A New Transformation in Higher Education: Benefits of Yoga and Meditation

[Abstract] This article provides a brief assessment of the stressors and responses to stress that students presently experience and our need as educators to address physical, mental and spiritual needs of students in creative ways. It describes an interdisciplinary approach of a "Body, Mind, Spirit: Yoga and Meditation" course which I have taught to 120 students at DePaul University and provides conclusions and recommendation. [Keywords] Body; mind; spirit; Yoga; transformation; meditation; stress The thought manifests as the word; The word manifests as the deed; The deed develops into habit; And habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care And let it spring from love Born out of concern for all beings. - The Buddha (Eds. Amidon and Roberts, 1996, p. 13) Stress The School for New Learning program at DePaul University is designed for adults who are returning to school for their undergraduate degrees. The age range of students is late 20s to 60s. During my time at DePaul University I have had students who have encountered nearly all of the problems that life can give us in a course's quarter: death in the family, loss of job, difficulties at work, divorce, moving to a new residence, health crisis, etc. The Dean of Students came to a recent workshop to inform us that trends in the larger society are now having a significant impact on our student population. We are seeing more students with serious problems. These include people recovering from addiction and mental health disorders (some on powerful medications), and people formerly incarcerated. The U.S. now has about 25% of all imprisoned people on the planet ("U.S. Prison Rate," 2005). We also have people who have family or friends stationed in war areas who suffer a great deal of worry over loved ones. And we can expect that, of the one million U.S. people who have already served in the armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of them will return to school suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). DePaul University already has at least 75 Iraq war veterans. The U.S. Army estimates 15% of service people from war areas will suffer PTSD. But the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 35% of U.S. veterans returning from Iraq sought out mental health services upon their return (Hoge, Auchterlonie, Milliken, 2006). In addition to all of this, current events show the growing polarization of the populace around race, gender, and income issues. The presence of war, the uncertain economy, personal health problems, and societal violence are all contributing to higher levels of stress effects on our student population. And we cannot deny the speeded-up nature of our lives - with instant technologies - that promote scattered mind practices associated with multitasking. In just the last few months, I had one student who survived an armed robbery, three who were severely beaten by partners, another who had a relative killed in Iraq, another stalked by a sexual predator, another harassed by the FBI because of his nationality, a number laid off from jobs, and a few people hospitalized for serious health issues. If you ask students what their major stressors are, you will find that relationships with family, co-workers, or others top the list of what brings most stress into their lives. Financial worries are also very stressful. The body responds to stress in a variety of ways: high blood pressure, muscle spasms, breakdown of immune system, loss of range of motion, etc. These things have adverse effects on a student's capacity to attend class and learn. The mind responds to stress in a variety of ways: loss of focus, increased anxiety, depression, emotional outbursts, narrowness of thinking, etc. These also have adverse effects on a student's capacity to attend class and learn (McEwen and Stellar, 1993). In almost every class I teach, I ask for written definitions of power. …