Life doesn’t stop when you’re in graduate school. In addition to academics, the minds of graduate students are often occupied with thoughts of family, friends, finances, and much more. You can ruminate about the past and worry about the future so much that you forget to be present in the moment, at the cost of your mental and physical health.
That’s where mindfulness comes in.
Mindfulness is the act of being present through curiosity and openness, while also calling to attention the various sensations and emotions you experience every day, creating space for peace amid life’s chaos. Practices can take many forms: yoga, meditation, journaling, body scans, and breathing exercises, to name only a few. Each can reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and focus, and increase overall emotional stability.
Mindfulness’s roots in Eastern religious practices like Hindu and Buddhist meditation extend back thousands of years. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and many other traditions have age-old mindfulness practices too.
Today, mindfulness is widely recognized as an essential part of holistic well-being. No matter your background or beliefs, mindful practice can help you feel more centered, which is especially important for campus life.
April is mindfulness month at the Center for Wellness and Health Promotion (CWHP), a time to intentionally slow down and reconnect with ourselves. We offer many services to teach and help students practice meditation. Why not try the Recorded Meditation Series on the CWHP website, which includes guided imagery and yoga nidra (a state of mindful consciousness between waking and sleep). Looking to recenter at lunch? Check our guided meditation via Zoom, Mondays through Friday from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. (Scroll down the page for links to/info about recorded and guided meditations.)
Beyond CWHP, there are mindfulness resources present throughout the greater University. At the Mindfulness for Students page, you can find information on the four-week Introduction to Mindfulness course, where you’ll get the tools essential for a foundation for mindfulness (registration for the spring semester is open now!). You’ll also find details on CWHP Mindful of Race sessions: Navigating Identity and Building Resilience series, held on Mondays, from March 24 to April 14, designed for Black and Indigenous students of color.
Finding ways to stay in the present is vital to healthy functioning on campus. To learn more about mindfulness and meditation offerings, visit the CWHP website or call 617-495-9629. And remember, if you have pressing concerns—academic or personal—and need resources or support, stop by the Office of Student Services in Room B-2 of the Student Center at Harvard Griffin GSAS.
Banner photo by Rhys Moult for Unsplash.
