Master Over the Mind (MAOM) is an Amrita initiative to implement schemes and organise university- wide programs to enhance health and wellbeing of all faculty, staff, and students (UN SDG -3). This program as part of our efforts for sustainable stress reduction gives an introduction to immediate and long-term benefits and equips every attendee to manage stressful emotions and anxiety facilitating inner peace and harmony.
With a meditation technique offered by Amrita Chancellor and world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), this course has been planned to be offered to all students of all campuses of AMRITA, starting off with all first years, wherein one hour per week is completely dedicated for guided practical meditation session and one hour on the theory aspects of MAOM. The theory section comprises lecture hours within a structured syllabus and will include invited guest lecture series from eminent personalities from diverse fields of excellence. This course will enhance the understanding of experiential learning based on university’s mission: “Education for Life along with Education for Living”, and is aimed to allow learners to realize and rediscover the infinite potential of one’s true Being and the fulfilment of life’s goals.

Course Outcomes

• Course Outcome 1: To be able to describe what meditation is and to understand its healthbenefits (CO1)
• Course Outcome 2: To understand the causes of stress and how meditation improves well-being(CO2)
• Course Outcome 3: To understand the science of meditation. (CO3)
• Course Outcome 4: To learn and practice MA OM meditation in daily life. (CO4)
• Course Outcome 5: To understand the application of meditation to improve communication and relationships. (CO5)
• Course Outcome 6: To be able to understand the power of meditation in compassion-drivenaction. (CO6)

Course Structure

• Unit 1: Describe Meditation and Understand its Benefits (CO1)
  1. Importance of meditation. How does meditation help to overcome obstacles in life
  2. Understand how meditation works. Understand how meditation helps in improvingphysical and mental health. Understand how meditation helps in the development of personality.
• Unit 2: Causes of Stress and How Meditation Improves Well-being (CO2)
  1. Learn how to prepare for meditation. Understand the aids that can help in effectively practicing meditation. Understand the role of sleep, physical activity, and a balanced dietin supporting meditation.
  2. Causes of Stress. The problem of not being relaxed. Effects of stress on health. How meditation helps to relieve stress. Basics of stress management at home and the workplace.
• Unit 3: The Science of Meditation (CO3)
  1. A preliminary understanding of the Science of meditation. What can modern science tell us about this tradition-based method?
  2. How meditation helps humanity according to what we know from scientific research
• Unit 4: Improving Communication and Relationships (CO5)
  • How meditation and mindfulness influence interpersonal communication. The role ofmeditation in improving relationship quality in the family, at the university and in theworkplace.
• Unit 5: Meditation and Compassion-driven Action (CO6)
  • Understand how meditation can help to motivate compassion-driven action.
• Practicing MA OM Meditation in Daily Life (CO4)
  • Guided Meditation Sessions following scripts provided (Level One to Level Five) during meditation sessions.

Course Assessment
The course outcomes are envisaged as a four broad categories of assessment with the overallweight of each component as articulated in the Course Assessment Specification (Table 3).

1. Reflective Journal: 20 %
2. Group Activities: 20 %
3. Class Participation: 40%
4. Written Examination: 20%

Course Assessment Specification Table

*The Group Activities could be related to CO1, CO2 or CO3 depending on the preference of theinstructor

1. Allen, Cynthia (2020) The Potential Health Benefits of Meditation
2. Sharma, Hari (2022) Meditation: Process and Effects
3. Mayo Clinic Staff (2022, April 29). Meditation: A Simple, Fast Way to Reduce Stress.
4. Seppala E (2022, June 30th Unexpected Ways Meditation Improves Relationships a Lot.
   Psychology Today
5. Schindler, S., & Friese, M. (2022). The relation of mindfulness and prosocialbehavior: What do we (not) know?. Current Opinion in Psychology, 44, 151-156.
6. Amritam Gamaya (2022). MataAmritanandamayi Mission Trust.