Won Mission

The mission of the Won Institute of Graduate Studies is to provide quality graduate-level professional education and training in the practical applications of spirituality and the healing arts for the well-being of individuals and society. It is guided by the conviction that meditation is essential to spiritual cultivation, and that spiritual cultivation is necessary to balance material and technological advances.

Institute’s Goals

Goal 1

To create an institution of excellence in teaching, learning, and research. The Won Institute is founded on the principles of Won Buddhism, and within the culture of Won Buddhism, the word spiritual is a specialized term that expresses the calm, clear awareness of the awakened human mind. In practical terms, spiritual development manifests as mindfulness, wisdom, compassion, and other such qualities as appropriate to each study area: Acupuncture Studies from a health and healing perspective; Applied Meditation Studies from an experiential meditative perspective; and Won Buddhist Studies from an ecumenical religious perspective.

Goal 2

To develop as a center in the United States for education and research in Won Buddhist Studies; to prepare students to become spiritual leaders who exemplify wisdom and compassion and inspire the faith and practice of Won Buddhist members; to foster healing and transformation in the English-speaking world.

Goal 3

To develop as a center for education and research in the professional application of meditative and contemplative practices; to advance the theoretical and practical understanding of meditation as a scholarly discipline; to foster meditation practice in the United States; and to advance the Won Institute as a meditation center.

Goal 4

To educate students to become qualified acupuncture practitioners who are grounded in a holistic model of healing that includes the ability to diagnose and treat patients using diverse acupuncture techniques and traditions, integrated with compassion, spiritual awareness, and an understanding of meditation techniques.

Goal 5

To create an institutional environment committed to excellence with emphasis on continual assessment and the integration of assessment results into institute policies and practices; to pursue institutional and financial stability and growth through excellence in stewardship and through improvements in infrastructure; to promote local, national, and international awareness and recognition of the Won Institute mission and achievements.

Degree