Naropa's Tree of Contemplative Education
At Naropa, contemplative education is not a single method or practice—it is a living ecosystem of ideas, values, and experiences that shape how learning unfolds. One way to understand this approach is through the metaphor of a tree.
Like a tree, contemplative education begins with a deep foundation of guiding perspectives about human nature, awareness, and interconnection. From these roots grow the pedagogical approaches that structure learning environments. And from those branches emerge the specific practices students engage in—moments of direct experience that bring contemplative education to life.
Together, these layers create an integrated model in which philosophy, pedagogy, and practice support one another. The roots nourish the branches, the branches support the leaves, and the leaves carry the living energy of the tree, transforming the world.
At the heart of contemplative education is the understanding of the mind-body relationship (non-duality, body-mind synchronization), which underscores the interconnectedness of body and mind in the learning process. Practices like meditation, yoga, and somatic work help students develop awareness of their sense perceptions (body sensations), cultivating mindfulness, presence, and embodied wisdom. The body is seen as a resource that not only enhances learning but also deepens self-awareness, connecting students more fully to their inner experience and the world around them.
The focus on transformation is not just personal but communal. The work of transformation begins with the self and moves outward. Through a variety of contemplative practices, students are guided to deepen their self-understanding and challenge fixed views and habitual patterns, through both individual and cohort work, creating space* and environment for healing.
Transformation is seen as a continual journey rather than a fixed endpoint, with healing involving both individual and collective dimensions. Practices like Joanna Macy’s grief circles and The Council of All Beings help individuals process collective sorrow and deepen their connection to the Earth, addressing environmental grief and cultivating a sense of responsibility toward the world.
Footnote: At Naropa University, space awareness is a contemplative practice deeply rooted in Buddhist principles, combining both internal and external dimensions to foster mindfulness and insight. It involves being present with your own mind and body, as well as the physical environment and the symbolic elements within it.
Teachers in contemplative education are not just instructors; they embody the practices they teach. Faculty model mindfulness, authenticity, and vulnerability, creating a space of deep connection. Within the open space of the contemplative classroom, teachers are able to provide non-verbal, non-conceptual transmission of their learning, supporting students in embodying contemplative practices.
Artistic expression—through writing, visual arts, and performance—is an essential component of contemplative education. It facilitates deep inquiry into the self and our cultural awareness and supports emotional and spiritual expression. Practices like spontaneous poetry, contemplative writing, and visual art* allow students to engage in radical play, exploring personal and societal transformation. Creative practices support students tapping into their inner worlds and integrating new insights into their lived experiences.
Footnote: Art includes arts-based research, using all of the arts as a form of inquiry (and put in discipline-specific areas).
Contemplative pedagogies emphasize experiential learning, fostering embodied learning through practices like meditation, somatic exercises, and mindful inquiry. These methodologies encourage students to connect with themselves, their peers, and the world. The emphasis is on flexibility and inclusivity of diverse perspectives and compassionate investigation.
Specific practices used in the classroom include:
Mindfulness and other forms of meditation
Deep listening and compassionate communication
Self-reflective assignments
Fierceness of interrogation* (rigor of examination)
Space awareness and on-the-spot exercises
Holding a transpersonal perspective and process-based focus
Use of rituals, warrior exams, and body-speech-mind practices
Retreats, intensive practices, interfaith dialogue, and rites of passage
Contemplative education asks students to engage with questions of privilege, bias, and oppression while fostering a deep connection to the Earth. The principle of interbeing—the interconnectedness of all life—helps students recognize their role in collective healing. Through contemplative practices, students engage in decolonizing work, permaculture, and restorative justice practices, aligning personal transformation with social and environmental responsibility.
A core tenet of contemplative practice is the cultivation of awareness through mindfulness and meditation. These practices develop clarity, concentration, and emotional intelligence, allowing students to work with their states of mind and develop insight. Compassion* is another central theme, cultivated through practices that encourage empathy, self-compassion, and compassionate action and communication. We foster a climate of curiosity, care, and attention where students are guided toward deepening their ability to connect with others from a place of love and understanding.
Footnote: Compassion is a deep, active desire to relieve others of suffering and its causes, grounded in wisdom and interconnectedness, not mere sympathy or empathy.
Contemplative education is grounded in the belief that all humans have inherent wisdom and potential for transformation. The concepts of brilliant sanity and basic goodness* suggest that self-knowledge, wisdom, delight, and creativity are natural qualities that can be accessed through contemplative practice. The cultivation of present-moment awareness allows students to uncover their true nature and develop an ongoing relationship with the sacredness of life. Spirituality in contemplative education is broad and inclusive, transcending religious frameworks to include practices that promote creativity, expression, and connection.
Footnote: Chögyam Trungpa's "basic goodness" refers to the inherent wisdom, clarity, and compassion of human nature, while “brilliant sanity” describes the enlightened state of mind that arises from basic goodness. These concepts emphasize that rather than being inherently flawed, people possess a fundamental nature of wholeness and integrity that can be realized through practices like meditation, even in the face of challenges.
Contemplative education encourages students to expand their self-awareness beyond individual identity through personal contemplation and the view of interconnection (for example, social and ecological awareness). The development of wisdom and compassion for self and others is central to this transformative process. Students are invited to see themselves in relation to others and the world, fostering empathy and authenticity. This path emphasizes personal transformation, where direct experience and deep inner work—found in meditation, the arts, and emotional reflection—support growth, healing, and the realization of one’s true nature.
Embodied presence in contemplative education refers to being fully engaged in the moment. This capacity is supported through practices designed to help students embrace uncertainty, complexity, and discomfort. In this process, students are taught to cultivate a flexibility of perspectives, oscillating between inward reflection and outward engagement, developing an ability to navigate the unknown and to work with ambiguity. This approach, grounded in the understanding of interdependence and non-duality, and an appreciation of “beginner’s mind,” encourages students to see themselves and the world beyond rigid distinctions.
Contemplative education emphasizes interdependence, recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings. Rooted in wisdom traditions, it encourages students to view themselves as part of a larger web of existence. This perspective fosters an expansive view of the world, where individuals are mindful of their roles in the global ecosystem. Contemplative education also engages with social justice, asking students to confront biases, systemic inequities, and practices that perpetuate harm, thereby fostering empathy, compassion, and the possibility of collective healing.
Inspired by The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society’s Tree of Contemplative Practices, Naropa’s Tree of Contemplative Education adapts and expands the model to reflect our distinctive approach to contemplative learning. This model was drawn from the Contemplative Education Inquiry Project, a two-year qualitative research inquiry conducted by the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education Faculty Committee.
Roots: The Foundational View
The roots represent the view that grounds contemplative education.
These foundations shape how learning is understood and why contemplative approaches matter. At Naropa, this view includes principles such as the inherent wisdom and potential of human beings, the cultivation of awareness and compassion, embodied presence, and the recognition of our deep interconnection with others and the Earth.
Like roots beneath the soil, these perspectives may not always be visible, but they nourish everything that grows above them. They provide the philosophical foundation that informs teaching, learning, and the transformative aims of contemplative education.
Branches: Pedagogies that Support Learning
The branches represent the pedagogical approaches that organize contemplative learning.
These approaches provide the structure through which contemplative education is expressed across disciplines. They include broad areas such as embodiment, creative expression, healing and transformation, experiential learning, social and ecological awareness, and the co-creation of learning.
Just as branches extend outward and support the flourishing of leaves, these pedagogical approaches provide the structure through which contemplative practices grow and take form.
Leaves: Practices in Action
The leaves represent the specific contemplative practices that students engage in.
These are the tangible expressions of contemplative education—activities such as meditation, mindful movement, contemplative writing, deep listening, artistic practice, dialogue, ritual, and experiential exercises. Through these practices, students directly explore awareness, insight, creativity, and connection.
Like leaves that gather sunlight and bring energy into the tree, these practices are where learning comes alive. They are moments where method and meaning are embodied.
