Meditation brings greater clarity for many
■The University has courses
in meditation, which can
sharpen mental acumen
By Arlene Juan
for the Emerald
Meditation has become increas
ingly popular as a self-control, self
awareness and personal growth
technique. Terms such as guru,
samadhi, Zen, mind expansion,
psychedelic experience and tran
scendental consciousness are asso
ciated with this “inward art.”
CC If you can pick a set
time and place to
meditate each day, it will
enhance the sense of
sacred ness. But if you are
unable to sit regularly, you
can still benefit Take a
walk or eat a meal with
full attention.
Sandy Adler
meditation instructor,
University of Oregon
Sandy Adler, a University medi
tation instructor said “meditation
is a discipline, a method, a
process, a way of using mind and
heart.
“It strengthens the power to use
all our inner resources — memory,
the senses, rhythm — and draws
perceptions together in a total ex
perience.”
A 1992 University psychology
study “The Effects of Meditation
on College Students” suggests that
meditation, combined with physi
cal exercise and other personal
strategies, can be used as a preven
tive measure to combat stress and
depression.
“It has been an effective method
in keeping my mind and body in
balance,” said Athena Yemaya, a
new meditation participant. “My
stress level has decreased, and I
feel that it has helped me improve
academically.”
Adler also instructs at Friends
Meeting Place at 22nd and Onyx
and said in learning to meditate it
is primarily important to become
familiar with what meditation is
and its key elements. She said the
three windows to meditation are:
Concentration, awareness and
“lovingkindness.”
Concentration is steadiness of
the mind; the mental skill exer
cised when focused. In meditation,
one focuses on a chosen object
such as the breath, a visualization
or a phrase and then practices it re
peatedly while letting go of dis
tractions.
With awareness, Adler said it is
important to draw close to emo
tions in a skillful way and make
conscious choices about how to re
spond.
“Lovingkindness” refers to sim
ply loving the self, which is the
gateway to loving others, Adler
said.
To begin, sit comfortably with
the back erect. Close the eyes and
take a few deep breaths, feeling the
breath as it enters the nostrils and
fills the chest and abdomen; then
release it. Allow the breath to be
come natural without forcing it or
controlling it. Attention rests on
one breath at a time. If the mind
wanders, don’t be concerned. No
tice whatever has captured the at
Chrystal McConnell Emerald
Cooper Boydston, a regular user of Yoga and a veteran of Sandy Adler’s meditation class, lies down and relaxes while soft music and
the soothing voice of Adler are heard in the background.
tention, then let go of the thought
or feeling, and return to the aware
ness of the breath.
“I recommend sitting for a 20
minute session if you are just get
ting started and increasing the
time gradually until you are medi
tating for 30 or 45 minutes,” Adler
said.
“If you can pick a set time and
place to meditate each day, it will
enhance the sense of sacredness.
But if you are unable to sit regular
ly, you can still benefit. Take a
walk or eat a meal with full atten
tion,” she said.
“Break the momentum of rush
ing and busy-ness in your day by
stopping to meditate for just a few
minutes; you’ll rediscover a deep
er sense of yourself and what is
most important to you.”
Sarah Meyers, also a new partic
ipant, said meditation helps calm
her tension caused by constant
planning.
“As we relate to such emotions
with ‘lovingkindness,’ we begin to
release the worry, restlessness and
remorse that take us away from the
present moment both in medita
tion and in our daily lives,” Mey
ers said.
Herbal remedy can be just what the doctor ordered
■ Natural remedies provide
good protection against colds,
but students should use them
with caution
By Kendall Larsen
for the Emerald
With the coughing, sneezing and
runny noses that seem to sprout up
everywhere on campus, students
may turn toward natural, herbal
remedies to protect themselves.
While some of these natural treat
ments are easy to administer, oth
ers require the help of a trained
physician.
One of the most well-known
herbal remedies is echinacea. Jan
Gagnon, a naturopathic physician
specializing in homeopathy, said
that this herb st imulates the im
mune system by increasing the ac
tivity of white blood cells.
“You want to start [taking] it at
the beginning of a cold,” Gagnon
advised. The usual suggested dose
of echinacea is one to three pills
daily, taken with water.
Gagnon also said that garlic, as
tragalus and golden seal could be
helpful treatments for colds, but
emphasized the importance of
SALES • SERVICE • RENTALS • TRAVEL
Qear up fur Spring Break!
♦ 4 4
^ Dive Travel
^ Scuba/Snorkel rentals
Equipment service & repair
^ Sales
www.eugeneskindivers.com
1090 West 6tn Avenue, Eugene, Oregon 97402
Phone 342-2351 • FAX 342-5706
seeking medical advice before at
tempting home treatments.
Daniel Hardt, another naturo
pathic physician in Eugene, said
people need to realize that they are
not sick because they have herbal
deficiencies, but because they have
nutrient deficiencies. Most people
do not receive the nutrients they
need from the food they eat be
cause of the way food is processed,
he said. Hardt suggested taking a
daily multi-vitamin “rather than
thinking we can get all the nutri
ents we need by having a green sal
ad with our pizza.”
Hardt also recommended taking
two or three flax-seed-oil capsules
a day. These pills provide some of
the essential fatty acids that the
body needs.
Slippery elm, horehound and lo
belia are all good for coughs and
lung infections, Hardt said. Lobelia
can also help people who wish to
quit smoking, as it will cause nau
sea when tobacco is introduced to
the body.
People should not depend on
herbs or use them too often, Hardt
stressed.
“You want to remember that
herbs are medicine — naturally oc
curring medicine. You don’t want
to use herbs on and on and on.”
Liz Dickey, also a naturopathic
physician, was hesitant to suggest
any treatment for people to try on
their own. She said that although
natural medicine can work well
in helping people regain their
health, it is much more effective
when administered by a qualified
person.
“Each person is unique and re
quires a unique prescription,”
Dickey said. For self-care, Dickey
suggested that students “eat well,
get enough sleep, exercise and
have some fun! People are healthi
er when they’re happier.”
Each person is unique
and requires a unique
prescription. Eat well, get
enough sleep, exercise and
have some fun! People are
healthier when they're
happier.
Liz Dickey
naturopathic physician
Gagnon also advised that those
who are already sick should watch
what they eat. Milk and dairy
should be avoided, as should sug
ar, which feeds bacteria.
Students who attempt to treat
themselves with herbs should do
so with caution, Hardt also said,
because not every herb on the
health-food-store shelf is benefi
cial. He advised that anyone buy
ing a bottle of herbal pills looks for
the words “standardized extract”
on the back of the bottle.
#4
This paper can be
Recycled!