Meditation
Meditation (and other meditative activities such as yoga) can help reduce stress, improve concentration, and enable you to better understand and control your thoughts and feelings. It can also be part of a spiritual practice such as Buddhism. The programs we offer do not require any particular experience or beliefs, and are merely intended to provide interested students with an opportunity to learn about or practice meditation, in a comfortable and non-denominational setting.
Why meditate? According to an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education,
"people who meditate and focus on breathing are better able to concentrate and focus on their immediate tasks" (8/10/12, p.A37). In other words, you'll do better in school!!
WEEKLY MEDITATION GROUPS (Spring 2013)
Mondays and Tuesdays 5:30-6:30pm
Campus Center, Room 162
Informal, nondenominational, student-led meditation groups meet weekly at UMass Amherst while the University is in session. Everyone is welcome... please join us!
For specific dates and locations, visit our Events page on CampusPulse or see below.
During Spring 2013, the group has met every Monday and Tuesday from 5:30-6:30pm in Campus Center Room 162. The last few groups of the semester will be:
April 29, 30
May 6, 7 (Finals Week)
FALL 2013
Tuesdays and Wednesdays 5:30-6:30pm
in the Campus Center
During Fall 2013, the group will meet every Tuesday and Wednesday from 5:30-6:30pm in the Campus Center (Room 162, except where another room is listed in parentheses).
September 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 (Rm 917), 25
October 1, 2, 8 (Rm 917), 9, 15 (Rm 917), 16, 22 (Rm 911),
October 23 (Rm 911), 29, 30 (Rm 917)
November 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26
December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18
ONLINE RESOURCES
How to Meditate
This website provides some core insights on meditation from a Buddhist perspective. It focuses on Breathing and Loving Kindness meditations (which are very helpful to anyone, regardless of your spiritual orientation). There are also some short videos on meditation and its benefits. As it says on the website: "Anyone can benefit from the meditations given here, Buddhist or not. We hope that you find this website useful and that you learn to enjoy the inner peace that comes from meditation."
Guided Meditations and Teachings (Dr. Mark Hart)
This website offers several guided meditations and teachings (in the form of free audio downloads) offered by Dr. Mark Hart, the Buddhist adviser at Amherst College. Dr. Hart led a guided meditation at our New Student Orientation in September 2011, which subsequently gave rise to our weekly meditation group. Although Buddhist in nature, these meditations will be helpful to anyone who is trying to learn to meditate, or to go deeper in an existing meditation practice.
Yoga Mind Control
This website provides many techniques and ideas that you can use for meditation or yoga. It particularly focuses on techniques that can help you gain greater control over the mind, i.e., learn to discipline your thoughts and feelings, in order to live in the present moment, with a heightened sense of inner peace and well-being.
