The Office of Spiritual Life and the BeWell campaign at Mount Holyoke College organises an interfaith meditation session every Wednesday in the Abbey Interfaith Sanctuary from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. With midterms looming around the corner, I decided that this might be a good way to destress. After a long day, I was tired, my lips were chapped, and my cheeks were ruddy from the cold; with so many thoughts running through my mind, I entered the dark, safe space of the sanctuary.
The room was dimly lit, and I could see various idols, statues and scriptures from major religions around the world. There was a statue of Buddha, there was an idol of the goddess Durga, and I could see other symbols and allusions I did not recognise. It immediately signaled to me that this was a safe space for all religions, and that all beliefs, philosophies, and ideals were embraced here.
The dim lights had a calming effect, and there were comfy-looking cushions and blankets to sit on. The room was quiet and peaceful. I took off my shoes and sat on the cushion gingerly. I had never meditated before and did not know what to expect. Adie, who was leading the meditation, warmly welcomed us all and explained to us how this practice could be dated to 3000 years ago.
We sat cross-legged and closed our eyes. Adie told us to be aware of our body as we meditated. I was restless at first, fumbling with the blanket, fluttering my eyelids to peek and see who else wasn’t closing their eyes, and fidgeting with my hands. However, as her restful voice took over, I felt myself melting, forgetting about my worries, and concentrating on my breathing. I don’t know how long I sat there with my eyes closed, but when Adie told us to open our eyes, I had forgotten what I was thinking about.
We were then told to turn to the person sitting next to us and talk about how we felt. While I turned to the person sitting next to me, I was conscious of the fact that I was not very good at talking about my feelings. However, while talking to my fellow meditator, I felt a connection with her as I learnt about her day and what discipline she majored in. I was surprised to realize that opening up to a stranger was therapeutic, almost as much as the meditation was.
All in all, I think the mindfulness meditation at Abbey Chapel really helped me manage my workload. I think it helps not only as a stress buster, but also as a zone of no judgement where you can learn about other people’s faiths. Just to listen to the tingling chime of Adie’s bell, or to go there for a short nap, I highly recommend mindfulness meditation at the Chapel and in general.
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