Finding true meditation and peace can be hard to find in hectic college lives. However, there are many ways to find meditation and a calmer state of mind. Things like yoga, personal meditation and affirmations, and self-care are ways to find internal peace or cool down after a long day or week.Â
Yoga
Yoga is an excellent way to find peace and get a workout. Doing yoga allows you to not only stretch parts of your body but it also challenges your mindset, pushing different spots in your body. The traditional context of yoga emphasizes “spiritual development practices to train the body and mind to self observe and become aware of their own nature.” Yoga, at its core, is meant to cultivate self-awareness, self-regulation and higher consciousness. At the same time, it is also a great source of gentle physical activity.Â
Yoga can be practiced almost anywhere: At your college’s recreational center, gyms, classes, or even in the comfort of your own home. Gentle or beginner yoga is great to start out with, and then you can gradually do different yoga like power yoga, hot yoga, or Vinyasa yoga. The six main branches of yoga are Hatha, Iyengar, Kundalini, Pranayama, Raja, and Satya. Some basic yoga poses are Shavasana, a meditation pose for grounding or receiving energy, and Sun Salutations with variations A, B, and C, which are routines of moves that can include downward dog, tree pose, cobra, warrior 1 and 2, cow cat, etc.Â
Personal Meditation
Personal meditation is also a great way to find peace within yourself. This can include thinking of things that make you happy or doing personal affirmations. Affirmations can be about attitudes, how you look, how you’re feeling, or any other aspect of your life you would like to improve on. Other things that help in personal meditations are avoiding a drifting mind and clearing your mind of anything you’re thinking about or have to do. Your personal meditation is whatever works for you and can be however you want to find peace.Â
Self-Care
Self-care is extremely important in college life. Self-care can be an abundance of practices which may include working out, doing a skincare routine, sleeping (my favorite), journaling, watching your favorite show or movie, or eating your favorite snacks. Something else that I find to be a part of self-care is aromatherapy: using essential oils in certain pressure points of your body. The fragrances that work best are lavender, frankincense, rose, and jasmine. Coupled with this, crystals also are a great source of energy depending on how you want to feel (and they look pretty). Self-care can also include being with the people you love to spend time with, like family, friends, or partners, or going to your favorite place.