Spring Break
Meditation club gets new faculty adviser
Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: News
One hour of meditation is as good as four hours of sleep for a person's body.
Jyoti Panjwani, English professor, told the Relaxation and Mediation club that, surprisingly, meditation can be as beneficial as sleep to a person's health.
Panjwani is the new faculty adviser for the meditation group, and she has the experience to be its leader. Panjwani has been practicing meditation techniques for more than 20 years.
She said she joined the meditation group to help others expand their knowledge of meditation and its techniques.
Brandon Hensley, president of the group, said meditation offers him a way to clear his mind. Hensley said routinely practicing meditation increases a person's attention span, attention and memory.
Hensley said he uses meditation techniques in his everyday life, even as he exercises, because focusing on his breathing helps him "get in the zone."
The group splits the hour-long meeting into two sections.
For one portion of the meeting, the group discusses troubles its members have had in the past week. They share certain meditations that they participated in and how it has helped them on a day-to-day basis. After the discussion is complete, they gather in a circle on the floor and meditate for the remainder of the hour.
Ellen McNamara, senior communication disorders and sciences major, said she found the second week of meditation easier.
The group is planning on hosting guest speakers to ensure that both the mind and body are kept healthy. Various topics of planned lecture include nutrition and biofeedback.
The Relaxation and Mediation group holds meetings from 4 to 5 p.m. on Fridays at the Schahrer Room in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
New club on campus tries to get students and police talking
Stephen Dalechek wants people to understand how the law works.
Dalechek started the new Criminal Justice Club on Eastern's campus.
"Criminal justice is not something you want to take away from," said Dalechek, sophomore sociology major.
After noticing the negative image many of his peers have regarding law enforcement, Dalechek decided to form an organization to help students build a more positive attitude toward police officers.
The club serves as a means of communication between law enforcement officers and community members. One of its main goals is to confront the hostility people harbor for police officers. Dalechek said he believes this organization will help build a strong relationship between the community and the police department.
"So many times, we see police officers as less than human, when they're really just like us. They are just doing their jobs," he said.
Dalechek said he hopes the club will provide a network between students, faculty and police.
The group meets twice a month in Blair Hall to discuss topics that concern campus life and safety. These meetings are open discussions in which both sides speak their minds on the topic at hand. Dr. Reed Benedict, professor of criminology and club faculty adviser, has seen the great effort club members have put in so far, and he said he believes the organization will continue to grow.
"We have dedicated student leaders and I am confident they will make a positive contribution to the Eastern and Charleston communities," he said.
The group is open to students of any major. The next meeting will be 12 p.m. Feb. 12 in Room 3108 in Blair Hall.
- Compiled by Holly Waxler and Cassie Fink
Jyoti Panjwani, English professor, told the Relaxation and Mediation club that, surprisingly, meditation can be as beneficial as sleep to a person's health.
Panjwani is the new faculty adviser for the meditation group, and she has the experience to be its leader. Panjwani has been practicing meditation techniques for more than 20 years.
She said she joined the meditation group to help others expand their knowledge of meditation and its techniques.
Brandon Hensley, president of the group, said meditation offers him a way to clear his mind. Hensley said routinely practicing meditation increases a person's attention span, attention and memory.
Hensley said he uses meditation techniques in his everyday life, even as he exercises, because focusing on his breathing helps him "get in the zone."
The group splits the hour-long meeting into two sections.
For one portion of the meeting, the group discusses troubles its members have had in the past week. They share certain meditations that they participated in and how it has helped them on a day-to-day basis. After the discussion is complete, they gather in a circle on the floor and meditate for the remainder of the hour.
Ellen McNamara, senior communication disorders and sciences major, said she found the second week of meditation easier.
The group is planning on hosting guest speakers to ensure that both the mind and body are kept healthy. Various topics of planned lecture include nutrition and biofeedback.
The Relaxation and Mediation group holds meetings from 4 to 5 p.m. on Fridays at the Schahrer Room in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
New club on campus tries to get students and police talking
Stephen Dalechek wants people to understand how the law works.
Dalechek started the new Criminal Justice Club on Eastern's campus.
"Criminal justice is not something you want to take away from," said Dalechek, sophomore sociology major.
After noticing the negative image many of his peers have regarding law enforcement, Dalechek decided to form an organization to help students build a more positive attitude toward police officers.
The club serves as a means of communication between law enforcement officers and community members. One of its main goals is to confront the hostility people harbor for police officers. Dalechek said he believes this organization will help build a strong relationship between the community and the police department.
"So many times, we see police officers as less than human, when they're really just like us. They are just doing their jobs," he said.
Dalechek said he hopes the club will provide a network between students, faculty and police.
The group meets twice a month in Blair Hall to discuss topics that concern campus life and safety. These meetings are open discussions in which both sides speak their minds on the topic at hand. Dr. Reed Benedict, professor of criminology and club faculty adviser, has seen the great effort club members have put in so far, and he said he believes the organization will continue to grow.
"We have dedicated student leaders and I am confident they will make a positive contribution to the Eastern and Charleston communities," he said.
The group is open to students of any major. The next meeting will be 12 p.m. Feb. 12 in Room 3108 in Blair Hall.
- Compiled by Holly Waxler and Cassie Fink
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