MANUAL
Exhale stress, inhale success
Meditating to ease your mind can be as simple as breathing
By Ariel Tilson atilson@kansan.com
It's 10 p.m. on a Wednesday and you just got off work. Tomorrow you have a paper due, which you haven't even started, your roommate still hasn't washed the dishes from two days ago, and your bank account has $15. Basically, you feel like you're going to blow a fuse. So, what are your options? For many students, it's tempting to hit the bars when times get rough, but next time stress threatens your sobriety, consider a different alternative: meditation.
You don't have to follow a specific religion or make friends with new-age hippies. Meditation is ideal for anyone who is juggling too much and just needs a breather. In other words, people like you.
Although meditation takes more work than does chugging a few beers to ease your mind, it has many benefits without the hangover or the regrets. Practicing daily meditation for even a few minutes can train your mind to react to stressful events without the emotion or anxiety that amplifies problems.
A study done two years ago at the University proved that regular meditation increased performance and concentration. Omri Gillath, assistant professor of social psychology, and one of his graduate students, Ben Clark, compared the performance of people before and after they started meditating. They chose people from the community who had little or no meditation experience, gave them informal training and sent them home to practice. Two weeks later, they compared the results.Not only did their subjects have improved performance, but the people who meditated by chanting words like "family" or "love" also showed reduced stress levels and increased pain tolerance.
Photo illustration by lerry Wang
Chanting, or reciting mantras, is one form of meditation, but if you're more of a visual person, it might work better to close your eyes and visualize something relaxing. Since she was 12, Gaywyn Moore, Wichita graduate student, has used visualizations to counter stress. When she has the racing thoughts and speeding pulse that accompany anxiety, she thinks of the number one. First she takes a deep breath and allows the frantic thoughts in, but as she exhales, she imagines drawing the number one with a pencil until her anxiety fades.
You can meditate in a peaceful outdoor space, or even in the confines of your apartment. The key is to focus your attention, watch your posture and keep practicing.
Get your Sangha on
In Sanskrit, Sangha means a Buddhist community or gathering, but in Lawrence it can be an excuse to chat, eat and meditate with others. Judy Roitman, guiding teacher and one of the founders of the Kansas Zen Center, says learning how to meditate is like trying on clothes—some clothes fit, and some don't fit. If you're having trouble finding just the right size when it comes to meditation, here are a few groups around town that can give you advice and support.
Kansas Zen Center The Kansas Zen Center is located at 1423 New York St. and offers a meditation orientation for beginners at 9 a.m. on Sundays before the center's 9:30 a.m. service. Plan on wearing a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and socks.
Free State Sangha The Free State Sangha group meets Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.at 1146 Oregon St. The group has 45 minutes of meditation followed by 45 minutes of discussion.
Monday Night Sangha
The Monday Night Sangha group is held Mondays at 7 p.m. at 2524 Yale Road.The group practices free-form meditation, which means you can meditate however you want as long as you're quiet.Members sit in a circle and meditate for 30 minutes, and meditation is followed by a vegetarian potluck dinner.
November 20,2008
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