Through Silence Comes Magic

Meditation. Twice a day, a time to sit up right, close our eyes, and focus on ourselves. This is a really true and genuine kind of focusing too. It’s a time to think about your breathing, and, it’s really hard. It’s difficult to completely clear your mind of other thoughts - especially when your mind is like a beehive with thousands of extraneous thoughts constantly buzzing around.

At the school we are going to, all students are required to meditate twice a day for five minutes each time. Inevitably, since they are forced to do so, and because they have been doing it since kindergarten, many dislike it. As new students coming from the US, being introduced to a new practice, many of us have really come to enjoy meditating.

The goal of meditation is to focus on your breathing. Every morning as the intercom speakers come on with the principal ordering students to sit down and close their eyes, her calm voice and already- so-familiar accent reminds us to “sit up straight, backs straight,” she always says. “Now place your right hand on top of your left, thumbs touching. Feet flat on the ground. Slowly close your eyes and focus on your breathing.” She tells us to “Feel the freshness of the air as you inhale” and to “Notice the warmth of your breath on your lips as you breath out.”  

At the end of the five minutes, everyone in the school chants “om” three times. You can hear the ominous, yet beautiful tone ringing out through all the classrooms and hallways as the students sing out. Following this, we repeat a mantra, rub our palms together, cover our eyes, then slowly open them. “Suprabhat” our teachers say. Good morning.

Meditation has become a time for me to focus on myself and on my emotions. A time to really think about the present moment and to bring my mind to a calmer state. A time to accept my current conditions and myself, and to help prepare for what is to come that day, or maybe that week.

I am really attracted to the idea of meditation because within the time I’ve been here, I’m already noticing significant changes in my ability to process thoughts, my patience levels, a decrease in stress and an overall calmness in my attitude. I’ve also been able to stay more focused for longer periods of time. I am very excited to continue this practice when I return to the US because I believe it truly is therapeutic.