Signs of Spiritual Wellness

• Development of a purpose in life
• Ability to spend reflective time alone
• Taking time to reflect on the meaning of events in life
• Having a clear sense of right and wrong, and act accordingly
• Ability to explain why you believe what you believe
• Caring and acting for the welfare of others and the environment
• Being able to practice forgiveness and compassion in life

Spiritual wellness may not be something that you think much of, yet its impact on your life is unavoidable. The basis of spirituality is discovering a sense of meaningfulness in your life and coming to know that you have a purpose to fulfill.

Many factors play a part in defining spirituality - religious faith, beliefs, values, ethics, principles and morals. Some gain spirituality by growing in their personal relationships with others, or through being at peace with nature. Spirituality allows us to find the inner calm and peace needed to get through whatever life brings, no matter what one's beliefs are or where they may be on your spiritual journey.

The human spirit is the most neglected aspect of our selves. Just as we exercise to condition our bodies, a healthy spirit is nurtured by purposeful practice. The spirit is the aspect of ourselves that can carry us through anything. If we take care of our spirit, we will be able to experience a sense of peace and purpose even when life deals us a severe blow. A strong spirit helps us to survive and thrive with grace, even in the face of difficulty.

Mandalas 

Mandala means “sacred circle” in Sanskrit. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas are used to facilitate meditation and are used in sacred rites as a transformative tool to assist with healing.  

Integrate mandalas into your wellness self-care practice; we provide:

• Free mandala coloring kits

Meditation

Meditation is an experience of relaxing the body, quieting the mind, and awakening the spirit. It encourages a deepening of consciousness or awareness, and also facilitates a deeper understanding of self and others. Meditation is a skill you can learn to cope with stress, get a better night's rest, succeed academically, and achieve overall health and wellness.   

Health and Wellness Benefits of Meditation

Meditation is now a mainstream practice in America, with more than 30 million people practicing it on a regular basis. There are thousands of meditation techniques that have been developed and practiced for over 5,000 years and each has specific techniques and skills that can be learned.

The Scientific Power of Meditation

Some of the benefits of meditation are:

Higher levels of energy, creativity, and spontaneity	Decreased stress, depression, and anxiety
Lower blood pressure	Fewer cravings for alcohol and tobacco
Increased exercise tolerance	Increased job satisfaction
Better concentration	Better relationships with others.

Meditation can help:

Manage time	Practice mindful eating
Control addictions and cravings	Reduce stress and enhance sleep
Achieve academic success	Achieve athletic success and body satisfaction
Enhance the immune system	Develop a deeper sense of compassion and forgiveness for others and self

Types of Meditation

Breath Meditation

For most meditative practices the breath is very important because it is connected to both the mind and the body.  For example, if we are anxious, frightened or upset our breath tends to be shallow, irregular and quick.  If we are relaxed, settled or calm, our breath tends to be more slow, deep and regular. Focusing the mind on the continuous rhythm of inhalation and exhalation provides a natural object of meditation. As you focus your awareness on the breath, your mind becomes absorbed in the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. As a result, your breathing will become slower and deeper, and the mind becomes more tranquil and aware.

Try it: Breath Meditation

Concentrative Meditation

Concentrative meditation is the most commonly used form of meditation and assists with focusing the mind.  This is done by focusing on the breath, image/objective or sound (mantra) during the meditation.  This process allows the mind to achieve clarity and awareness.  Transcendental meditation (TM), based in the Hindu tradition, is a form of concentrative meditation.

Try it: Creative Visualization Meditation

Try it: Performance Meditation

Try it: Body Scan Meditation

Receptive Meditation

Receptive meditation assists with becoming more fully present in the moment.  This is done by being mindful and attentive to feelings, sensation, thoughts, images, smells and experiences without becoming involved without judgment, reaction or processes the experience. This helps to gain a calmer, clearer and more non-reactive state of mind and being.  Mindfulness meditation, based on the Buddhism, is a form of receptive meditation.

Try it: Eating Meditation

Reflective Meditation

Reflective meditation assists with investigating an idea in a systematic way.  It uses disciplined thinking and analysis to reflect upon a compelling question, challenge, idea or project.  We can also reflect on a verse, a phrase or inspiring idea. This form of meditation can bring wisdom and insight into all aspects of our lives.

Try it: Body Meditation

Generative Meditation

Generative meditation assists in consciously cultivating and strengthening specific qualities such as patience, love, appreciation, compassion, humility, gratitude, courage, etc.  This form of meditation invites us to actively nurture these strengths of character by thinking, speaking and acting as though the quality is already fully present and alive within us.

Try it: Loving Kindness Meditation

Try it: Metta Meditation

Yoga

The word "yoga" means union, and the practice integrates mind, body and soul together. It is used to care for the entire body, and is beneficial for overall health, along with many different illnesses and conditions.

Spiritual Wellness Resources at Kean

• Kean University provides office space for university-recognized chaplains and campus ministers assigned by their respective religious denominations to work at Kean. The office allows for the chaplains to meet with students in groups and for one-to-one counseling. Chaplains arrange their own campus schedules and coordinate their own activities while abiding by university regulations for activities. The University, however, does not endorse these events.
• Interested students and staff are free to contact the chaplain by calling or stopping by the office. The Chaplain is available to talk to any student or staff member regardless of religious affiliation.
• CATHOLIC CAMPUS MINISTER:

Mirama Roldan

Downs Hall, Room 130

T: 908.737.4835

catholic@kean.edu