:
- Attend one of our courses. If you are a 1L, we encourage you to participate in the non-credit Sustainable Lawyering: Introduction to Mindfulness for 1Ls. If you are a 2L/3L, we invite you to take the 2-credit seminar, Mindfulness for Lawyers: Understanding the Legal Mind for Greater Effectiveness and Wellbeing in the Study and Practice of Law.
- Join one of our drop-in Mindfulness Monday meditation sessions, held every Monday at 1 pm during the semester. The location is announced each week on the Berkeley Law calendar and via the events email.
- Sign up for a retreat at one of the many nearby meditation centers. Recommended centers include Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and the International Vipassana Centers. We also recommend the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Courses at the UCSF Osher Center in San Francisco.
Photo via Flickr by Sebastien Wiertz