Affiliation:
1. Stockton University, USA
2. Rider University, USA
Abstract
The historic roots of contemplative practice can be traced back to traditions in Buddhism, Confucianism, Aristotelian thought, and Christianity, with the most common contemplative practices including breathing meditation, quiet sitting, prayer, tai-chi, qigong, and yoga. Contemplative practices in contemporary times include more activities than traditionally conceptualized, including meditative artistic pursuits (such as painting, sewing, or knitting), physical pursuits (such as running, weightlifting, or dancing), or quiet independent pursuits (such as listening to music). This chapter reviews the research supporting the ways that engaging in contemplative practices is effective in regulating one's emotional states. Additionally, this chapter proposes that engaging in contemplative practice can help a person become more reflexive in their interactions with others in order to socially regulate an emotional conversation.