Written by Padua Junior Krissy K.

Meditate: (verb) “think deeply or focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.” In the past, I regularly dismissed meditation, deeming it pointless and unhelpful. Struggling with anxiety, I always had what seemed like a million thoughts on my mind, and constantly had another task to complete. I didn’t understand how seemingly sitting down and doing nothing was supposed to benefit me, when I could instead be doing something productive. At the beginning of my junior year, Mr. Shelton began to help me realize how wrong I was.

On our first day of physics, when I discovered we would be practicing and learning more about meditation, I was a bit skeptical. I instantly thought of my past experiences with it and how I felt that it only increased my anxiety. Needless to say, I was not excited. Though I had my doubts, Mr. Shelton was so passionate about it, so I decided to try it. After completing our first session, I discovered that I genuinely enjoyed it. During those three minutes, I was able to focus and maintain a peace of mind. It was an experience that I had never felt before. 

Following the first successful session, I began to take a greater interest in the practice. As we get later into the school year and the stress begins to pile on, I am able to resort to meditation to bring me back to center. I no longer view it as a waste of time, rather as a way to step away from the hustle of reality and focus on my breath. Ever since I began to do it in class, I have searched for more opportunities to meditate. I attend the after school sessions as often as possible, and I have even begun to do it on my own. 

Before taking the time to truly understand the practice of meditation and its benefits, I simply disregarded it. Now that I have taken the opportunity to become educated on it and to practice it, I have found that it has made a noticeable impact on my life. Meditation has evidently improved my mental health, reminding me that it’s acceptable to take a break from the constant commotion and focus on myself. It has become a great way to practice mindfulness and cope with stress and anxieties and I am glad to have had the opportunity to try it.