ABSTRACT
This chapter presents contemplative pedagogies developed in a course on “Environmental Literature” for Thai undergraduates. With course objectives aimed at introducing ecocriticism and fostering ecological conscience, this course interweaves contemplative practices with discussion of literary texts. Informed by the Buddhist notions of dependent origination (paticcasamppāda), which Thich Nhat Hanh refers to as “interbeing,” the strategies—i.e., breath mindfulness, body scan, loving-kindness meditation, and tonglen—deepen students’ understanding of course contents with their own visceral and somatic experiences. Engaging students in re-perceiving Self and Other in a non-dualistic manner, the pedagogies guide them to cultivate the art of “interbeing,” consisting of (1) observing oneself attentively, (2) acting in daily activities with awareness, (3) being aware of one’s connectedness with the nonhuman world, (4) cultivating empathy with those who are suffering, and (5) being responsible to the planet. The course also ties contemplative practices with activities inviting students to translate their embodied, empathetic insight into concrete action. Finally, this chapter presents an assessment of the influence of contemplative practices in supporting students’ ability to achieve course learning outcomes. Substantiated with empirical data, it demonstrates that the contemplative pedagogies enhanced students’ understanding of the contents and cultivated their ecological awareness.
