Embodied cognition theory (EC) (Varela et al, 1991/2017) is a relatively new approach to education. It basically stresses the fundamental role of the body in the constitution of human experience and learning (Lindgren & Johnson-Glenberg, 2013). EC was born as an heterogenic approach that included a variety of disciplines such as cognitive science, complexity theory, evolution, phenomenology, and Buddhism philosophy and practice. Despite its eccentric assortment, EC has become one of the leading approaches to the study of the mind and its influence on education is growing (Francesconi & Tarozzi, 2019; Macedonia, 2019; Morgan, 2015). However, educational scientists may ask what EC brings new to education that is not there yet. In this presentation, I discuss the topic of contemplative practices as one of the main contributions that EC has to offer to education. Within a critical approach to the mentalistic and neurocentric conceptions of the mind in the Western cultural history, Francisco Varela and colleagues have initiated an epistemological tradition that merges the scientific study of the mind with contemplative practices, in particular mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is today employed in many scientific and professional fields, from psychology to psychiatry, to tackle stress, burn-out and addiction (Dunne et al, 2019). However, the theoretical and empirical value of mindfulness meditation seems to be relevant also for educational research and practice. In this talk, I first introduce the contemplative roots of EC and discuss how Francisco Varela and other scholars presented mindfulness meditation as a necessary practice to cultivate awareness and promote personal growth. Then, I describe the fast-growing field of contemplative education and mindfulness education, and how contemplative practices are employed within educational settings such as schools and universities. Then, making use of qualitative and quantitative studies (Waters et al., 2015), I will list some of the most relevant outcomes when applying mindfulness meditation to education (e.g. teacher education). Finally, I will present some of the most relevant critics to the application of contemplative practices in education.

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