Cultivating Self-Awareness and Personal Empowerment through Contemplative Practices: Pedagogical Implications for Management Education

Keywords: contemplative pedagogy, meditation, contemplative arts-based practices, self- and social awareness, personal empowerment

Abstract: Based on the evolutionary psychological premise that the human mind consists of adapted psychological modules sculpted by natural selection, this paper advocates contemplative practices as valuable pedagogical tools that help business students empower themselves through cultivating self- and social awareness. The primary purpose of this paper is therefore to explore the pedagogical potential of contemplative practices such as meditation, visual contemplation of fine art, and music appreciation in enhancing business students’ socio-emotional skills for attention, awareness, and presence, thereby contributing to a heightened sense of personal empowerment. This paper further discusses the pedagogical implications of contemplative practices for developing business students’ positive social emotions such as empathy and compassion through socio-emotional learning.