Greetings! My name is Paul McAlister and I am a 3rd year divinity student at the Episcopal Divinity School in Harvard Square.  As an intern for Radius and the Episcopal Ministry at MIT, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many MIT community members, particularly professors and staff who are involved in program ideas for Radius.  

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Professor Elizabeth Wood who has been instrumental in helping Radius program its “Hack Your Mind” series. In addition to her appointment here at MIT as a professor of Russian history and feminist theory, Professor Wood is a 30-year practitioner of mindfulness meditation.  As a proponent of meditation, Professor Wood incorporates mindfulness in her classes by allowing the students to sit quietly and comfortably for a few moments before beginning class. This allows the students to slow down and become more present and, at the same time, creates an atmosphere of calm and focus.  

Professor Wood’s dedication to mindfulness highlights the growing trend in our society to seek a deeper connection to our inner selves. In the harried, stressed environment that is MIT, it is important to find a place in our lives for quiet.  It helps us to focus and embrace the task before us. Mindfulness is a way to improve daily living, to find a sense of the moment and be in that moment.  It takes discipline and dedication, but the payoff is huge.

Please join us for our first “Hack Your Mind” event of the semester on Friday, October 7 at 12noon in 66-144.  Professor Peter Grossenbacher of Naropa University in Colorado will be speaking on Mindfulness and Diversity Awareness: Working Interpersonally and Building Community.