課程資訊
課程名稱
活出快樂:科學實證與演練
The Science of Joyful Living 
開課學期
109-2 
授課對象
 
授課教師
戴可馨 
課號
LibEdu1102 
課程識別碼
H01E10400 
班次
02 
學分
3.0 
全/半年
半年 
必/選修
 
上課時間
星期四7,8,9(14:20~17:20) 
上課地點
綜404 
備註
初選不開放。本課程以英語授課。第一週務必出席。。A48:哲學與道德思考、生命科學
總人數上限:53人 
 
課程簡介影片
 
核心能力關聯
本課程尚未建立核心能力關連
課程大綱
為確保您我的權利,請尊重智慧財產權及不得非法影印
課程概述

Joy and love are intrinsically our authentic nature. However our life experiences and unresolved trauma can be a precursor to disconnection from our authentic nature and inherent strengths. In our pursuit of success and happiness, or a “good life” we are bombarded with endless responsibilities, tasks, and the pressure of doing and achieving more. Alongside this, environmental stressors such as digital overload, political instability, climate change and health pandemics can often feel overwhelming. Over time, our nervous systems become overloaded, taking a toll on our body, mind and spirit. Our physical and mental health may decline or our relationships and life satisfaction may deteriorate. At the end of the day (and life), will what we do and achieve matter if we are unhappy and suffering? What does the evidence tell us about creating a joyful, happy and meaningful life?

This practice based, self-development course brings forth empirical findings and evidence based approaches for holistic wellbeing and a meaningful life. We explore diverse and integrated wellbeing constructs from the lenses of social work, positive psychology, and yoga and mindfulness. The evidence demonstrated how healthy and harmonious body, mind and spirit balance connects to overall life satisfaction. Students will explore and log about weekly practices and approaches designed to foster tools for holistic wellbeing. Students can learn new techniques and approaches to navigate the ebbs and flows of life’s daily stressors and challenges. This can prevent chronic stress and dis-ease and enhance resilience and wellbeing. 

課程目標
Students will be able to:
1.Understand differences between overlapping wellbeing constructs
2.Reconnect with personal strengths
3.Use breath to regulate and manage stress systems and bring overall wellbeing
4.Distinguish how mental, physical and spiritual health are interconnected
5.Become aware of their personal stress factors and incorporate self-care techniques for stress reduction, personal and professional wellbeing
6.Demonstrate basic understanding of the neurobiology of trauma, stress and relaxation response systems
7.Use mindfulness, create space in body and mind, and explore their own wellbeing
8.Evolve any limiting beliefs and begin to reframe perceived deficits to strengths
9.Distinguish between a fixed mindset to a positive growth mindset
10.Explore meaning and purpose in life 
課程要求
Instructional Method
Students will engage in learning through the following methods: Experiential (breathwork, yoga and mindfulness). Demonstration, Lecture, Small and Large Group Work and Discussion, Role Play, and Web, Audio and Video Supplemental Resources. We will be using NTU COOL for the class e-learning platform. Here you will find all materials needed for each session.

We will have a special day for a Forest Day Retreat. Please be prepared to take that day off (tentatively scheduled for November 12). Since the day retreat will be longer than a normal session, hours from other sessions have been allocated towards that day. Therefore, this Course will finish (last session) on December 17. Please also note, two sessions will be fully online through NTU COOL (no in-class sessions on those days: October 1 and November 26).

For yoga sessions, there will be weekly practice. Please inform the Professor of any physical and mental disharmony you are currently experiencing. Yoga can be postures can be modified to suit different needs. Each week, please dress accordingly for yoga, movement, breath practices. Comfortable workout, athletic, stretchy and breathable clothing is highly recommended. No jeans, short shorts, skirts and dresses. Please be prepared to leave your shoes outside the door of the classroom. It is recommended you have socks to cover your feet in general but you may want to go barefoot on your yoga mat. Please bring your hand sanitizer/disinfectant spray with you. Small towels can be helpful for sweat or as eye cover. Always bring your water bottle.

As you know, this is a self-development course. If you are currently experiencing physical and mental health disharmony and life challenges, you are encouraged to also access student counseling. This Course can be a support for you but does not replace counseling. The Professor is happy to support you in your efforts for wellbeing and is open to discuss and work with you.

Students are encouraged to utilize Professor office hours for further clarification into Course materials, lectures, assignments or for any important matters. They can contact TA also.
•Mobile phones should not be accessed during class.
•Personal information disclosed during any class or small group discussion should be kept confidential

REGISTRATION INFORMATION: There is no preregistering for this Course. You must come to the first class session to take this Course. On September 17, please arrive 20-30 minutes earlier to either the morning or afternoon session. It willl be first come, first serve. Sign in with TA and take your place in the line. After the class, if you want to stay in, you must get a barcode from the TA and then register with that code. Please email professor in advance for any questions about mental or physical health suitability. 
預期每週課後學習時數
 
Office Hours
每週四 09:00~10:00
每週四 13:00~14:00 備註: Thursdays by appointment. Professor can be accessed before and after class as well. 
指定閱讀
 
參考書目
2 Yoga Blocks (we will order) (Around 150-200 NT for two)
1 Yoga Mat (we can order/you find yourself) (Ours is made in Taiwan with eco friendly rubber., Rate is: 5mm:1710NT / 3mm:1485NT)

There are no textbooks for this Course. All resources will be available on the web at no cost. Students will need to purchase a yoga mat and 2 yoga blocks. Please try to find eco-friendly (non PVC) mats if you can or something that is affordable and works for you. We will have yoga mat options available and students can place the order at Session 1. 
評量方式
(僅供參考)
   
課程進度
週次
日期
單元主題
Week 1
  Session 1: Deconstructing Joy, Happiness, Meaning & Purpose
Often we put conditions on happiness: “I will be happy when or if...” Is it possible to achieve authentic happiness and joy in our daily lives without societal expectations and conditioning? This introductory session explores joy and happiness definitions. It dives deeper into how purpose can give us a sense of why we do what we do, where we want our life to go and what keeps us motivated. Deriving meaning from challenges can help shape our path. Course information will be given and we will have a group opening circle. 
Week 2
  Session 2: Find your Strengths & Enact the Growth Mindset
This session will discuss how adopting a strengths perspective can emphasize our capacities, talents, competencies, possibilities, visions and hopes. From childhood, the opinions, judgments and messaging of others and society become indoctrinated within us. These can create inadequacies of “not enough syndrome” (not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, strong enough, man enough etc…). The focus becomes about what we lack (deficits) while trying to meet these challenging societal standards. The reality is that we all have inherent inner strengths that can shine. Simultaneously, we can evolve ourselves where we want to using a growth mindset. 
Week 3
  Session 3: Explore Sleep & Breath Rejuvenation
No classroom session this week. Please access this session online.
This session will emphasize how breathwork and sleep mediate stress and increase our resilience. A key to regulating the nervous system is our original and most valuable tool-the breath. In particular, using the diaphragm to breathe allows a process of rest and relaxation. This can regulate trauma triggers, chronic or acute stress and increases calm and wellbeing state, detoxification and balancing the brain hemispheres. 
Week 4
  Session 4: Interconnect Body & Mind to Manage Stress & Heal Trauma
This session will discuss the necessity of self-care to keep us healthy, balanced and good managers of stress within our environments. We discuss types of stress and trauma and the impact on the physical, mental/psychological, social, spiritual and environmental domains of health. We will examine the neurobiology of stress and the fight-flight-freeze process and practice ways to regulate this stress system. We explore I-BMS social work approach of blending Eastern & Western modalities of healing for wellbeing, self-care, and “distress” reduction. As we build resilience, we can rewire our brains (neuroplasticity) to promote healing and wellness. 
Week 5
  Session 5: Seek Safety within your Body
This session explores how movement based activities such as yoga, exercise, athletics, and dance can be beneficial for our holistic health. How does the body impact our emotions, mental wellbeing and our zest for life? It is demonstrated that body movement can be a mediator to stress, can help to release traumas, and can enhance our feel good hormones. Using our bodies in health and wellbeing is crucial. We will explore movement in many forms. Don’t forget to wear sporty, comfortable clothes! 
Week 6
  This session explores self-compassion which can be helpful as we try and work from a strengths perspective. We can accept our realities and shift from self-judgment to self-compassion and ultimately self-love for ourselves. Loving ourselves can be the foundation of true contentment. Self-compassion is a critical factor in this journey. Self-compassion and self-love can help to preserve and sustain ourselves through the darkness of life’s challenges. 
Week 7
  Session 7: Identify Limiting Beliefs to Reframe your Stories
This session discusses ways to shift out of a deficit narrative into one of strength. Negativity bias, limiting beliefs and deficit perceptions of ourselves and our life circumstances can slide into a deficits focused narrative which often get overplayed, repeating over and over. Often, how we perceive this narratives do not serve our best interests and may prevent our strengths from flourishing. Words have power, and learning ways to reframe or reauthor our story can be an empowering and transformative process. It can counteract our deficits perceptions and narrative of ourselves. We aim to rewrite our life stories into ones of survival and empowerment. 
Week 8
  Session 8: Experience Mindfulness & Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation have been buzz words lately and are being embraced in society. This session discusses mindfulness (moment to moment awareness) and how we can cultivate it in our lives in order to live with more clarity, wisdom, and embodied attention. We will also discuss how meditation can build new neural pathways and can be beneficial to establish healthy wellbeing behavior. 
Week 9
  Session 10: Feel Nature & Awe @ Forest Bath, Yoga & Mindfulness Retreat
This session dives into how “awe” and nature’s healing components which can connect us to healing, wellbeing, transcendent states of something greater than ourselves. Awe is generated from profound experiences such as magnificent landscapes, a heroic story, art and spirituality. Nature can promote a feeling of “awe” and sense of vastness and our connection to something bigger. Forest bathing can inspire connection into Earth and its multi-faceted dimensions. We will visit a forest close to Taipei and spend the day in a forest retreat for forest bathing, mindfulness, and yoga. Please be prepared to take the day off. Please be aware for instructors and students who have an off-campus activity plan, they are recommended to log in our Student Safety Center’s website for the notice procedure beforehand. 
Week 10
  Session 11: Connect to Spirit & Energy
This session explores and seeks to demystify the construct of energy and spirit and its connection into health and wellbeing. We will explore Chi, Prana, Ki, or the lifeforce. Both scientists and spiritualists believe there is an vibrant frequency throughout us and the universe. Energy is in everything and is everywhere; we can begin to understand and utilize it in our wellbeing journey. We will practice energy work and have a indigenous ceremonial journey with guest co-facilitator. 
Week 11
  Session 12: Enact Kindness & Altruism
No classroom session this week. Please access this session online.

Beyond happiness, finding meaning and purpose in life can serve us more intrinsically and profoundly. Meaning and purpose can often begin to take shape through acts of kindness and service to others, often referred to as altruism. The act of serving others through kindness and meaningful activity, often not wanting anything in return. These behaviors can assist in bringing more joy to our lives. 
Week 12
  Session 13: Build Empathy through Social Connection
Meaningful connection brings joy into our lives. More and more studies are claiming that meaningful social connections are a key pillar to wellbeing and elevating our spirits. This session looks into how building empathy within ourselves to forge meaningful connections with others. In particular, empathy through active listening and paraphrasing can be impactful to better understand others experiences. Being fully heard can be nurturing and supportive. Empathy is critical to human connection and feeling understood without judgment. Through an empathy circle we will practice these skills. 
Week 13
  Session 14: "Do" Gratitude & Count your Blessings
Giving thanks for what we do have, instead of focusing on what we do not have, can be a liberating aspect from suffering. Gratitude or “being thankful” is another common wellness term we hear more often. This session discusses gratitude can impact our wellbeing and the various practices we can incorporate to keep us reminded to count our blessings and enhance joyfulness in life. 
Week 14
  Session 15: Reassessing Joy, Happiness, Meaning & Purpose
In this final session, we share how the Course concepts come together in order to cultivate a joyful life. However, we may need to be with our feelings of vulnerability and use them as our ally in our quest for joy. If Joy was the trunk of a tree, the many wellbeing concepts are the roots that giveth tree sustenance. As a wellness ambassador, each students will find their voice as an advocate for a wellness practice or concept that contributes to a joyful life. We will have a closing circle. 
Week 15
  (No Class: hours allotted to Forest Day Retreat) 
Week 16
  (No Class: hours allotted to Forest Day Retreat) 
Week 17
  (No Class: hours allotted to Forest Day Retreat)