As part of Gateway to Himalayan Art, the McMullen Museum will be offering some mindfulness meditation sessions to enhance your appreciation of the exhibition.

Friday, Sept. 29, 3:00–3:30 pm with Michael Connolly

Friday, Nov. 3, 2:00–2:30 pm with Michael Connolly

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 9:30–10:00 am with Filippa Marullo Anzalone

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 5:30–6:00 pm with Filippa Marullo Anzalone

Meditation sessions are free and open to the public. Registration is required. Please register for one or more sessions here.

Meditation is a way to train the mind to be more mindful of one’s present reality—that is, it is a way to focus on the current moment and be calmly and fully present, rather than ruminating about the past or experiencing anxiety about the future. The state of mindfulness has been described as “…paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who is largely credited with introducing mindfulness to the West in the late 1970s. 

Although the meditation sessions in the McMullen may vary depending on the facilitator, the form of meditation that will be practiced is insight meditation, also known as Vipassana. Insight is an ancient form of meditation that is rooted in Buddhism, specifically Theravada Buddhism. Thus, Gateway to Himalayan Art will be an ideal place for our meditation practices.

Filippa Marullo Anzalone is a Professor of Law and the Associate Dean for Library & Technology Services at Boston College Law School. She is both a certified MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) and MIEA (Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults) instructor. She teaches a course at BC Law called Mindfulness and Contemplative Practices for Lawyers that encourages students to develop sustainable coping methods for lifelong health and success in the legal profession.

Michael Connolly holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from MIT with a concentration in Planned Change. A contract trainer for BC’s HR Department for many years, he has consulted on team development and led open programs on quality improvement, cross-cultural communications, resilience and mindfulness. Michael has been meditating since 1974. He has led on-site and virtual meditations for BC staff and faculty since 2017. He also designed and led mindful viewing programs for three special exhibitions at the McMullen Museum.