UTSDGs

【USR】The Good Cycle of "You and I, Together"—Advocacy, Care, and Field Management for Community Sustainability - Body-Mind Approach - "Shanrou" Experience & Professional Growth with Cross-Disciplinary Teacher Community Exchange

On October 25, 2024, the team at Juguang Aging Empowerment Center invited Professor Liu Meizhu to participate in the "Silver Dance: The Mind-Body-Soul Social Prescription and Creative Community" to lead a discussion on the topic of "Body-Mind Approach - 'Shanrou' Experience & Professional Growth with Cross-Disciplinary Teacher Community Exchange." This event aimed at community members, cross-school teachers, project team members, and cross-disciplinary teacher community partners, with the goal of enhancing participants' support skills for mind-body-spirit well-being while integrating the concept of University Social Responsibility (USR) to have a far-reaching impact in both the community and educational environments. Professor Meizhu led the participants through a "Shanrou" course, which combined body-mind methods. The session was designed to promote mind-body integration and deep relaxation of the spirit. The class began with Meizhu guiding the group through deep breathing and full-body relaxation exercises, encouraging each participant to enter a state of mind-body unity through slow, fluid movements. She explained that the core of "Shanrou" lies in the dialogue between the body and mind. By enhancing perception and self-awareness, participants could release tension from their bodies and reconnect with their inner energy flow. Professor Meizhu emphasized that modern life stresses often cause people to ignore signals from their bodies, and through "Shanrou" practice, we can relearn how to listen to our bodies, achieving deeper relaxation and a balanced state of well-being. Throughout the session, teachers and community members, who initially felt stiff and unaccustomed to the practice, gradually relaxed and began to enjoy the experience. Their movements became softer, and their breathing more steady and deep. As the course progressed, Meizhu also led participants through dynamic meditation, guiding them to explore inner peace through the combination of movement and breath. Afterward, Professor Meizhu, along with the project team members and cross-disciplinary teacher community partners, engaged in a discussion. They talked about the application of body-mind methods and how they could integrate with University Social Responsibility. During the discussion, Professor Meizhu reviewed the goals and philosophy of the "Shanrou" course, stressing that this body-mind approach not only benefits personal health but also aligns with USR programs, especially in areas like mental health, community care, and support for vulnerable groups. She suggested that body-mind methods could be a useful tool for universities to offer more diverse support when collaborating with communities. For example, "Shanrou" practices could promote simple and effective mind-body relaxation techniques in communities to reduce stress and improve overall health. The team members and cross-disciplinary partners shared their experiences with social responsibility issues encountered in their teaching and research. They discussed how to incorporate these body-mind techniques into their teaching to help students manage stress and how to transform such courses into practical actions for community engagement. Director Mindah proposed that integrating "Shanrou" into counseling courses could be an excellent starting point, particularly for addressing the anxiety and stress faced by modern students. Such courses could provide tangible support. The discussion concluded in a vibrant atmosphere, with all participants agreeing that combining body-mind methods with University Social Responsibility has tremendous potential, and they look forward to further collaboration and application in the future.

Implemented by Center for Teaching and Learning Development
Date: 2024/10/25