Grant Smith/ Fourth Estate
Sessions At Mason Bring Peace And Relaxation
BY D’ANDREA BRADY, STAFF WRITER
School can be very stressful for a lot of students, no matter what year they are. Students have an endless amount of homework during the semester, and those who are in a financial bind have to work as well. So, where do students get the time to decompress, relax and de-stress from the demanding aspects of college life? Enter the meditation sessions here on the Fairfax campus. For 45 minutes out of the week, students can find comfort and relaxation in a private and secluded area on the third floor of the Student Union Building at Mason.
In the sessions, the facilitator chimes a small bell to begin meditation. Once it starts, participants sit in silence for the remainder of the session. Once meditation ends, the facilitator chimes the small bell again to end session.
Michael Galvin, an administrator, is one of three facilitators of Mindful Meditations. “Students did not have these resources before,” Galvin said. “It gives them the opportunity to be better students. We have many faculty members across the nation that will have mindful moments before their class to help their student be more productive.”
“Mindfulness helps people, to give them a baseline to start because for those few moments they can be in the same room, listen to the same thing and be better prepared to be open to whatever the faculty will bring to the session,” Gavin said.
Senior John Turner used to suffer from anxiety and depression that negatively impacted his life and his ability to flourish as a person. He was introduced to Mindful Meditation through books and welcome to the sessions with open arms. It made him feel the expansion of his abilities as a student and as a person.
Meditation sessions run every Tuesday from noon to 12:45 at the Student Union Building in room 3309. Students and faculty of all majors and departments are welcome to join and practice the art of meditation with each other. You will benefit with 45 minutes of peace and tranquil space away from the hustle and bustle of college life.
