During the past decade there has been an increased interest in how members of the "first-world" countries cope with growing demands on their time, overstimulation of the senses, increasing crime rates, and a generally hurried existence. Professors are hardly immune from these forces, and the results cascade into students, communities, and ultimately, society in general. In contrast to the traditional Western forms of education, which address rational consensus while eschewing the subjective, a holistic pedagogy suggests that engaging spirituality in one's classroom and profession is necessary for addressing concerns regarding human development and achievement. More specifically, scholars now espouse the value of holistic teaching--teaching that encompasses not only the mind but the soul as well.

The contributors in this volume offer diverse vantage points from which to understand the impact of spirituality on well-being, its influence on classroom pedagogy and interpersonal relationships with students and colleagues, and its utility as a coping mechanism. The authors use autoethnography to capture the diversity of their perspectives and to display the power of the reflective voice.

This is the 120th volume of the Jossey-Bass higher education quarterly report New Directions for Teaching and Learning, which offers a comprehensive range of ideas and techniques for improving college teaching based on the experience of seasoned instructors and the latest findings of educational and psychological researchers.