Edie Anderson is the soothing voice that guides University of Maryland students at the University Health Center’s meditation classes.
Anderson studied meditation techniques under Dr. Deepak Chopra who was featured on Dr. Oz’s show for his work. She has been certified since 2008 and leads students in meditation to help reduce their stress levels.
She begins her classes by shutting off the lights and transforming her voice into a soothing sound. She encourages meditation participants to shut out whatever schoolwork is on their minds and to focus on their breathing.
From there she concentrates on relaxing different parts of the body from toes to cheeks and lips. The hour long session encourages students to step away from the schoolwork that is bothering them and teaches them to focus on the earth and what is physically around them.
Anderson said that meditation class teaches students how to focus better and it has a biological effect over time so your body chemistry stays focused and promotes health and healing. She said that research shows that the meditation process also helps lower blood pressure.
One of the students Anderson taught in her class is Molly Algeo a senior theater major who took Anderson’s class at Eppley Recreation Center. Algeo said that the opportunity to meditate was a chance for her to slow down in her very crazy life.
“I think that everything is always so busy and as college students you have so much going on people don’t take time to check in and be calm,” Algeo said.
Algeo said there were at least 20 people in the class trying to be in a peaceful place before the upcoming exam week. Algeo said that in the experience she actually felt very connected to herself and the earth, which was not something she expected to happen.
Sophomore family science and communications double major Nicole Kloorfain said that she does not think the meditation would work for her because she can’t keep her mind off of her schoolwork. She said that when she is stressed with a lot of work, taking time out of her day to meditate is not one of her top priorities.
When Anderson begins the class she says that deep breathing will actually help you think clearly on a test and trigger a part of the brain that will help to remember what you have studied. She said students have come back to her crediting her breathing techniques for their improved grades.
Junior community health major Sarah Vossler said she didn’t even realized how stressed she was until she left one of Anderson’s meditation classes and felt lighter. Vossler sees the practice of meditation as rejuvenating and instead of laying in bed and watching TV she feels like she should be meditating.
Anderson is continuing classes for the semester and said she will also have classes in the summertime and in the Fall 2014 semester. She is planning on expanding the program to podcasts that students can listen to and she also will meet with a student one on one. For now, she holds sessions Tuesday through Thursday at the health center.
“Meditation is for someone that opens their minds and really wants to learn how to do something that benefits them,” Anderson said.