UI professor to offer mindfulness meditation classes
A University of Idaho faculty member is offering students the chance to escape from homework, class and other responsibilities for 25 minutes a week.
Jamie Derrick, assistant professor in the psychology department, recently began leading free mindfulness meditation sessions from 12-12:25 p.m. Wednesdays in room 012 of the Niccolls Building.
Genie Tran | Argonaut
UI students and Moscow community members gather in the Niccolls building Wednesday to attend a meditation class taught by UI psychology professor Jamie Derrick.
“It’s to bring attention to your emotional state,” Derrick said. “What does it feel like in your body? Being aware of your thinking and being slightly distanced without getting too caught up in the emotions and thoughts helps with difficult and painful thoughts.”
Derrick said mindfulness meditation is a practice where an individual can use their mind and body to enter a mode of consciousness and feel content. She said practicing mindfulness meditation can help in every aspect of life, including problem solving, increasing test scores, reducing distractibility and increasing overall mood. She also said it leads to a stronger immune system.
Derrick said there are several approaches to mindfulness meditation, and the sessions will vary from week to week. Derrick said she hopes everyone will at least give meditation a try.
UI student Carlie Beasley attended Wednesday’s meditation class and said she will definitely return for another session.
“It was really awesome,” Beasley said. “I didn’t really want to come out of my little Zen moment. I feel good … I’ll come back for sure.”
Genie Tran | Argonaut
Jamie Derrick, professor at UI Department of Psychology and Communication, teaches a class about meditation in order to help UI students relief stress.
The class is free and drop-in, so no experience is required. Although Derrick said mindfulness meditation requires consistent practice, she wants people to come when they can and not feel pressured to come every week.
At Wednesday’s session, Derrick asked participants to put themselves in a comfortable but strong position, relax and close their eyes. Derrick facilitated the session by asking participants to focus on their breathing and notice how the air was moving through their nose and lungs. She also asked participants to notice different parts of their body, specifically where there was tension or discomfort. The point of these sessions, Derrick said, is to direct attention to what’s happening in a participant’s body and mind. Derrick asked participants to notice when their minds wandered to anything other than their breathing, and to gently bring their attention back to breathing.
After the Wednesday class that filled the classroom, Derrick said she thought everyone being together and meditating together created a beautiful and comfortable experience.
“It looked like people were really benefitting and participating,” she said.
UI student Eve Weston also attended Wednesday’s class, and said she really enjoyed the session.
“I think anytime you can come and pay attention to right here and right now, it’s a really valuable moment,” Weston said. “I think it helps out the whole community, too, when you’re taking care of yourself and you can be a more mindful person all the time.”
Kelsey Stevenson can be reached at [email protected]