By Grace Tesoro, Staff Writer
Meditation is a practice that is used all over the world by people who want to achieve this feeling of tranquility. The exercise of meditation originated from India. According to News Medical Life Sciences, the first records of meditation was in 15,000 B.C. Over the course of time, meditation was associated and incorporated into religious practices, specifically in Buddhism.
A report from the American Psychology Association (APA) stated that 61 percent of college students seeking counseling reported anxiety, according to the survey. Other results concluded that 49 percent of students have experienced depression and 45 percent have reported stress.
“A quiet space can be anywhere you know there will be no disruptions and allow you to center your mind and really focus on the breathing,” said certified yoga instructor Catherine Foley.
According to Foley, this is a vital step that should not be ignored. “You can clear the room however you want,” she said.
“I use a bell that I have. I know some people clap to expel the energy or sometimes they burn sage. It helps expel the energy of the room. Therefore, you have this clean energy present before you start your breathing.”
Sit comfortably. This is different for everyone, but make sure your hip bones are higher than your knees.
“Usually, I sit in a lotus position. The lotus position is tucking your legs close to your body and crossing them. Having your hip bones adjusted to a higher position than your knees is to help take pressure off your hips and better your posture,” Fogel said.
Foley walked through how to make sure your back is straight.
“Starting with your shoulders, bring them up to your ears. From there, slowly pull the shoulders down so your chest is up and straight. The pull-down motion of your shoulders will allow your posture to straighten and it will leave you more relaxed,” she said.
“Now when you are closing your eyes, start out with some clearing breaths. Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, the clearing breaths just help you get prepared and getting your body ready to disconnect,” Foley said.
“Normally, people think that when you sit down to meditate, you’re supposed to block out all the negative energy you’re experiencing. But it is quite the contrary,” Foley said.
She explained more about the Buddhist practice of meditation and how it is better to invite these more negative emotions in the space.
“Embrace whatever negative situation you may be going through. Do not push it aside, acknowledge it,” she said.
For Foley, she likes to set aside 20 minutes when she goes to meditate. However, she realizes sometimes it can be hard to do this on a college schedule.
“Even if you do it for five minutes before bed, it can go a long way. Or even just taking the time to step outside somewhere and breathe can help too,” she said.
“The best advice I could give to someone who wants to start meditating is start now. The sooner that a meditation practice becomes a part of your life, the healthier and happier you will be,” Foley continued.
Another advocate for the practice of meditation is yoga instructor Charlotte Kading, who works alongside Foley.
“Meditation is the pillar of my self-care routine,” Kading said.
Her passion for meditation came when she was younger and battling bad asthma. The medication prescribed to her came with side effects such as the typical mood swings, depression and anxiety.
Kading described that meditation served as “finding a sense of balance” when she would feel a side effect of her asthma medication kicking in.
“Meditation was a quiet way to calm myself. Meditating has made me better equipped to handle those side effects,” she stated. “College is a time of highs and lows,” Kading remarked. “Through meditation, we are able to acknowledge what is happening to us as it is happening since we become more self-aware.”
Both Kading and Foley strongly encourage everybody to take up this practice. “Often times, we get so caught up in what’s going on in our lives, we forget who we truly are. Meditation helps you be the most authentic version of yourself. It allows you to get back to you,” Foley said.