Our time wasn't wasted though. Instead, we had Loyola students from the Empowerment Pipeline come and speak with us about the high school students and about what the Empowerment Pipeline is actually about. Talking with them definitely gave me, and I'm sure others as well, a greater insight of how the Empowerment Pipeline came together and what it's mission really is. When I first heard about the 'Empowerment Pipeline', I thought it was a group of high school students that started this group and they were the ones taking a stand towards this issue. It is actually a group of about 6-7 Loyola students that come together and reach out to CPS high schools, visiting their schools, answering their questions, and telling them anything they want to know to help them prepare for college. Like I have mentioned before, I can not wait to get started with these students and listen to their perspective on what college and getting a higher education means to them. After meeting with the students from the Empowerment Pipeline, I am strongly considering becoming a part of this organization.
For our next entries, we were told to read an article called, "Why we find it hard to Meditate". I was sort of puzzled as to why we are jumping from topics such as social justice and educational inequalities in the community to meditation and relaxation of the mind. As I was reading further into the article I started to understand why. As college students, we are bombarded with tasks to do and assignments to finish from every direction. Not only do we aim to get the best grades we can to pass classes and keep scholarships, but we also think about the bigger picture and want to become a part of something, want to make a change. I don't know, maybe I'm only speaking for myself, but that is always on my mind, and every single day I think to myself that I don't want to be just another face, I want to do something that'll make a difference, something that'll change lives. With these thoughts and those assignments flooding our minds, we don't really find time to just sit and chill. And I feel like that's the reason we were asked to read this article. With all of these social justice issues being introduced to us and the tasks of preparing blogs, speaking to high school students, creating a capstone project, as well as all of the homework and exams on the side, we really DO need that time to just stop and breathe. When I was in high school, in gym class, we once did this thing called Neuro-muscular Relaxtion. Seriously the best meditation I have ever done. You lay there, in the dark, flat on your back with your arms at your side. Our teacher was giving us directions on how to focus on relaxing one part of your body at a time through out that time. It really helps you focus on something that doesn't stress you out for once. Haha, but anyways, I have meditated before, not in like a meditation session/class or anything, but I have done it on my own. A way I usually meditate is with music (Hence the musical notes above :P). Specifically with symphonic orchestra type music. It really does help. You become less stressed and it gives you the time to allow you to tell yourself that everything will be okay. I don't meditate as much as I used to or as much as I should. But it's definitely one thing that I am going to add on to my schedule.
I really enjoyed reading "What can the rhythm and flow of a pendulum teach us about balance and personal growth." I feel that this type of a mind set is one of the most essential things needed in order to live a happy and satisfied life without any regrets. Sometimes one can think that there is no possible way someone can be that happy with their life all the time, how can they not let things get to them? I always try to keep a positive outlook on my life. Yeah, there are times that I bring myself down and just want to give up, but that's when I realize my thoughts and stop myself for a moment to rethink things. I feel like the key to being able to think in this positive way is through practice. If you catch yourself being extremely upset about something that is going on in your life, stop yourself and remind yourself of the rhythm of life. To help myself maintain a balance in my life, I always try to make sure there is some down time for me to be able to slow down in the day and reflect. If you know me and my life style, you know that I barely have time to even sit down and breathe and that's where this meditation/balancing process becomes lost in my daily schedule. But even in moments such as the 10 minute El-ride it takes me to get to and from work I find the time to just think about my life and how I am doing. I feel like writing these blog entries also allow me to be at peace with myself for a good 45-60minutes a week.
“Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest and the playtime.”
~W.E.B. DuBois
~W.E.B. DuBois
This is an amazing quote to live by. Don't waste your time looking for the perfect moment to do something, that perfect moment does not exist. The time to act is now. I think it's really important to take on this type of attitude in your everyday activities, whether it be in your job, classes, towards you school work, friends, family, etc. There is no better time to take the chance and do something than right now, because who knows... maybe you wont get another chance.
This bloge entry was a little more lengthy than I wanted to it be... but here is a video of one of many versions of neuro-muscular relaxation. Try it out: Right before going to bed, lay on the floor (flat on your back), make t his video full-screen, put your arms at your side, eyes closed, and just listen to this video. Don't think about anything else except for what this woman is saying. Hopefully you enjoy this meditation and continue of doing it through out your life :)
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