Mindfulness and meditation is being used more frequently on campus
“I love talking to people about mindfulness because I think it can be a total game changer in how people feel and how they move through their life every day.”
This is how Rachel Leveillee, director of the Academic Testing Center, describes her “secret superpower.” This superpower is a lifestyle approach to mindfulness.
“There is an overall sense of well-being that you can experience, or increased well-being when you practice mindfulness,” Leveillee said. “Once you get a taste of that, you want to share it.”
This is exactly what Leveillee and her colleagues are doing within the University of Rhode Island community by hosting a weekly virtual mediation series. The idea arose when Leveillee herself thought of creating a space for a “mindful meetup” alongside her desires to incorporate more meditative practices within the Academic Testing Center.
“[We met] all summer on a weekly basis for mindful meditation meetups and to ask for feedback from people in the group,” Leveillee said. “What became clear was that people really wanted it, and within a few days of of launching, I think we had close to 30 or 40 people on it.”
The weekly sessions are led by certified instructors and include various readings, guided practices and overall applications to reduce stress levels.
Sessions typically include instructions on making oneself comfortable and how to be conscience of one’s breath, body and mind. The sessions then end with quiet time.
“The facilitator will chime in periodically to help bring people back if their mind has wandered,” Leveillee said. “Oftentimes there’s some sort of reading on a theme. Then we also like to close it and offer an opportunity for people to chat if they want to. This is just an opportunity to create community.”
According to Leveillee, the overall benefits of practicing any form of mindfulness are reduced stress, increased immune functions, increased memory capacity, increased focus and increased productivity. She notes the change she has personally witnessed within the testing center.
“I work with so many students who have really severe anxiety and I sometimes work with students who are really right on the edge of a panic attack,” Leveillee said. “If I can sit with them for just a few moments, sometimes even a minute, help them bring awareness back to their body so that their head will stop spinning, ground them into their body and bring awareness to the present moment and the breath, they can focus.”
Leveillee said that this approach to stress or anxiety will not always fix everything, but that sometimes this can be enough to begin focusing on the work you need to get done. In her eyes, it is about developing awareness.
“So much of our day is spent not in awareness. When was the last time you walked to class just trying to listen to the birds or the wind or feel the air on your skin,” she said.
Leveillee also promotes the many on campus offerings related to mindfulness, such as meditation on the Quad on Fridays. She also emphasizes the importance of visiting the various mental health resources on campus.
“This is what I would consider more of lifestyle wellness that you can layer unto everything that you do,” Leveillee said.
Leveillee said that her favorite thing about practicing mindfulness is the availability and discretion that comes with it.
“When I get into a situation that’s tough or feels stressful to me, I can start using my mindfulness techniques to help calm me,” Leveillee said.
The weekly virtual mindful meditation series is available every Friday at 12:30 p.m. on Zoom. Visit uri.edu/mindful for more information on upcoming events, programs and services.