The hectic Student Union is becoming a more relaxed place every Thursday thanks to the art of Zen.
The Buffalo Zen Center of West Seneca is offering free meditation classes in the 250 Student Union every Thursday at 5:15 p.m. The conference room turned yoga studio hosts about an hour of Zen Yoga every week.
Sankhodae Sunim, the spiritual director of the Buffalo Zen Center, encourages all UB students and faculty to attend the class.
Sunim explained that participants learn new ways to stimulate the body and mind. The class open with some stretching and simple yoga postures before introducing heavier Zen meditation practices.
"That helps to begin to develop discipline and stability of the mind and also to really balance the body and really help ourselves," Sunim said. "We stop our busy minds, we learn how to calm our body; we learn how to relieve those tensions or those things we hold onto in life."
The sessions provide more than new breathing techniques. Sunim reserves about 15 minutes at the end of the class for mental exercise through an open discussion time.
"Today, several people shared their many struggles: anger, frustration, whatever it may be," Sunim said.
According to Sunim, interested students do not have to have a background in yoga. All students need to bring is enthusiasm, loose fitting clothes and a sitting cushion.
"Anybody is welcome and anybody can benefit," Sunim said.
The benefits of Zen mediation include positions that focus on separating the body and mind, allowing people to embrace comfort and energy in that separation.
There is a tremendous amount of clinical evidence from Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University to support the benefits of Zen, according to Sunim.
"[They have shown] how effective meditation is in beginning to change the hormonal levels in our body, the neurotransmitters, balancing our hemispheres and creating new pathways and new habits to begin to function in our lives in a more positive and helpful, healing way," Sunim said.
Zen meditation takes years of practice to master, according to Sunim. The class focuses on teaching people to become more "integrated, balanced human beings."
Geet Parekh, a sophomore biomedical sciences major who participated in last week's session, shared Sunim's sentiments.
"It gives me a more mindful nature; I started last year and I love it," Parekh said.
For Steve Hatch, a sophomore undecided major, it's all about taking a break from the daily grind.
"You need to take time out of your week to relax, take time away from class and think inwards," Hatch said.
Sunim is hopeful that more students will attend.
"Anybody who's able to breathe and be present can benefit," Sunim said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
