Assignment 1:
While meditation and mindfulness are helpful in bringing ourselves back to balance in especially difficult or stressful moments, they are not exclusively reactive. Regina Chow Trammel, in her TEDTalk, gives some examples of how to use mindfulness and meditation to be more aware of ourselves within situations to proactively anticipate what we, and other people, will need in these spaces. She notably says, “The past cannot be changed. The future cannot be forced. All we have is the present moment.” Meditation and mindfulness will help you to explore the present moment and how to enter spaces in ways that are best for you and for the people you are engaging with. The journal entry should be no more than 3 pages and no less that a page and a half (1.5 spaced, font- TNR or Georgia). This assignment will be graded as complete/incomplete. Word documents are the only submission format that will be accepted.
Journal Entry Instructions: I invite you to reflect on Regin Chow Trammel’s quote this week. Evaluate how these words may inform or be informed with how you practice mindfulness and meditation in your own daily activities and interactions. These can be daily tasks like walking to class, making dinner, or talking with a friend, but you can also explore larger tasks that may create more stress or imbalance in your life. Use the following questions to guide you through this:
What did Regina Chow Trammel mean when she said, “The past cannot be changed. The future cannot be forced. All we have is the present moment”?
Do you feel like you apply the message Regina Chow Trammel was speaking of in her quote to your own life? If so, how?
Describe a time when you find yourself being thoughtfully present when engaging with others?
Are you more proactive or reactive when it comes to practicing mindfulness? How has this impacted you?
What are some ways you could potentially practice more proactive meditation?
Assignment 2:
What are some key environmental issues that developing/global South countries face? Why are these issues global? In Haiti’s specific case, what are some historical reasons why its earthquake in 2010 had especially devastating effects? Please refer to the lecture or reading on Haiti’s history. Also refer to the lecture on environment and two or more of the provided internet links. ( 1 or 2 paragraphs)
