Faculty: Ivette Vargas-O’Bryan
Description: Health is all about balance and harmony. This course is focused on Asian-style mind-body training and to expose students to convenient ways to integrate a healthy lifestyle into college life. While learning Asian traditions through traditional practices (meditation, martial arts, yoga, Chinese medical reflexology), and exploring the philosophy of food as medicine, this course will provide a well-rounded introduction to Asian perspectives on healthy living. In Asian medicine, health is about balance, viewing the “body” as holistically affected by internal and external factors including stress management, exercise, mental resilience, social relationships, and food quality to name a few. In this course, students online and in person are guided by the main instructor and guest professionals trained in mindfulness meditation, martial arts, Hindu yoga, and Chinese reflexology. Students will also closely follow the scientifically-based meditation app Healthy Minds (established by the renowned neurologist Dr. Richard Davidson from the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison) to target individual needs and strengths. Fieldtrips include workshops at the Professional Black Belt Academy (for jiu jitsu, karate, and taekwondo), Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple (for yoga), Best Foot Forward (for acupressure foot massage), and a meal at a Japanese (and if possible, Indian) restaurant. Students should emerge out of this course feeling renewed, informed and very healthy in the Asian traditional way! Please note that 4 of the days will be 10 am – 6:30 pm for field trips.
Course taken for a SDU grade only.
Meeting Dates: 01/02/2025 – 01/24/2025
Meeting Times: M-F 10:00AM – 1:00PM
Meeting Location: Ida Green 116
Section Requisites: Instructor permission required via email
Course Fee: $500
Out-of-Pocket Expenses: $40