Relax the Night Away

With a variety of tasks to complete, college students live a busy and stressful life. Relaxation of mind and body is an efficient way to lessen the burden. But how can we achieve to have a relaxed and peaceful mind? Research has shown that meditation, if practiced appropriately, can serve to reduce stress, adjust mood and increase focus. In the evening of September 28, we’re honored to have Venerable Jian Dan give a lecture on meditation. The new Resident Assistant attended the meditation workshop at Learning Support Services. She thought it’s a good idea to hold a meditation workshop because the one she went was a huge success. She remembered there was a long line outside of the room where the class was held and only a certain amount of people were allowed in because of the amount of space. She had a great experience in Master Jian Dan’s class and she thought she would hold one where a lot more people would come.

The class started with students asking some interesting questions, which, as always, showed the students’ curiosity about Buddhism and the practice of meditation. Then the students began to complain about the amount of homework, the tough tests they need to take, and some questions about socializing with other people. As the conversation went, we touched and discussed some more philosophical questions. Where do our sufferings come from? The Venerable explained while gesturing to indicate the difference between expectation levels, “When we have high level of expectation, we’ll feel frustrated if we can’t get to it.” Sufferings come from our mind within, not from external sources. “Wouldn’t you be suffered if you didn’t make the score you wished to get in the exams?”

Next, the Venerable guided us through a 5 minute meditation. The Venerable especially talked about how we intend to attach ourselves to many things and people in our lives. It is those attachments that make us suffer. Meditation will eventually make us obtain a peaceful and happy mind without being attached to anything.

The “Relax the Night Away” was very relaxing and enjoyable. It’s true no single person can control the conditions around them. All we can do is focus on the present situation. It’s the gap between our expectations and actuality that causes the unnecessary stress in our lives.

To end the class, we feel we want to learn much more about the practice of meditation…