Meditating at Duke

Sunlight streamed through stained glass windows in the Duke Chapel crypt as several people sat quietly on floor mats. Other than an occasional bird chirp outside, the tranquility was uninterrupted as members of the Duke community gathered for morning meditation.

"When I meditate, I find that I cling less onto thoughts that would otherwise pull me in all sorts of directions, negatively affect my mood or exhaust my physical and mental energies," said James Abordo Ong, a graduate student in philosophy and member of the Buddhist Community at Duke.

Ong is among a growing group of Duke community members who attend meditation sessions on campus. Using meditation as morning ritual or a mid-afternoon "coffee break" is growing in popularity, and free sessions are offered at two Duke locations.

The Buddhist Community at Duke sponsors meditation at 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays in the Duke Chapel crypt; the hospital hosts another session at 3 p.m. Thursdays in the hospital chapel. The interfaith sessions are open to students, faculty and staff.

"You definitely don't have to be Buddhist to attend the meditation sessions," Ong said. "We welcome everyone, regardless of religious, spiritual and philosophical beliefs. The lower level of Duke Chapel is a beautiful, peaceful area and a wonderful space for solitude and meditation, which is a great way to start the day."

The Duke Hospital sessions begin with a few minutes of instruction on relaxation techniques based on an array of spiritual, philosophical, religious and holistic health perspectives.

"One aim of sharing a variety of practice techniques is to honor the diverse roots of meditation practice: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, philosophy, holistic health and mind-body medicine," said Duke Hospital Chaplain Annette Olsen, who helps oversee the sessions.

For some Duke staff and faculty, meditating helps ease stress and boost job performance.

"People think of stress as problems, worry, tension and pressure, but even good changes, such as the holidays, moving into a new house or a promotion at work, can cause stress," said Jon Seskevich, a Duke nurse clinician who has provided stress and pain management education for 20 years.

Seskevich said meditation and other relaxation techniques are proven methods for managing stress, lowering blood pressure, increasing energy levels and avoiding digestion problems.

Anne Jarvis, a Duke clinical trials specialist who attends the hospital sessions, believes in the healing power of meditation.

"I've practiced meditation and prayer through the years and believe that by meditating or praying about compassion and the desire for living beings to be free from suffering," she said, "you can realize that an end to suffering is possible."