Abstract
Chakras; the seven main energy centers in our body. We have thousands of pathways for energy that flow through us, but the seven main areas of convergence are called the chakras. It is thought that balancing the chakras promotes a healthy and harmonious life. In theory, if we have specific teaching practices to correlate with each chakra, then we can provide a balanced education and help students develop themselves wholly. Mantra, in sanskrit, means “tool or instrument of the mind.” In the yogic practice, mantras are used in support of meditation and focus. Mantras are one syllable, word, or phrase that an individual repeats over and over again as a method for focusing the mind. Mantras in phrases are especially effective with positive affirmation, and support in manifestation of thoughts and ideas. This ‘focus’ in the mind is visible within functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machines, where the blood flow is seen to slow and there is a reduction of neurological stimulation when participants repeat a silent mantra to self (Wei, 2015). Reciting or singing the individual bija mantras have shown to increase focus and reduce anxiety in occasional public speaking, and stage fright (Arnold, 2014); imagine the reduction of instructional or educational anxiety in students. For those teachers who would prefer to develop individual mantras with their students in context of their classroom, the technique of utilizing the calming and focusing ability of mantras as a ‘tool of mind in the classroom’ could used to strengthen pedagogical success stories.
Presenters
Rachel TerlopPhD Candidate, Early Childhood Special Education, George Mason University, Virginia, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Religious Community and Socialization
KEYWORDS
Reiki, Chakra, Education, Pedagogy, Constructivism
