The semester is drawing to a close, and finals are fast approaching. For our most recent Virtual Friday, The Professional Science Master’s program invited trained yoga and mindfulness specialist Katelyn Wallace to host a mindfulness session for our students. For Wallace, mindfulness is the practice of noticing what’s happening in the present moment without judgement. Mindfulness can help you strive for purpose in work endeavors, strengthen relationships, and increase your sense of self-awareness. Adding these practical tools to your life can open more opportunities to feel satisfied and successful in your careers, studies, and lives. Meditation can help you improve focus, manage your inner critic, and lower reactivity to stress.
April is stress awareness month—there's no better time to learn some techniques to calm your mind and body.
Exercises
Wallace began the mindfulness session with stretches to warm up muscles and move energy through the body.
In the modern world, our environments are constantly changing and evolving. Adopting a mindful lifestyle allows you to release rigidity. There’s no question about it—research has shown that mindfulness meditation can reduce stress. As the end of the semester approaches, these exercises are perfect for students to adopt during finals week.
Mindful Breath
It all starts with a mindful breath. In a moment of challenge, connecting to breath will help manage stress. Wallace emphasized the use of diaphragmatic breathing.
Inhale for a count of four, pause and let go of tension, and exhale through the mouth for a count of six.
Sacred Sigh
Inhale deeply, then exhale through the mouth in a sigh. This exercise helps release tension and tightness in frustrating or overwhelming situations.
Guided Heart-Focused Meditation
Exercise slow, controlled, breathing. Put your palms on your thighs or knees, palms face up. Inhale, and curl your fingertips into your palms, hug your arms towards the side of your body, and squeeze your shoulders. Release on exhale, uncurling your fingers and relaxing.
Wallace finished the session by encouraging participants to think of a regenerative thought. She asked participants to recreate the feeling of when they’re in their favorite place in nature or, for pet owners, the feeling of when a pet comes to greet them.
Wallace also gave tips on how to incorporate meditation into your daily routine.
- Pay attention to posture. Posture impacts how we feel and how others perceive us. Additionally, correcting your posture will allow breath to flow through your body, increasing oxygen circulation.
- Practice. By incorporating meditation into your life, even for as little as five minutes a day, you will start to see results.
- Find a space that feels safe and quiet.
- Disconnect from electronics. Create a space for quietness and to just be. Shut off distractions and unplug—leave your phone in another room if you need to.
- Be patient. Be kind to yourself. Like anything else, you may not be an expert at first.
If you would like to attend upcoming installments of our Virtual Friday series, check out our events page. You can also follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram to stay up to date.