In her final reflection, a student in my class on poetry and spirituality wrote, “UNC Asheville is a wonderful campus, but it can be a little bit hostile towards people who openly express their faith (in anything).” Faculty, too, may also sense an unspoken disapproval of religious or spiritual practice and consequently choose to keep that part of their lives private while on campus. Are there appropriate ways to be more inclusive of our whole selves--students, faculty, and staff--including the religious or spiritual parts of our experiences at public colleges and universities? What about in our CMind community? Are there ways to honor and learn from a wide variety of religious and spiritual perspectives represented by our members? Based on my class “The Heart and the Matter: Poetry and Spirituality,” and a year-long faculty-staff learning community on Faith in Art, this practice workshop will give us an opportunity to explore these questions together.
