A few weeks ago, we talked about dealing with stress using yoga. Another common way to combat stress is through mindfulness or meditation, and the OWU Counseling Center is offering a Mindfulness Moment every week of April. Over the past decade or so, a variety of studies have explored mindfulness and its effects on various aspects of physical and mental health. Depending on who you ask, mindfulness is “a meditation-based practice whose aim is to increase one’s sense of being in the present… [or] a non meditative state in which subjects set aside their mental distractions to pay greater attention to the here and now.” Researchers have demonstrated its uses in lessening symptoms of anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and everyday stress. Much like yoga, meditation has its roots in a variety of religious traditions. While you learn to meditate, spend some time learning about its history as well.
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OWU Sponsoring Organization/Office: OWU Student Health Center
Contact: Leigh Stavar at health@owu.edu