Wellness
WELL 101 Yoga
Fall/Spring, 1 credit hour
In this course, students will be introduced to basic yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation and relaxation.
WELL 102 Personal Fitness
Fall/Spring, 1 credit hour
In this course, students will focus on fitness theory, basic fitness training and conditioning principles, and work towards individual fitness goals.
WELL 103 Practicing Mindful Living and Mindfulness
Fall/Spring, 1 credit hour
In this course, students will explore mindful living and meditation in the context of health and wellness. Students will learn and practice a variety of approaches and applications to mindfulness, and reflect on their experiences.
WELL 104 Alternative Approaches to Mental and Physical Wellness
Fall/Spring, 1 credit hour
In this course, students will learn about the various mind-body approaches to mental and physical wellness. The course will provide a comprehensive overview of fundamental concepts of theory and philosophy and common applications of each practice. Students will gain understanding of the terms “holistic” and “alternative” in the context of health and wellness practices and approaches. The practices reviewed are often integrated into a larger health-care plan for individuals, so students will gain understanding into their most common complementary roles. Topics will be presented* by professionals in the field, giving students firsthand access to discuss the practice with highly experienced individuals. Reading material prior to class will be based on recommendations by the presenting practitioner. The course is designed to expand the students’ knowledge of practices associated with psychological and physical wellness. This course is not intended, nor designed, to train or certify individuals to practice any of the covered topics.
WELL 105 Yoga Nidra
Fall/Spring, 1 credit hour
In this course, students will be introduced to Yoga Nidra (“yogic sleep”) and its traditional and clinically tested benefits. Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation technique practiced while lying down, eyes closed. This technique falls under the limb of yoga called pratyahara, or sense withdrawal, as it is practiced by focusing only on sound and internal awareness. The practice has been traditionally used to explore the self (memories, emotions, instincts, drives), and increase awareness throughout all stages of consciousness to improve memory, learning, and sleep, plus decrease anxieties, bad habits and more. In the modern day, there has been research exploring the state of consciousness produced by the practice, as well as how it can be applied for stress, hormonal irregularities, sleep, and anxiety.
WELL 120 Yoga Theory
Fall/Spring, 3 credit hour
In this course students will be introduced to yoga theory and philosophy, and current research related to types of yoga and how they differ, why yoga is practiced and how it can apply to and benefit daily life. Students will learn about the 8 limbs of ashtanga yoga, plus bandhas and mudras introduced in hatha yoga, and physiology of various breathing techniques and yoga postures.
WELL 380 Foundations in Mind-Body Health and Wellness
Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours GER 3
In this course, students will engage in an interdisciplinary examination of what it means to be “well.” Using a biopsychosocial framework and the mind-body connection as a foundation for study, students will explore a definition of health that involves the satisfaction of physical, psychosocial, cultural, economic, and spiritual needs (among others). Students will undertake a critical examination of how wellness has been defined across different cultures (both historical, and current); explore the West’s preoccupation with wellness as an individual pursuit; examine the social structures and institutions that contribute to/are necessary for people and communities to be well; dissect the normalization of stress and how it disrupts health and wellness; and reflect on their own personal practices that lead to health and wellness.
WELL 382 The Limitless Mind: Lessons on Dedication, Resilience and Mental Fortitude
Fall/Spring, 3 credit hours GER 3
In this course, students will explore the concept of the limitless mind as it relates to athletic endeavors and other life applications. Colloquially referred to as “grit,” a term that has expanded in its usage over the years, students will learn about a host of traits and skills that contribute to the development and deployment of mental fortitude. In particular, students will examine the concepts of working strenuously toward challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failures and adversity, self-discipline, managing plateaus in performance, among others, as they apply to athletic endeavors (e.g., ultramarathoning) and a variety of other life domains, such as schools and workplaces.