Everyone knows that college can be stressful, but the Econuts can help students and faculty unwind with their monthly meditative walks, the first of which was held on Thursday, Sept. 5.
The meditative walk is a short, guided hike that takes students through part the University Woods.
“Part of our emphasis this semester is on land protection and the benefits of trees in nature,” said Director of Sustainability Kathleen Moore. “So, this is just one of our events, and it’s a great benefit we have the University Woods here on campus that a lot of people don’t know about.”
During the walk, participants were asked to turn off their cellphone and place them in a small bag. Once the phone was off, it was given to the walk’s guide for safekeeping until the end of the hike. Participants were then given a short introduction on the benefits of nature on human health.
“We’re designed to resonate with nature,” said Associate Director of Clinical Services Rebecca Alexander, who guided the meditative walk. “The most simplistic thing is oxygen and [carbon dioxide] exchange, but beyond that there’s all these intricacies of how we are in a symbiotic relationship with nature that brings us back into that health and wellbeing.”
Moore said meditative walks were held last year, and that many people asked for them to continue.
“It builds community,” said Moore. “If you have a nice, leafy green space to come to, people are going to come to it normally.”
After a silent 10- to 15-minute hike, Alexander played a meditative chime and participants were asked to sit and observe nature while opening up the senses. After ten minutes of seated meditation, participants began their walk back out of the University Woods.
“[The walk] is to reconnect with our home base, to destress, to restore and refresh our brain, to experience awe and wonder and to open up our senses and sensations, which we don’t do as often because we live in a world where the brain does most of the work and we forget about the rest of us,” said Alexander.
Attendees of the first walk encountered many different types of flora and fauna during the meditative walk, including two whitetail deer.
The meditative walks are held on the first Thursday of every month at noon at the entrance to the University Woods above parking lot 13 and Alexander will give a lecture on the health benefits of being in nature on Nov. 20 in the Quillen Conference Room.
