Buddhist leaders urge Northampton to save cherry trees >Senior Zen priest Kosen Greg Snyder, left, Senior Director of Buddhist Studies at Union Theological Seminary, is assisted by Zen priest Kanshin Ruth Ozeki, a resident of Warfield Place in Northampton, in ordaining seven Japanese Kwanzan cherry trees on the north side of the street on Monday, July 12, 2021. The trees are slated for removal by the city. >Senior Zen priest Kosen Greg Snyder, left, senior director of Buddhist studies at Union Theological Seminary, is assisted by Zen priest Kanshin Ruth Ozeki, a resident of Warfield Place in Northampton, in ordaining seven Japanese Kwanzan cherry trees on the north side of the street on Monday. The trees are slated for removal by the city. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
Mindfulness meditation is now a staple in public schools, and thanks to Zoom, widely accessible
In many schools, meditation advocates have reframed religious practices such as meditation and yoga as secular to avoid legal challenges. FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2014, file photo, students meditate during Mindful Studies class at Wilson High School in Portland, Oregon. The year-long course is one of a growing number of programs that are incorporating mindfulness, yoga and meditation into school curriculums to bring socio-emotional benefits to students. (AP Photo/Gosia Wozniacka, File)
April 30, 2021
(RNS) Next week, 45 teachers from Atalaya Elementary School in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will hop onto a two-hour professional development session on Zoom in which they will sit in silence and learn how to regulate their emotions and pay attention.