Schools Pushing MEDITATION in public schools
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Anonymous
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Meditation is a religious practice. It is being taught in our public schools throughout Virginia under the disguise of benefits.
All religions have benefits. Regardless, the US Supreme Court has ruled that religion doesn’t belong in schools. |
Anonymous
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Meditation can be secular or it can be religious.
Breathing and noticing your thoughts is not religious at all. Christianity and Hinduism and other religions all have a long history of meditation, but you do not have to chant or meditate or anything religious. Schools want kids to stop before lashing out in anger, and this is one way to get them to stop and breathe. |
Anonymous
| It is not a religious practice. I teach meditation to kids. Having them count their breathes is not invoking Jesus. Having them trace their fingers while breathing in and out is not praising Allah. Please educate yourself. |
Anonymous
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I have educated myself. You on the other hand haven’t, and are breaking the law.
Western and Eastern meditation differ greatly. The label may be the same, but the practice is entirely different. Prayer has the same benefits as meditation. You can pray to the universe instead of god, and it’s still a religious practice nevertheless. If you replace the word Buddhism with mindfulness, it is exactly the same content. Take huffs post word for it, not mine. And they are not alone. https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_6276968 |
Anonymous
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Wrong.
Meditation is not religious. The word is associated with yoga and Buddhism, and breathing techniques and concepts have been lifted from these practices, but meditation alone is not linked to any religion. I also want to note here that the deliberate act of quiet reflection and curtailment of self exists in ALL major religions and spiritual activities, and forms the basis of a healthy psyche. I am glad it is so secular and mainstream now. |
Anonymous
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OP, speaking can be religious, or it can be secular. It depends on the content of the speech.
Specific movements can be religious, like the whirling of Sufi Dervishes, or it can be secular. Spinning class on a bike is movement, but it isn't religious in the literal sense. You can kneel to pray, or you can kneel to get the can of soup from a lower cupboard. Meditation is the same. It can have religious content, or not. |
Anonymous
| The fact that prayer is meditation does not mean all mediation is prayer. |
Anonymous
I disagree completely with OP - meditation can be religious but it can be secular. In it's secular form, we can call it mindfulness. You can associate it with Eastern religious practice (like yoga - which is also taught in school but not with its religious trappings) or you don't. Please don't make this something it's not. It is an excellent practice with proven mental health benefits that are good for children. Taking it away from them because of your messed up ideas on what should or should not be taught in public schools is ridiculous. And also, taking the word of the Huffington Post as the be-all and end-all is probably part of your problem. Here's some more research and news articles you might want to look into. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7287297/ https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeenacho/2016/07/14/10-scientifically-proven-benefits-of-mindfulness-and-meditation/?sh=2a53487763ce |
Anonymous
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I wish my kids' school taught meditation.
I remember doing guided meditation in grade school as a kid, although it wasn't advertised as such. |
Anonymous
I am actually calling it for what it is, and not disguising it with another name. You can personally use it however you like, but religion has no place in public schools. From your sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044464 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802370/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Heart_Beat_What_we_dont_know_about_prayerandhellip https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/nicolefisher/2019/03/29/science-says-religion-is-good-for-your-health/amp/ https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/10/new-and-old-spaces-to-pray-and-meditate-at-harvard/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3396089/ |
Anonymous
| Bonkers. Breathing is breathing. |
Anonymous
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What about this is religious to you? Please, "enlighten" me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBnPlqQFPKs&feature=emb_logo |
Anonymous
What is the difference from your link to this? Or is your link better because it comes from a British woman? They are speaking exactly the same words. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5GSeWdjyr1c |
Anonymous
| This comment reminds me of those people who wanted to ban Harry Potter because it promotes witchcraft. |
Anonymous
| This is so stupid. |