Student group helps local youth in crisis through deep breathing and meditation.
By Melissa Fowler '09
"If you learn to relax in this stressful world, everything else will be easy," Dr. Steven Emmanuel, Virginia Wesleyan's Batten Professor of Philosophy, told a group of girls at the Seton Youth Shelter who participated in an April session of the Mindful Marlins program.
Mindful Marlins, a community service arm of the Marlin Meditation Circle, has been working at the Seton Youth Shelter in Virginia Beach, Va., where they give lessons in deep breathing and meditation. The purpose of the program is to help girls with their general health by helping them relax and deal with the stresses in their lives.
Want to relax? Here's how: Find a quiet and comfortable place, sit in a relaxed position and breathe deeply. Lauren Perry '09 of Virginia Beach, Va., and Julie Maggioncalda '08 from Cherry Hill, N.J., two Virginia Wesleyan students, started the program after a month-long trip to Vietnam with Emmanuel in the summer of 2007. The two were inspired by the Buddhist monks and nuns and wanted to share what they learned about meditation with people in the community. When they found that Emmanuel had contacts with the shelter, Perry and Maggioncalda split the task of starting the program – with Perry doing most of the planning and Maggioncalda getting students interested and participating in the program.
Lance Hartley, an exchange student from the United Kingdom, was recruited by the duo and attends the Mindful Marlins every week to help lead meditation.
"Meditation helps me realize how lucky I am to be in the position I am in my life at the moment and to be truly grateful for what I have," said Hartley. "It ultimately helps me relax and reflect on how good life can be, if you just take the time to fully appreciate it."
In the beginning, the Mindful Marlins met for an hour on Monday afternoons at the shelter, but soon that hour turned into an hour and a half because of the popularity of the program.
"Even by the end of the year when there were finals and people were stressed they kept going because it was a good way to relax," said Maggioncalda.
During the 90 minute session, Virginia Wesleyan students actively participate in various activities with the youth including painting and most importantly, deep breathing.
"You can tell they [the girls] enjoy getting away from their problems," Maggioncalda said of her experience.
The number of girls who participate in the Mindful Marlins program varies from week to week. It is easy to see the popularity of the program because the girls who do stay at the shelter come back multiple times.
As the group walked into the April session a girl was leaving and said to her mom, "Oh no, I am missing my favorite session here."
To start the session, Emmanuel gave a brief introduction about distressing and letting go of tension or stress. Then, he began a seated guided meditation. His goal was for the girls to be mindful and let go of any bodily tension.
"If you can learn to relax in this stressful world, everything else will be easy," said Emmanuel.
The guided meditation took about 30 minutes. When it was over, Emmanuel asked the group how they felt and opened up the communication lines to talk about the daily stresses in their lives. In addition, there was time for the girls to ask the students questions about College and life.
First time participant Daniel Castan '08 from Fairfax, Va., said he enjoyed the experience.
"I think it is a great idea to try and teach them meditation," said Castan. "It is a good way to escape and combat their very hectic and stressful lives."
With the success and positive response from the Seton Youth Shelter, the Mindful Marlins are looking to expand. They are also open to doing more than just meditation at shelters.
"We can organize workshops designed for specific groups, such as athletic teams, Greek organizations, residence halls, staff and administrators, as well as off-campus groups," said Emmanuel.
The Mindful Marlins program helps students learn about meditation as a form of inquiry, explained Emmanuel. "Most important, they learn how to deal with those conflicts in a peaceful and constructive way," he said, adding, "by helping others to do this, they contribute to the creation of a more peaceful society."
The Mindful Marlins meet every Monday at 4:30 p.m. at the Seton Youth Shelter in Virginia Beach, Va. For more information, contact Dr. Steven Emmanuel at 757.455.3405 or semmanuel@vwc.edu.
05.07.08