Students caught up in the commotion of academic and personal stresses are invited to take a breather with the Mindfulness Meditation Group.

Leader of the meditation group Tahney Gaige, Post-Doctoral Fellow in Psychology at the Moorpark College Student Health Center, teaches relaxation techniques centered on improving focus, concentration, and performance in the classroom.

“This skill is needed for academic success, such as when a student needs to focus on a reading assignment or test,” Gaige said. “It also decreases emotional lability so a student can make a ‘wise’ choice versus one based purely on logic or emotional reasoning.”

Students will learn the techniques of practicing “present-moment awareness” to overall reduce the tendency of dwelling on daily stresses, rather than focusing on the task at hand. By using these meditation tools, students will see a change in their own thinking process and clear out the unnecessary thoughts. On-campus meetings will take place twice a week for the duration of the semester.

Although a schedule for currently enrolled members has been set, students are invited to attend drop-in sessions on Mondays beginning March 3. For information on times and location, visit the Student Health Center or email [email protected].