The time for mid-semester stress has arrived. Classwork has picked up, midterms have begun and the weight of the pandemic could make things even more difficult than usual for many students.
This is why Tynita King, junior social media marketing major, and Rachel Becker, junior hospitality leadership major, decided to coordinate the “From Stress to Serenity” event with Goli Gabbay last week through ACBU.
“We’re going through stressful times with the pandemic, so we figured everyone could use a breath of fresh air, some relaxation,” Becker said.
The event was held in Markin Performance Court, with yoga mats provided by ACBU. Mats were spaced out to allow for proper social distancing. A Zoom option was also offered for students who attend remotely or didn’t feel comfortable participating in-person.
Gabbay, an expert on integrative health and wellness known for her relaxation and meditation techniques, led the event via Zoom on a large screen at the front of the room.
According to King, a big reason they chose Gabbay over other similar options was her ability to target weaknesses and turn them into strengths.
“Specifically, this event talks about stress and what’s wrong with you and turning it into a more peaceful relaxation — that’s her expertise,” King said. “Mental health is important, and this is an event that helps everyone release that stress.”
Gabbay began the event by speaking on the importance of taking care of our bodies to better the inner self.
“We cannot improve mental health without integrating our physical body,” Gabbay said. “My philosophy is that if our body is the vehicle in which we experience trauma, sadness and grief, it is at the same time a gateway through which we can experience freedom, peace and well-being.”
Gabbay then had attendees write down everything that caused them stress, as well as where that stress was kept in their body, so everyone could more easily release that stress during the guided meditation.
She then began a series of basic yoga poses with guided breathing while explaining what each pose was doing for the mind. Many poses had an extended period of silence built in to emphasize the importance of completely relaxing the mind.
Makayla Horn, a sophomore accounting and management information systems double major, said the event helped her clear her mind and de-stress.
“It was nice to be able to be around people and still have a fun, relaxing experience,” Horn said.
After an hour, Gabbay ended the session with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and encouraged everyone to practice what they learned at home to maintain better mental well-being.
