The Fourth Class

This chapter describes the fourth and final class. There is a script for the opening meditation, followed by a description of check-in, with common student comments. The meditation skill taught is eating meditation, and a script is given which guides the students through the mindful eating of a grape or raisin. The final meditation, also scripted, gives the students more practice using labels and expands labeling practice to awareness and labeling of feelings. There is emphasis on how important it is for the students to find a direction for further learning and practice. There are frequently asked questions at the end of the chapter, which include the topics of eating meditation, labeling, how to continue the practice when the course is over, and the sharing of positive change brought about by the course.

Strategies for Bringing Mindfulness to Emerging Adults

Chapter 3 explores general strategies that are useful for teaching mindfulness to emerging adults. Traditional methods of teaching mindfulness and meditation are not always effective for engaging emerging adults. Often, students are enthusiastic about the idea of learning mindfulness, but they then have a hard time actually developing the skills in any meaningful way. This chapter looks at techniques that have proven useful for engaging the students in the study and practice of mindfulness. The strategies are divided into three categories: strategies related to the organization and structure of the class, strategies related to general teaching techniques, and strategies for dealing with typical student reactions. Each of these categories is fully explored, and examples of how to implement the various strategies are provided.

Transformation

When the Koru courses started in 2005, the depth of the transformation that many students would experience in just four classes was not anticipated. Initially, the goals for the students mirrored their goals for themselves: less worry and stress, greater happiness, improved academic performance, and improved sleep. The hope was that the course could, in some small way, help them move toward the improved quality of life they were seeking. But the students have shown that they are capable of much more, many of them expressing their sense of having been transformed in important ways. The final chapter is about the transformation that emerging adults who have been through the Koru curriculum report experiencing. Drawing from the comments of students after completing Koru, the chapter explores how students feel they are impacted by having learned mindfulness and how they see it influencing their lives moving forward.

The First Class

Chapter 6 provides a detailed description of the first of the four classes that comprise the Koru Basic curriculum developed at Duke University to teach mindfulness and meditation to students. The class starts with a brief opening meditation, and a sample script for this meditation is provided. This is followed by introductions and orientation to the class. In the first class, two stress-management tools are taught: belly breathing and dynamic breathing. Scripts are provided for teaching each of these skills. The class closes with a longer guided meditation, also scripted, that teaches the body-scan technique. The chapter ends with closing comments and frequently asked questions from the first class. The questions and answers address the definition of mindfulness, the breathing skills, specifics about meditation technique, and the attitude of acceptance.

Koru

Chapter 1 introduces Koru mindfulness, the model developed at Duke University’s Counseling and Psychological Services for teaching mindfulness and meditation to university students. The model combines training in mindfulness meditation with training in specific stress-management skills. The model has been designed for and tested on emerging adults and addresses some of the particular needs and interests of this developmental group. The developmental stage of emerging adulthood is defined and described. Mindfulness is defined, and the particular usefulness of mindfulness for emerging adults is explored. The model is briefly introduced, and some of the features of the model are described, such as the use of small groups, a clearly structured format, and mandatory attendance and homework.

The Research Behind Our Teaching

The number of scientific studies investigating mindfulness has increased exponentially over the past few decades. This chapter examines some of the science and research studies that are relevant to teaching mindfulness to emerging adults. The chapter briefly reviews the physiology of stress and relaxation. Additionally, the data supporting the efficacy of Koru are reviewed, and an overview of other research findings that may be of interest to emerging adults is provided. For example, studies showing the impact of mindfulness on academic performance are discussed, as well as studies looking at how mindfulness can overcome unconscious bias and can prompt compassionate action.

More About Emerging Adults and Mindfulness

Chapter 2 explores in greater detail the characteristics of the developmental stage of emerging adulthood as well as highlights the usefulness of mindfulness and meditation for this age group. Emerging adulthood is defined by Jeffrey Arnett as a time of identity development in multiple important areas. The developmental stage of emerging adulthood is often expressed differently across racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomic classes. Emerging adults are seeking to answer questions about their direction in life and to discern what relationships and careers are best for them. Mindfulness is a useful tool for this quest as it aids emerging adults in identifying their authentic wishes and needs. The mindfulness-based stress-management tools also allow them to tolerate the stress that comes from all the uncertainties and pressures inherent in this time of development.

Koru

This chapter reviews the new developments in the Koru Mindfulness curriculum since the first edition of Mindfulness for the Next Generation was published in 2011. These developments include the creation of The Center for Koru Mindfulness to train and certify teachers to deliver the Koru Mindfulness curriculum, the expansion of the curriculum to include Koru 2.0 and Koru Retreat (a 4-hour experience that is conducted in silence and includes various meditations, such as sitting, walking, and eating, as well as a short talk on mindfulness by the teacher and a yoga experience), and the development of a Koru mobile app that communicates with the new Koru Teacher Dashboard.

The Second Class

Chapter 7 describes and provides scripts for teaching the second class in the Koru Basic series. The class begins with an opening meditation, then moves into “check-in.” During check-in, the students discuss their experience doing their mindfulness “homework” over the preceding week and ask questions. The mindfulness-based skill taught during the second class is walking meditation. The closing guided meditation teaches students to use a gatha, a meditation poem that is used to help anchor their awareness in the present moment. The chapter ends with closing comments for the class and frequently asked questions for the second class. Questions and answers in this chapter address goals of meditation, working with restlessness, working with thoughts, and strategies for staying consistent with meditation practice.

Structure and Logistics

Considering the format, structure, and logistics of the Koru course, one is struck by how even these practical aspects of the model make it possible for students to learn the practice and skills being taught. A critical aspect of the model is the emphasis on both meditation and mindfulness-based stress-management skills. This chapter describes the structure and logistics involved in teaching Koru mindfulness. The following elements are reviewed: class structure, including the number and length of classes; recruitment; registration using the Koru teacher dashboard; communication with students; setting; structure; class commitments; and tools for teaching including the Koru mobile app.