Sitting cross-legged on the floor of your bedroom, a candle flickering on the desk beside you, you begin to slowly let the noise and raucous of the day fall away. With your phone silenced and your eyes closed, you take slow, steady breaths, focusing on the rise and fall of your chest. This may be what people picture when they hear the word ‘meditation,’ but in fact, it is so much more than that.

For senior Claire Yao, meditation is a deep practice that offers respite amid the teenage high school chaos. “I often find myself spiraling into my thoughts and for me, meditation is a way to find clarity and contentment within my situation,” Yao said.

For her, meditation isn’t just sitting down and humming; it’s quietly observing the environment and being in tune with what’s going on around her. “There’s definitely a variety of ways to meditate, whether it’s just simply walking without any music or visualizing what’s going on around you, it’s really about listening with purpose,” Yao said. To incorporate meditation into her daily routine, Yao sets aside 60 minutes each day to journal. She believes that meditation has been a tremendous help for her mental clarity and emotional balance. “I just feel way more like myself again, like, even though that whole week took a huge toll,” Yao said.

Other students, such as freshman Connor Yonkers, find meditation to be a means of connecting with themselves. “It’s made me have the awareness that I’m able to really feel whatever I feel in the moment, so I can […] respond to those however I want,” Yonkers said. This process allows him to dive into the spiritual aspect of life that he loves. His routine involves taking 10 minutes before bed to go out onto his porch while reciting mantras and “letting the cool air calm him down.” Before going to sleep, he sits outside to reflect and relax, finding peace in this nightly ritual.

For some, particularly student athletes, meditation has been a means of honing focus, not only to feel grounded but also to gain a sense of control, preventing thoughts from wandering and allowing them to perform at their best level. In an email to the Coat of Arms, senior Evan Arcilla refers to this process as “be[ing] where [his] feet are.” “It’s about not worrying about things that are happening in the future or what’s happened in the past, but just to control what I can control in the current moment,” Arcilla said. 

For both Yao and Yonkers, meditation has had a significant impact on other aspects of their lives, particularly in school and in their relationships with family and friends. For Yao, the benefit lies in approaching academic struggles with a growth mindset. “I think it does help with my mindset of looking forward instead of looking at the past and criticizing my own mistakes, but more learning from them and moving forward with a sense of hope,” Yao said.

Relationship-wise, Yonkers explains that meditation has strengthened his connections by helping him feel calmer and more open. After meditating, he often shares reflections from his day with his parents, creating more meaningful conversations. It’s also made him more comfortable being vulnerable with friends about mental health and emotions. “Meditation helps me unwind and open up. I end my day more grounded and ready to really connect with my family and friends,” Yonkers said.

Regarding his sports performance, Arcilla believes that when he takes the time to meditate without rushing the process, it has definitely had an impact on his athletic performance. “I’ve found that when I take my meditation more seriously before a game, I end up having my best games,” Arcilla said.

For those who are looking to get into meditation, Arcilla recommends starting small and building patience first. “Guided meditations are a good way to start […]. I’d also say you can start short, as even a couple of minutes can make a difference,” Arcilla said, allowing you to take responsibility and slowly cultivate mindfulness in your daily routine.

 Similarly, Yonkers wants people to understand that meditation isn’t just what most people picture — sitting cross-legged on the floor and taking deep breaths. “Meditation can be anything you want […]. Really, it’s a way where you can find something that lets you directly connect to the world internally, Yonkers said.