Meditate to find relief from college stress
By Nam-Giao Do
May 18, 2008 9:26 p.m.
Inner peace.
I’ll admit, it’s a rather lofty, hugely unattainable goal, especially for us college students. The flurry of papers, midterms, awkward social situations, angry politics, the huge question mark looming above our futures ““ it’s mind-blowingly stressful. But I’m a strong believer in the adage that to be at peace with others, you have to find peace within yourself. I found out that through meditation, yoga, breathing techniques, and just appreciation of the beauty in our world, I could possibly transcend the suffering included in college life ““ at least for an hour or two.
The first time I meditated definitely felt weird. It was almost startling and foreign to feel this peculiarly calm and still. I could actually hear the soft intake of my breath going in, going out. How strangely blank and quiet my mind was. My eyelashes fluttered open, and I realized, “Oh yeah. I’m studying abroad in, of all places, the culturally vibrant and beautiful India. I’m sitting quietly on the grassy ground surrounded by the Himalayas, and I’m so lucky that I can fully appreciate how white clouds mold themselves to the inner ridges and contours of each majestic peak, how ancient Tibetan prayer flags still flap vivaciously in the wind, and how I’m very much in the present, in the now.”
It was an experience unlike any I’d had during my first two years at UCLA.
Have any students felt completely at peace with the world and, more importantly, at peace with themselves, since the beginning of fall quarter? I certainly haven’t. Our fast-paced life here is a foreboding place for any tranquil moment to softly intrude upon. Our world is so dynamic and perpetually in conflict, and it will probably always be that way. But peace starts at the individual level first and foremost.
From the very first moment I stepped on campus, ready to move into my dorm room, to buy all my textbooks, to make friends and get involved with student organizations, my mind has just been exploding with activity and emotions. Shyness, anxiety, panic (I forgot to bring my stats homework to lecture), sheer embarrassment, relief (I turned it in just in time), happiness, complacency, anger ““ yeah, I probably experienced every sensation humanly possible in just the first two weeks. That is, every emotion and feeling except for serenity and harmony with my surroundings and with myself.
But I’ve realized it doesn’t take a life-changing, “Into the Wild” kind of experience, like studying anthropology in the Himalayas, to find peace. That’s the easy way out; anyone would be inspired to become a hermit for the rest of their life if they could be surrounded by such glorious, awe-inspiring beauty.
You don’t need to venture outside your common environment, travel to an exotic location unscathed by capitalism or ambition or desire, to meditate intensely, although it would certainly help you reflect and learn about yourself.
All you need to do is spare a moment, just a moment, to stop. That party on Thursday? Resist unleashing your inner party animal. That homework assignment that’s stressing you out? Stop mid-sentence. That suffering relationship that’s been dragging your heart to the dumps? Let it go.
Take some deep breaths. Slowly empty your mind of life’s trivialities, of hurts, of negative thoughts that will just beleaguer your mental and physical health ““ you don’t want stress wrinkles by the time you leave college. Do what you can to get away for a while by taking a meditation class, practicing yoga, or just resting your mind for 10 minutes or so. Sink into relaxation, and the benefits ““ mental and physical ““ will do you wonders. Pressing, ceaseless thoughts about your relationships, your ambitions, your worries ““ they’ll roll right off you.
Meditation has not only been shown to increase blood flow and slow down heart rate, but also enhance the immune system and reduce anxiety levels. More importantly, I found through my practice in India that meditation ““ or even just sitting quietly by myself for a while ““ helps me enormously to put my life into perspective. After a session, my world seems larger, the colors and sounds more vibrant and clear, the important things in life striking, the damaging aspects largely diminished.
I’m inspired to lead a more compassionate life and to be aware of the choices and actions I make and how they affect others. I’m not disengaging myself from the world ““ far from it. Through relaxation techniques, I’m prolonging my life and my humanity.
Empower yourself with a tranquility that will not only set things right in your life, but also direct you to what it truly means to live with a peaceful mind.
E-mail Do at [email protected]. Send general comments to [email protected].
