Can you “om” your way to to an A this semester?

Lauren Sutherland Senior Editor

According to the results of a study conducted at the University of Kentucky, 12 students that were taught basic meditative techniques performed better on tests that measured reaction time than did groups instructed to nap, consume caffeine, or exercise. The study, as reported by The New York Times, aimed to measure the effects of meditation on energy levels and focus. Barbara Aliberto, the owner and principle instructor at Arlington Yogaworks on Raymond Avenue, offered her insight on the usefulness of meditation for Vassar students, and provided a few basic focus-improving techniques that students can incorporate into their preparation for the end-of-semester grind.

Through exercises such as the repetition of certain affirmations, visualization and controlled breathing, one tries to remove sensory awareness and achieve complete stillness. “That’s when the mental refreshing comes into play,” said Aliberto. “When you reach the point of being still, you tap into the unconscious mind in a way you do with REM sleep.”

Aliberto also described the organizational benefits of meditation, which “provides space in your day so you can separate activities and focus on the next thing.”
It is this state of presence to which Aliberto attributed the increased ability to focus and a heightened reactivity to surroundings.

However, meditation does not need to be a led practice in order to be effective. According to Aliberto, any repetitive action that separates the individual consciousness from extraneous thoughts and surroundings can be meditative, such as washing dishes or folding laundry. She suggested a few techniques for students interested in exploring meditation:

1) Dirghe method to divide breathing
The three-part, “complete breath” technique known as dirghe breathing focuses on the energy invested into each breath. The human breathing apparatus is divided into three regions: the lower belly, the midriff and the upper chest. The individual places his or her right hand on the lower belly and the left directly above on the midriff section of the body. Breathing in through the nose, the individual first focuses on filling the belly with air and then continues to fill the midriff and chest separately. Then the individual breathes out through the mouth, releasing air from the chest, then the midriff and belly. This sequence should be repeated many times.

2) Breathing by the numbers
Simply counting one’s breaths can clear the mind and prepare it for future challenges. As in the first technique, the breaths go in through the nose and out through the mouth. After the first breath is drawn, the individual thinks the number 26 before breathing out. Each successive breath counts down from 26 until the individual reaches zero, after which he or she counts back up to 26.

3) The “gap between breaths” technique
This concentrated breathing technique involves the recitation of sounds associated with the “chakras” of yoga practice. Chakras are energy centers in the body endowed with certain ideas and strengths. The example used by Aliberto was the fifth throat chakra, where the communication and creativity are thought to reside; the sound “ham” (pronounced “hom”) supposedly taps into this chakra. The individual focuses on taking breaths through the mouth and down to the heart and then expels them to an imagined point about 12 finger-widths from the face. The individual inhales while thinking of the sound “ha,” holds the breath while thinking of the sound “m” and expels it while thinking of the sound “sa.”

4) Walking without a destination
“For many students, the experience of going without arriving is unnatural,” Aliberto said. Walking meditation with the sole focus of putting one foot in front of the other teaches one how to “slow down and realize just how fast the rest of the world is moving.”

Other simple meditation techniques include visualization and the repetition of certain words or phrases. While these techniques can be employed at any time, two minutes before an exam for instance, they work best in the early morning or late afternoon, and on an empty stomach, according to Aliberto. At these times, the body is most responsive to the revitalization of meditative practice.