Self-directed learning through the eyes of a Buddhist meditator : (non)control, (non)becoming, and (non)judgement

By using the meditative inquiry approach, I compare and contrast the philosophy underlying Buddhist meditation, based on my personal experiences with and scholarship on the mindfulness practice, with self-directed learning within the tradition of progressive education, based on the case study of the Jefferson County Open School, a progressive school in Lakewood (CO, USA). I found that Buddhist meditation and self-directed learning have a lot in common. In particular, they both emphasize (non)control, (non)becoming, and (non)judgement. As a meditative inquiry, this study has brought about a lot of profound inner transformation in terms of both spirituality and philosophy of education, which are explicitly presented in this dissertation.