CLEANSE YOUR MIND, BODY AND SOUL
STORY AND PHOTO BY ELIZABETH KESSEL
Stress is a balancing act and at times it
might push you past your breaking point.
As college students, tim e is sucked
up by homework, studying, m id-term s
and finals. W ith the seasons changing,
there’s no better time to take advantage
and spring clean your m ind, body and
soul.
Step hanie Schaefer, a counselor at
Clackam as Com m unity College, said,
“ If you’re super stressed out, you don’ t
perform w ell.”
Schaefer said that people can learn to
cope with stress in different ways.
Have you ever smelled lavender before
and became instantly relaxed? This is
exactly what aromatherapy is meant to
accomplish. Aromatherapy is using the
extracted natural essence from plants to
stimulate a healthy mind, body and spirit.
One o f the most popular ways to start
aromatherapy is by buying an essential oil
diffuser and seeking out some essential
oils you may like.
Traci Thompson, a Young Living dis
tributor, suffered from anxiety until she
was introduced to essential oils. She rec
ommended trying oils including vetiver,
valor, stress away, lavender and pepper
mint to help ward o ff stress.
Aromatherapy is simple; in most dif
fusers, all you need to do is add water
and a few drops o f a scent of your choice
then press on.
Another way that helps combat stress,
like headaches and migraines, is by being
active with your body.
Erin H anco ck, a yoga in structor at
Clackamas said, "A way to get to the mind
is through the body.”
People practice many different types of
yoga across the globe, but the most com
mon types of yoga are hatha and vinyasa.
You can find H ancock teaching her
students vinyasa, which is a little faster
paced and focuses on the transitioning
of poses. Hatha is a more gentle kind of
yoga, focusing on breathing, poses and
Student Katie Pacelsa practices yoga, a class offered in Randall Hall, taught by Erin Hancock.
calming the mind.
Hancock said that hatha is like an um
brella, which includes all sorts of styles of
yoga and offers the perfect opportunity
to find a shelter for rainy days.
If you are looking for something that is
a little more vigorous with more cardio
involved, then give Pilates a go. Pilates
is strength training, ju st w ithout the
w eights and prim arily focuses on the
core.
Signing up for a class is not necessary.
Keoni McHone, a Pilates instructor at
CCC, said that you can find many YouTube
videos on the subject. This is great for
those who wish to work out but may not
have the time or money to attend a class.
P ilates helps you have b etter s e lf
esteem and handle stress better. McHone
recommended working out five days a
week for at least 30 minutes each day.
However, at the end o f the day, jam
ming out to some good music could be all
you need to let the stress out. Music has
been shown to im pact your em otions.
Fast paced music can have you feeling
more awake or alert. Slow or soothing
music allows you to relax and empty your
mind, leaving behind the stress.
Music is a great way to reduce stress
mostly because it can be portable. Either
listening to the radio on your way home
or in betw een classes can help forget
worries even if only for a few minutes.
Jeanne Niphanprasart, an Oregon City
resident, has turned to aromatherapy,
exercise, yoga and m usic to help her
mind and body to become healthy and
stay healthy.
“ I tend to use music as a way to m ain
tain calmness. Playing gentler music in
the background throughout the day helps
keep our energy calm in the household,”
said Niphanprasart. “ When it’s time for a
dance party, we head for Michael Jackson
and Beyonce.”
Everyone experiences stress; it’s al
most impossible to escape. So no matter
what niche you find yourself in, there
are always options for you to help your
self. Whether it be aromatherapy, yoga
or music, your mind, body and soul are
waiting to be cleansed.
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ON THE COVER: Dajen Green passed the math portion o f his GED test at the Clackamas County Jail. Photo by Victoria Tinker. Design by Brandon Chorum.
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