Rebekah Moan, a senior in the School of Communication started a meditation club at AU last semester that offers different types of meditation, including destressing and spiritual enlightenment.
"The meditation I teach, Ananda Marga, is a mantra meditation, where you repeat a phrase over and over again to focus on God and love," she said.
Moan brings in guest teachers who introduce different types of meditation to students. In addition to her own type of meditation, Moan teaches "vipassana," a type of mindfulness meditation that makes an individual aware of his or her surroundings.
Kimberly Martin, the Buddhist Chaplain representing Soka Gakkai International, a Buddhist lay organization, explains that the meditation group and SGI's methods differ from the meditation club at AU.
"Our Buddhist practice is action-based. We chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo out loud, repetitively. We chant to achieve our goals, to solve a problem, to overcome our difficulties, to bring out our fullest potential and we chant for wisdom."
"Nam-myoho-renge-kyo," or the Lotus Sutra, was established by Nichiren on April 28, 1253 and is said to contain the ultimate truths of Buddhism, according to the Soka Gakkai International Web site, www.sgi.org.
Martin explained the difference in the purpose of the SGI organization and the student-run meditation club at AU. "We don't try to clear our mind. Instead, we believe that earthly desires equal enlightenment."
"This is an opportunity to just exist; which is not something everyday life caters to," said Amy Teachout, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, on why she attends Buddhist meditation sessions at AU. These particular sessions are held every Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Kay Spiritual Life Center. They are taught by Bhante K. Uparatana, Buddhist chaplain.
Uparatana says that the Buddhist meditation he offers is silent and still, dissimilar to yoga or other relaxation exercises, and that it is designed to separate individuals from the material world.
"It gives you insight to jealousy and hatred inside of you. I want to show you how to keep away from these things," Uparatana said. "We are seeking happiness beyond what material things, or even our moms and dads-something nothing else can give us. We have to earn it."
Another attendee of the sessions, junior Brendan Kiernan, has attended the sessions since his freshman year at AU.
Kiernan says that the relaxation exercises and life philosophy that he has learned have been applicable in his day-to-day life. "I cover all of the bases of what I put my energy into, and try to put love into all of it," he said.
Though AU was founded by Methodists, the school does not encourage any particular sect or religious practices. Joe Eldridge, University Chaplain, says that the university encourages students to make decisions about their beliefs on their own.
"Kay was designed as an interfaith center since its construction 40 years ago. There are no visible religious icons or accoutrements in the building. I think that we try to be welcoming to all and that's built into the DNA of this place," Eldridge said.
Students agree that they do not feel the pressure of any particular religious faith, although they do recognize that Judeo-Christian believers dominate in numbers.
Carl Seip, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs, does not feel discouraged from or pressed towards any particular religion.
"A diversity of spiritual outlets is available on campus and I don't think AU is pushing the 'founding' Methodist faith," he said. "That said, there certainly are faiths that are more prominent on campus - but I think may be merely because we are a predominantly Judeo-Christian society and those organizations have greater membership - not because the "founding fathers" of AU wanted it that way," Seip added.
Last Thursday, the club hosted Fred Travis, who discussed the biological effects of meditation through showing the audience brain wave scans of someone who was meditating.
This Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Butler Board Room, the meditation club is presenting a guest teacher who will be introducing "loving kindness meditation"
