Developing skills like mindfulness, compassion, and awareness better equip students to take on challenges.

Ancient wisdom within the Brahmavihāras offer a path toward wellbeing, one intentional moment at a time.

The Brahmavihāras, or "Divine Abodes," are described in early Buddhist texts as four qualities of the heart.

The traits are Metta (Loving-Kindness), Karuna (Compassion), Mudita (Sympathetic Joy) & Upekkha (Equanimity).

By Zishan Jiwani (Ph.D. Candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Nona Kiknadze (Ph.D. Candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Miami)

As a student, you’ve likely come to the realization that this time in life can be both a source of growth and a test of endurance. Juggling classes, part-time jobs, financial stress, and the pressure to keep up socially can make you feel like you’re moving from deadline to deadline without much space to breathe. However, in the midst of these challenges, this time is also an opportunity to practice meeting difficulties with compassion and understanding.

Many educators and researchers are turning their attention to helping students build on their strengths instead of only focusing on preventing burnout or treating mental health struggles. The idea is simple: when students develop skills like mindfulness, compassion, and emotional awareness, they're better equipped to handle challenges and thrive. Studies show interventions that help cultivate these qualities can improve student mental health and even support better academic performance (Hirshberg et al., 2022; Jiwani et al., 2026).

You have probably heard the word "mindfulness" thrown around quite a bit lately, from wellness initiatives to academic courses. The Healthy Minds Framework refers to mindfulness as a skill that helps you build awareness. A mindfulness practice often includes meditation, a short, repeatable mental training activity that builds a skill over time through repetition. One ancient practice takes the concept further, extending it from the mind into qualities of “the heart” that can be practiced.

The Brahmavihāras, or "Divine Abodes," are described in early Buddhist texts as four qualities of the heart. These practices are inner places where the heart can rest, and they are........

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