How one University is Rewiring its Relationship with Technology in the name of Wisdom & Wellness

The only light more stunning than the one my iPad creates is the one I observe in my son’s eyes as he rides that famous red trolley into the land of make-believe. Staring back at each other, the everyday fetters of my four year old disappear as Fred Rogers welcomes him into the present moment, a land teeming with wonder, gratitude, and humanity. Watching from the same iPad, I experience a tinge of regret for having lived broad swaths of my adult life outside of the present moment; stuck in the past, anxious about the future, and missing a whole lot of ‘right now.’

Technology can be both a great distraction from and invitation to the present moment. To truly unplug then, it is not necessary to drastically reduce technology use, but rather let go of our unhealthy dependence upon it. Leaving the smartphone behind for even an hour can provoke a sense of anxiety, but as Kierkegaard once said, "Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom."

This week, with the help of dedicated students, faculty, and staff, The Project for Mindfulness & Contemplation at the University of St Thomas launched Tommies Unplugged, a wellness movement designed to help college students develop a more mindful relationship with technology in order to enhance personal growth and wellness for success in endeavors during school and after graduation. It is an initiative that highlights the distinction between technology use that is conducive to personal growth, health, and success, and technology use that is maladaptive. Tommies Unplugged strives to teach students how to use technology more mindfully; increasing productivity, individuality, communication, and other skills necessary for growth and creativity both during school and after graduation. 

The centerpiece of this movement is Tommies Unplugged Week, which takes place this week, Feb 21st – 25th.  The big day is today, when the UST community will unplug en masse. Here are some things that students and professors will be doing to proactively unplug and recharge:

• Study without distractions
• Read a book for fun
• Journal
• Catch up with a friend over coffee
• Make a gourmet meal
• Visit a new restaurant
• Play a board game or cards with friends
• Try a new workout routine
• Organize your house/room

You’d be surprised about how many ways professors at the University of St Thomas are incorporating mindfulness into their teaching, research and service. In a recent study soon to be published, Dr. William Brendel and Dr. Vanessa Cornett Murtada identified ways professors have transformed the way they teach and the way they see themselves through the incorporation of mindfulness practice. These include applications to grading, attention to students in the classroom, and self-awareness in the teaching process. We are both happy to consult with you on ways you can help colleagues, students, and yourself return to what matters most.

The St. Thomas E-Learning And Research (STELAR) center has even introduced Virtual Reality Meditation. Located in the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library, students and professors can drop in at almost any time to use one of two virtual reality devices for an immersive meditation experience. The virtual reality goggles allow you to separate from distractions and focus on your breath, even in a public space. All members of the community are invited to drop by and be still on the shore of an imagined beach for ten minutes without leaving campus. Soon STELAR will also introduce the Muse biofeedback headband, which utilizes brain sensors to help elevate mediation practice by guiding members of the university community through real-time audio feedback based on the state of their brain. Soundscapes include the beach, rain forest, desert and others. At the end of each session, the Muse system graphs your results to help measure your progress. Read more about these and other STELAR technologies!

To learn more about the Tommies Unplugged movement, please consider joining or supporting he Project for Mindfulness and Contemplation (PMC). The PMC vision is to inspire compassion, awareness, and wholeness in every moment. You can also visit the website for innumerable resources to unplug and help your university do the same.