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A spirit that is not afraid

University professor recommends students meditate

Yogafly members begin their morning class with tranquil meditation.
Yogafly members begin their morning class with tranquil meditation.

Mediation is the practice of spending time in quiet thought, and while this contrasts with what many college students would think to do in their free time, its benefits might be worthwhile, according to College of Liberal Arts Assistant Professor Thomas Lockhart.

Lockhart is a four-year University faculty member and twelve-year meditation instructor who swears by many of the benefits mediation can bring about. 

“[In college] there is a lot of stress and a lot of studying and neither is easy to deal with," Lockhart said. "Meditation can help with both”.

Lockhart teaches a type of meditation called Samatha which works with both mindfulness and concentration. 

“By controlling the breath, we raise the levels of mindfulness and concentration so that the mind can become calm and collected,” Lockhart said. “The mind can become perfectly absorbed in whatever it is paying attention to."

Lisa Padgett, coordinator of group fitness at the Rec Center, said she agrees with Lockhart and stresses the benefits of practicing meditation.

"Meditation can lead to greater confidence, more focus and clarity, better health and more mental strength and energy," Padgett said.

Encouraging students to join the realm of mediation early on in the semester, Lockhart said he advises they begin practicing before the stresses of school become to overwhelming.

“First, try to start early in the semester," Lockhart said. "It is really helpful to have a toolbox of techniques and some experience under your belt, before the demands of the semester start to weigh you down”.

Lockhart said practicing meditation is most effective when done habitually. 

“Second, the most important thing is to try to practice every day," Lockhart said. "Just five minutes a day is enough, at least at first. You’ll know a lot more about the mind if you try to work with it every single day, even if only for a few minutes.”

Sometimes it may seem as though you're not getting any results, but Lockhart said continuing to meditate will work to calm you without always realizing it.

“Third, don’t get discouraged," Lockhart said. "Meditation is supposed to calm and settle the mind. Lots of time it doesn’t seem that it is working at all, but it is.”

Lockhart said finding a group with meditate with is also a helpful tip to getting involved in the practice and making it a habit and discussing the experience together.

“Fourth, find a group," Lockhart said. "It is really helpful to practice with a group…and you learn an amazing amount from talking about what you are experiencing."

Lockhart said while he teaches free meditation classes at the Rec Center, he also teaches a class in Opelika at the Inner Sunshine Yoga and Wellness on Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m.

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“Our meditation class will provide students with information and guidance on how to meditate and with a regular mediation practice,” Padgett said. “Students will begin to see improvements ranging from health and well-being to academic performance."


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