Merlin Student Scholar Fellow: Julianna Breit Rounding the Bend in 2023
Julianna Breit is our 2021-2023 Merlin Student Scholar Fellow. Learn more about her and the philosophical work she’ll be doing in & with the Helena community this year.
Tag: PhiLife
Philosophy Workshop: “How to Meditate with a Text”
For thousands of years, people seeking after wisdom have approached important texts as invitations for meditation, whose treasures can be uncovered through careful, deliberate practices of attention. In this workshop, we explored some of these techniques, combining practical instruction with reflections on the theoretical and conceptual background needed to make sense of the practices. Access photos & resources here!
June 2022 Philosophy Walk: “The Pursuit of Excellence”
In this walk led by philosopher David Nowakowski, we explored what it means for us to strive for excellence in our own lives and to appreciate the excellence of others. Access audio recordings and photos here!
May 2022 Philosophy Walk: “Place, Climate Change & Urban Design – Some Practical Applications”
In this walk featuring Dennis McCahon and Patrick Judge, we’ll explore the connections between Helena’s “sense of place,” climate change, and urban design. Access info and photos here!
Philosophy Workshop: “Beyond Mindfulness – Western Meditation Techniques in Theory & Practice”
In this workshop, we explored several techniques of meditation with deep roots in Western spiritual, religious, and philosophical life and practice. We examined two daily practices, popular among the ancient Pythagoreans and Stoics, for developing the power of recollection and preparing ourselves for challenging circumstances. And we considered more broadly the ways in which meditative practices can help us to develop our powers of attention, concentration, clarity, and discernment. Learn more & access resources here!
Merlin Student Scholar Fellow: 2nd Year Fellowship Award
Julianna Breit was our 2021-2022 Merlin Student Scholar Fellow. We were so impressed by her that we decided to award her a 2nd year fellowship. View more here!
Merlin Student Scholar Fellow: “Grief as Self-Discovery”
Inspired by her interest in grief & the role it can play in our lives, Merlin Student Scholar Fellow Julianna Breit designed and led a workshop on grieving through the lens of philosophy. View more here!
Philosophy Workshop: “Transformative Experiences”
Some experiences in life are so significant, so profound, so intense, that after we go through them, there’s a very real sense in which “we’re not the same person we used to be.” That might involve a change in how we understand ourselves or the world, or in what we value or take to be important. In this workshop, we developed some basic concepts and categories, that might help us make sense of these transformative experiences. We also pointed toward some of the bigger philosophical questions that are lurking behind the problem of transformative experience, including rational choice, personal identity, and freedom & the Good. Access the session recording & other resources here!
