How can mindfulness and nature connection help ease eco-distress? 🌿 New research co-authored by CSC academic Dr Cullan Joyce explores contemplative nature engagement, supporting people to face climate anxiety and act with care. Read: doi.org/10.1002/pan3...

🎙️ How do traits like empathy, honesty, and compassion shape our behaviour? Learn more in this PsychTalks podcast from @psychunimelb.bsky.social.

Kindness, humour, hope, perspective & gratitude: strengths shown to boost wellbeing in a new systematic review from @julietagalante.bsky.social and colleagues. A reminder of the power of cultivating positive qualities. Read more 👉 doi.org/10.1111/aphw...

📢 New paper alert A new longitudinal study by @nicbowles.bsky.social and @ntvandam.bsky.social of over 1,000 meditators found that meditating 35–65 minutes a day delivered meaningful improvements in well-being, while 50–80 minutes daily was needed for significant gains in mental health.

Join us for our next guided meditation series to explore the practice of mindfulness with breathing (ānāpānasati). The way of letting go: Mindfulness with breathing 📅 Starts 2 September 2025 | Online via Zoom ➡️ Register now: go.unimelb.edu.au/i98p #Mindfulness #MeditationPractice #Wellbeing

Last week, members of our team attended the International Conference on Mindfulness - Asia Pacific 2025, joining leaders, researchers, and practitioners in Hong Kong to explore the role of mindfulness and contemplative practices in health, wellbeing, education, justice, sustainability, and peace.

🌀 How might ancient Stoic philosophy help us face life’s challenges with calm and clarity? Join us for our next guided meditation series exploring the reflective practices of Stoicism—meletê (meditation) and theoria (contemplation)—to manage stress, and foster calmness.

🧘‍♀️ First Worldwide Survey on Meditation – Call for Participants! 🌏 The World Meditation Survey, led by our Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Dr. Karin Matko, explores how personal characteristics and motivations shape meditation practices across traditions and over time.

We’re launching a survey to explore how mindfulness meditation teachers are implementing social justice literacy in their classes ⚖️🌍

Are you living with chronic pain or know someone who is? Join nurse and Buddhist chaplain, Georgia Cummings, for our next 4-week Guided Meditation Series: Meditation for chronic pain and illness 🧘‍♂️

Congratulations to Dr. Saampras Ganesan for completing his PhD! 👏 Dr Ganesan’s research saw him establish a neurofeedback system for the 7T MRI scanner and develop an innovative model to train beginner meditators. Well done, Saampras! 🎉 #PhDGraduation #ContemplativeScience #MeditationResearch

In the digital age, attention is now a commodity. Can practices like meditation and mindfulness help us feel more free to focus on what really matters?

🔎 Is it normal to feel worse before you feel better in meditation or therapy? In a new article for Psyche, A/Prof Nicholas Van Dam, Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre, explores the fine line between discomfort, distress, and harm in mental health and contemplative practices.

🧘‍♂️Have you ever wanted to try a guided meditation in Zen Buddhist tradition? Join us for a free guided meditation series over four weeks with Zen Roshi (teacher), Kynan Sutherland ✨ 📅 Wednesdays, 5–26 March 🕐 1:00–1:45pm 💻 Online Register or learn more 👉 go.unimelb.edu.au/ydz8

🧘‍♀️ Interested in mindfulness meditation? Join our 28-day study and explore the effects on wellbeing. Open to Aussies aged 18 - 65 with little/no meditation experience. Complete surveys, participate in guided sessions and receive up to $109. Find out more: go.unimelb.edu.au/2zd8

💡 Our Deputy Director, Dr. Julieta Galante shares expert advice in The Age this week on the science of stress. 🧠✨

🧘‍♀️Meditation is often recommended for mental health, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. @ntvandam.bsky.social and Dr. Julieta Galante from the Centre recently shared insights with Liam Mannix at The Age about why some people find meditation challenging and what to do instead.

‼️ New research ‼️ from our group: unexpected or difficult experiences are the rule rather than the exception in #meditation. Potential to help also means potential to harm. For this reason, we need to take this powerful practice seriously and ensure practices are evidence-based & tradition-informed.

🧘‍♀️🌏 Today is the first ever #WorldMeditationDay! Meditation is a powerful tool for building resilience, fostering compassion, and finding calm in a busy world, especially at this time of year. How will you mark #WorldMeditationDay? #Mindfulness #Wellbeing #UNWorldMeditationDay

🌍✨ Big news from the United Nations! On 6 December, the General Assembly proclaimed 21 December as World Meditation Day, highlighting the role meditation plays in fostering mental and physical health, and reaffirming the universal right to the highest standard of well-being.

We hosted this inspiring event now featured on ABC Radio National on Big Ideas 🌏💡 Professor Emerita Rhonda V. Magee and @mariamtokhi.bsky.social joined @natashamitchell.bsky.social for a conversation on empathy that will empower you to hear and care for others even in times of division and conflict.

Our Deputy Director, Dr. Julieta Galante, shares insights from the Mindfulness for Students trial at University of Cambridge in this new Guardian article. She highlights that optional rather than mandatory mindfulness offerings are potential key to success ➡️ www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

Hi #Bluesky 👋 We’re the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of Melbourne. We envision a future where empirically underpinned knowledge gained from contemplative wisdom, research, education, dialogue and practice empowers individuals and societies to thrive. Thrilled to connect! 🌟