The practice of meditation has roots in ancient times. Over thousands of years, meditation has become more of a structured practice and has evolved in both Eastern and Western worlds. Over 5,000 years ago history records the practice of meditation with Indian scripture called the tantras. So while meditation may seem new-age or new-fangled, it’s not — it’s (almost) as old as dirt in Eastern culture. For our Western culture, meditation began to gain popularity in the mid-20th century.
The benefits of meditation are numerous, ranging from treating depression to reducing blood pressure. Meditation techniques have been used in the treatment of drug/alcohol addictions, alongside smoking cessation programs, and in reducing stress overall. Those with lower stress levels tend to make clearer choices and have better self-esteem. While meditation should not be used as a substitute for traditional medicine, the benefits do speak for themselves.
One of the first professors I got to know here at Nichols College was Dr. Wayne-Daniel Berard. My first day in class, within the first few minutes, we meditated. Yes — you read that right. We meditated. While at first I felt odd, it was not long before I began to relish those few minutes of class two times each week. I’ve had headaches go away completely after meditating for just a few moments. I have been able to relax and rest my mind for just a few minutes but it has often felt like an hour. I’m a convert! I firmly believe in meditation on campus.
Dr. Berard meditates peacefully at the Providence Zen Center, location of previous student/personal/professional retreats
Dr. Berard believes that education is enhanced and students are empowered through meditation. He wrote an article on meditation as a teaching tool, complete with student testimonies, which can be viewed here: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1288&context=humanarchitecture
I encourage all readers to view the link above, as it goes deeper into the benefits of using meditation as a teaching tool. There’s definitely a benefit to learning how to relax. College is hard work, and sometimes this is overlooked in all the craziness. I know from personal experience that being able to meditate during exams week was something I can carry through life. Stressed out? Meditate! It works.
Please enjoy the following ten questions as answered by Dr. Berard.
1) How long have you been at Nichols College? I am currently in my 28th year at Nichols. (I have been teaching altogether for 39 years!)
2) What led you to start meditation in the classroom? It began with the dreaded Expository Writing class! I had been teaching it as I had been taught to (as a TA at URI). Things were fine; my evaluations were strong. The only thing was the writing didn’t get much better! I didn’t want to teach just another pro forma requirement. So I took a close look at the course. I could see that my students were bright and capable, only THEY didn’t see it! So I decided to switch the focus of the course to “Writing as a Vehicle of Self-Discovery.” In my own life, meditation was a crucial means of self-discovery. So I developed a curriculum that employed meditation to get past the self-image of inadequacy, as a writer, student, and person. It was wildly successful! The writing improved drastically and students were engaged!
3) How long have you been doing meditation on campus? Soon, students in my other classes who had been in my Expos class were asking, “Aren’t we going to meditate?” I began opening all my classes with meditation, on the grounds that stress and anxiety are terrible inhibitors to learning.
When I became Director of Spiritual Life and Chaplain (in 2005), I decided to offer a weekly meditation session for the entire community. (Stress knows no classroom walls! 🙂
4) Tell me about Meditation Group. Meditation group meets on Mondays during the 1:30 break in the college chapel’s choir loft (we have no organ or choir, so we spread big pillows all over the floor!) It is open to the entire campus community, and lasts 15-20 minutes. We use simple breathing technique and the (silent) repetition of the mantra “shanti” (meaning “deep peace” in Hindi).
For some reason, meditation group has really taken off this semester. We’ve had SRO (“sitting room only”) all term, mostly students. 🙂
5) Why do you meditate? I meditate to listen. In the stillness, I listen to Godde and to my deepest self. I meditate to center myself, to set myself accurately in the Great All of which I am a part. All of this relieves the stress that can come from its opposite: noise, constant “mental chatter,” subsuming of the self by a demanding society, and the illusion of separateness.
6) Has anything funny ever happened while meditating in class? Sometimes someone will snore fairly loudly! 🙂
7) How do students generally receive the idea of meditating in the classroom? Any horror stories? Although some are skeptical at first, soon they look forward to it and LOVE it! I get incredible journal entries thanking me for introducing them to meditation, telling me that they are using it for other classes and in their personal life. I also get regular email and Facebook messages from graduates saying that meditation is an important and regular part of their lives.
Horror stories: no, not really.
8) Mind, body, or soul: pick one and tell us why. Soul, as mind is the conscious tip of the soul (think iceberg:) and body is the soul’s physical manifestation (electricity and light!).
9) Any good meditation tips? It is always easier to meditate with other people, especially at the beginning.
10) One thing you wish everyone knew about you: In a very full life, I only have one regret: that I wasn’t the wonderful Nikki Anderson’s birth-father. Next lifetime?! 🙂
Seems like the Fischer Institute has incredible opportunities lined up for Spring. Have you gotten your culturals in? It is important to do so for your perspective on life, broadening your horizons…oh yeah, and you need sixteen of these events under your belt in order to graduate. Don’t wait until the last minute. Time management is key to a successful college career.
You can copy and paste the link here: https://www.nichols.edu/uploaded_files/pdf/fischer-calendar-spring-2014.pdf to view a full listing, but some of the upcoming events include:
February 4th: 7:00 in Davis 205/207 Eric Deggans will be on campus with his book, Race Baiter. Deggans is a journalist and media critic intent on spreading the word on how media can divide race. Copies of the book can be purchased at this event — be sure to have Deggans sign your copy.
February 6th: 4:00 in Davis 201/203 Dr. Raouf Mama, professor at Eastern Connecticut State and West-African storyteller, leads an African storytelling workshop. Reservations required–hors d’oeuvres reception to follow.
February 11th: 1:30 in Davis 205/207 ATTENTION COMMUTERS!!! This is a cultural event that is highly informative and will get you to class by 2:15. The Fischer Institute is showing a film titled ‘Countries of the World: Argentina’. This is film in a series; look for more break-time events!
Stay tuned for more information on cultural events hosted by the Fischer Institute.
Liz Horgan, director of Career Services here at Nichols College, describes herself in five words: caring, open-minded, self-motivated, sarcastic, and impatient. If you know Liz, right now you’re smiling because those words so embody who she is. If you have not yet met Liz Horgan, there’s no time like the present. She’s more than just five words though — Liz is a person who knows how to succeed, and knows not to take success lightly. As we sat down to lunch recently, Liz let me know that her favorite time of day is not a particular time, but those moments when students come in to share their success stories. Not just because they have had a great moment in life, but because they took the time to share it.
Liz taught my 3rd-year PDS (professional development seminar) at Nichols. As an adult student and a recent transfer, I am not even going to pretend I was an easy student. I initially refused to create a LinkedIn account, complained constantly about the portfolio I needed to produce, and was just a complete brat at the start. Clearly Liz saw something in me, because she listened to my nonsense, put me (gently) in my place, and formed one of those student-mentor relationships I am certain will continue beyond my graduation. Liz looks at each student for who they are, not what they offer. She saw that I was a good student and wanted to cultivate that. She took into account that I was having a hard time adjusting and took the time to guide me where I needed to be. You should see my resume — seriously. I thought I had nothing and maybe even felt like I was nothing but according to my resume, I am reasonably spectacular. But enough about me!
In addition to her duties with Career Services, Liz also is an educator at Nichols College, teaching as many as two PDS classes each semester. Just this year Liz is educating her first 3-credit course, a class offering students the chance to learn about self-assessment, resumes, cover letters, using social media to your advantage…basically, a course in how to excel and succeed in the workforce. There’s no question she is the clear choice to teach such a course. For 22 years, Liz worked in property management. Eighteen of those years were spent in college recruitment. Now leading the team in Career Services, Liz is able to see both sides of the equation in hiring with a point of view from both employee and employer.
Career Services is located in the Fels Student Center and offers services for Nichols College day and evening students, as well as alumni. Even if you have graduated five years prior, you still have the option to come back to Nichols and seek help. Career Services has books for those wanting to read them, from guides on nailing an interview to workbooks about mastering the GRE. Career Services also offers web-based services to locate jobs such as Road to Success, which lists available jobs in the area; and CareerShift, an awesome new program that allows the job searcher to input criteria that will search potential employers as well as the employer websites. Why is this so awesome? Simple — at Career Services, the belief is that it is all about getting your resume in front of the right person. The technology behind CareerShift allows you to locate exactly who that person might be. Just how can you be sure your resume will impress? Try Optimal Resume, just one more service Career Services offers. Optimal Resume offers the user hints, tips, and tricks to get your resume near-perfect — definitely a must-use website for those writing a resume! There are so many things you can get from a visit to Career Services. If you want to bring in a list of companies you want to work for, Career Services will do their best to reach into their vast networking system and pluck someone they know, using social media and alumni to their advantage. They also offer one-on-one career coaching by appointment.
It’s important to know about the annual Career & Internship Fair here at Nichols. This year the event takes place on Tuesday, February 25, from 1:00 – 3:30. You can head over to the Athletic Center and speak to one of over 70 companies regarding employment and internships. Commonly called the ‘Career Fair’, this event was spear-headed by Cheryl Alderman and each year just becomes better and better. Liz does what she can to assist, but insists all credit go to Cheryl for the successes of this event. Don’t miss out on this event — mark your calendars now!
If you have yet to do so, pay a visit to Career Services. There’s no time like the present.
Produced by the Bison for the Nichols College Community
