One day in 2009, Russell Wilson found himself addressing hundreds of students at St. Timothy’s School in Raleigh, N.C.

The topic was bullying.

At the time, Wilson was the starting quarterback for NC State and a first-team All-ACC selection. Maura Horton, the wife of Wolfpack offensive line coach Don Horton, had invited Wilson to speak at St. Timothy’s because the couple’s daughter attended the school and a friend of the family who worked there wanted to be proactive in starting a dialogue about the harmful effects of bullying.

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“The Jewish obligation known as tzedakah is translated as ‘charity,’ but it is really much more than that. Tzedakah is derived from a root meaning righteousness, justice, or fairness, indicating that giving is not some extraordinary action, but of the essence of our duty as humans. Giving brings us most in line with God, whose most essential characteristic was giving: as we have been given life without asking, we should aspire to give. Islam prescribes nearly the same thing, since charity is one of the five pillars that all Muslims must uphold. Buddhism also speaks of six ‘perfections’ (paramita), practices that are intrinsically virtuous and cultivate Enlightened consciousness, which includes generosity. Giving is one transcendent action that everyone can agree mitigates the sense of separateness and ego.”

~ Daniel Goldsmith, Choose Your Metaphor

Meditation can help students be less stressed and more compassionate. But how many districts are ready to sign on?

More and more studies are showing direct links between meditation and health benefits. A study led by researchers at John Hopkins found that just eight weeks of meditation training was as effective as medication in treating depression, anxiety, and pain. At Harvard, scientists using neuro-imaging technology showed how meditation positively affected the brain activity of the chronically stressed, a condition that the Benson-Henry Institute reportsis related to more than 60 percent of all doctor’s visits.

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~ Alan Watts