Past CSC Events

Join FEAP, the Contemplative Sciences Center, and Hoos Well for the third-annual Well-Being Walk, a one-mile journey of connection and support in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. This one-mile walk invites UVA faculty, staff, and students to step away from the day-to-day and into a space of reflection, connection, and support. Whether you walk in quiet or in conversation, the experience is designed to meet you where you are. There will be light snacks and time to connect through resource tables and brief remarks from our partners.

Join us Saturday May 2 for a soundbath led by Selena Cozart. Free and open to the public.

Join us for Capoeira class with Reggie "Reisa" Harrison in Studio 1B on Saturday May 2, 2026 from 11am-12:30pm. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that blends dance, music, acrobatics, and spirituality, rooted in flow rather than fixed stances. Free and open to the public.

What is happening to attention in an "always on" culture? In this salon, we look at Attention Ecology and the science of mindful metacognition. Expect a thoughtful conversation linking stress physiology, media, and polarization with practical ways to strengthen reflection, resilience, and more constructive dialogue across difference.

Join fellow students for, Tony & Laurel Bennett: More Than a Grade - A discussion about purpose and meaning beyond the noise of finals and grades.

The final presentations of the 2025-2026 Citizen Leaders Fellows are the culmination of a year-long fellowship for a select group of UVA international students, transfer students, and student athletes who designed innovative projects to promote student flourishing.

This concert features the importance of Basant or Spring in the mystical traditions of South Asia. Acclaimed Indian classical vocalist, Vidushi Ramneek Singh will render shabads (meditative hymns) from the Guru Granth Sahib in the ragas of Basant, Bahar and Hindol. She will also present aspects of Spring from the Sufi poetry of masters such as Amir Khusraw.  Accompanists include Shreyas Ravi (Harmonium) and Abhay Kulkarni (Tabla). This event is presented by the Poetry, Mysticism, and Performance Working Group at the Institute for the Humanities and Global Cultures (IHGC) and is cosponsored by the Contemplative Sciences Center and Mr. Sartj Alag.

Join an Ayurveda weekend workshop with author Kate O’Donnell. The event will include three separate workshops on Ayurveda over the course of the weekend. You may register for the whole weekend or for a single day. We are offering reduced prices for students.

As artificial intelligence reshapes industries, economies, and daily life, a deeper question rises to the surface: What is all this innovation for? AI & Human Flourishing invites leaders, founders, policymakers, and technologists to zoom out from product features and market disruption to examine the broader societal and ethical implications of artificial intelligence. What does responsible innovation look like at scale?

This workshop will begin with an introduction to the view that how we show up in our lives is often mediated by a constellation of parts and patterns that manage and protect us in an attempt to achieve a sense of safety and connection. Although these parts of us are well intentioned, mistaking them for the essence of who we are disconnects us from our already whole and awakened nature and limits our ability to courageously and responsively meet life and show up in this world from our greatest depth and integrity.

Join us for a casual conversation over lunch with Lara Merriken founder of LÄRABAR. Merriken started Larabar in her kitchen with a simple fruit-and-nut recipe and a belief that simplicity mattered. In this conversation, Lara shares the pivotal moments that shaped her journey from founder to coach and advisor, and reflects on what she has learned about resilience, reinvention, and the space between achievement and fulfillment.

Mountainfilm on Tour visits Charlottesville on Saturday, April 18 at the Contemplative Commons. Join us for an evening of inspiring and captivating films handpicked from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado. Watch the trailer.

The Contemplative Sciences Center is pleased to co-sponsor this event with Yoga Cville. Discover the foundational strength and precision of Iyengar Yoga, a method focusing on alignment, sequencing, and the intelligent use of props to make poses accessible to all. This beginner-friendly practice benefits any level of practitioner by building strength, flexibility, and mindfulness through sustained, structured poses, bringing balance to body and mind.

The University of Virginia School of Nursing; School of Education and Human Development; and Contemplative Sciences Center are co-hosting a half day pan-University Compassionate Care Research Symposium related to compassion research and scholarship across Grounds. This symposium will explore compassion related research with an interdisciplinary focus and is intended to spark connections and collaborations.

UVA Rec and the Contemplative Sciences Center are partnering to offer students a retreat under the sun and stars at the Big Meadows campground in Shenandoah National Park. Come experience the awe of the morning and night skies. The retreat includes star-watching, a hike, and morning yoga practice.

Marc Brackett examines his own challenges dealing with emotions, explains the latest science of emotion regulation, and provides a set of practical, evidence-based strategies to help us use our feelings wisely to nurture healthy relationships, achieve ambitious goals, and experience greater well-being. At the heart of his message is acceptance: There are no bad emotions—only emotions we don't understand or know how to direct in positive, intentional ways. This event is free.

The Active Series was developed by Sharath Jois and derived from a traditional Ashtanga Yoga practice. It retains all the benefits of the traditional method keeping the linking of movement with breath but includes new more accessible postures for a wider range of students in a modern age and setting. Students from all levels will be able to participate in a non-intimidating inclusive setting. Classes are open to all.

Join us for this talk with Asa Jackson, multidisciplinary artist, curator, and director or the McColl Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jackson will discuss his work on display in the lobby of the Contemplative Commons. Titled Daybreak (Dawn of Consciousness 2), the work—composed of fabrics cut and sewn together—explores the cross section of textiles from various countries, time periods, and personal histories, transforming fabric into visual narratives.

Metaphor – using a more concrete example to express a more abstract idea or experience – is a fundamental feature of literature and language. The study of metaphor as a feature of language has long been central to literary studies. The study of Buddhist literature has given some attention to metaphor, drawing primarily from literary studies. In this workshop we week to identify features of metaphorical expression that are often a work in Buddhist contemplative literature. For UVA Graduate Students and Faculty.