Tim Wadsworth

I am an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at CU Boulder. My current research agenda focuses on the processes that shape individual happiness and life satisfaction, or subjective well-being. Within this area I am especially interested in the process of social comparison and how people evaluate the quality of their lives. My teaching over the last few years has focused on large undergraduate classes in which my primary goal is to challenge our students to question what they think they know regarding our social world and their relationship to it.

Meditation has been an essential part of my life for the last 30 years. While most of my focus has been on teachings from the Therevada Tradition of Buddhism (the lineage currently found in Southeast Asia) I have also deeply appreciated and been influenced by Zen and Tibetan Buddhism as well as Christian Mystical Traditions. That said, meditation practice requires no interest or belief in these or other religious or spiritual traditions. In addition to a daily practice, my experience with meditation has included several months of intensive silent retreat. My interest in teaching meditation stems from the tremendous joy and clarity it has brought me and my belief that anybody can experience its benefits.