Constructing Sacred Containers for Participatory Action Research: An Embodied Mindfulness Arts-Based Practice

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Psychology
• Education

Background:

• College campuses often expose students to gender-based violence, institutional betrayal, and interpersonal harm.
• Survivors need empowerment-focused approaches and feminist perspectives in research and learning spaces.
• Existing support systems may not adequately address the complex needs of survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a mindfulness, arts-based embodied practice called Sacred Containers.
• To transform campus settings and empower survivors of gender-based violence.
• To position impacted students as experts on safety, power, and well-being.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing participatory action research and learning frameworks.
• Implementing intentional dyadic and collective discussions within Sacred Containers.
• Employing a mindfulness and arts-based embodied practice.

Main Results:

• The Sacred Containers practice facilitated the coconstruction of community.
• Participants were positioned as visionaries and experts on their own safety and well-being.
• The practice demonstrated potential for transforming campus environments.

Conclusions:

• The Sacred Containers method offers a viable approach for supporting survivors of gender-based violence in higher education.
• Mindfulness and arts-based practices can be integral to feminist research and healing.
• Recommendations for implementation and further research are provided based on student and faculty reflections.