“The beauty of this is that once you’ve memorized a passage, you can do it anywhere without any electronic device,” Miller says. With sustained effort, the meditator will become more skilled in dealing with the many distractions, focusing their attention and thoughts where they want. “If your mind drifts away, gently bring it back to the first word of the passage,” she says. Slowly, silently in the mind, recalling each word while moving through the passage-but not too slowly-helps them stay on track. In the darkened room, participants then meditate on their passage while sitting straight in a chair, feet on the floor, eyes closed. Miller starts each session with a “thought for the day” from an author, philosopher or other well-known figure. “These are helpful traits for a dentist, as well as any other kind of health care professional.” Thirty minutes of passage meditating, first thing in the morning, is ideal this length of time gives the mind a chance to truly pull away from our fast-paced world and the demands that go with it.īy following the Eight Points of Passage Meditation, students and dental school employees will become more patient, selfless and calm, to name a few, she says. Instead of praying to a god or higher being, the focus becomes aspiring to a higher ideal of humanity or connecting with the universal consciousness. Even for those who can’t seem to find the discipline to practice mediation, the mantram can be very helpful.”įor those who aren’t interested in organized religion, meditation is still applicable, she says. With the mantram, you choose one and stick with it. “The mantram can be used at any time-day or night. “Many different world traditions have a mantram or prayer word that has been used over the centuries in times of grief or anxiety,” Miller says. The practice also encourages the repetition of a mantram throughout the day so it becomes routine and at the ready if needed during stressful situations. Multitasking and smartphones have only made the problem worse. The words of the passage become our lifeline,” she says. “In our very hectic, sped-up society, we need something to hold onto when we’re trying to meditate. “We’re encouraged to select and memorize a variety of passages that are positive, practical and uplifting,” she says. With a nod to the college’s diverse student body and employees, Miller comes to meditation sessions with a wide-ranging selection of passages to offer, including Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Taoism, among others. In meditation, the foundation of the practice, the meditator selects an inspirational reading (or passage) that often reflects their own spiritual upbringing or maybe one from a different tradition. He wrote 40 spiritual books and started the first meditation course for credit on a university campus at the University of California-Berkeley.Įaswaran’s eight-point program emphasizes meditating on a passage, repeating a mantram, slowing down, focusing on one thing at a time, training the senses, putting others before self, spiritual fellowship and spiritual reading. Miller follows a meditation practice based on the teachings of Eknath Easwaran, the founder of passage meditation and the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation.

“The students who tried it said that it really helped them.” “I put together a handout of techniques for students who are stressed and have test anxiety, especially for a big test, like the board exam,” she says. She has long suggested meditation as a coping tool for anxious students seeking guidance. Miller started offering meditation sessions after a handful of students requested to learn more about it. This semester’s midday sessions in Room 525-now also open to staff and faculty-are a part of the college’s Health and Wellness Task Force’s offerings to reduce stress. Barbara Miller, executive director of recruitment and admissions.įor years, she has led students in 30-minute sessions at Texas A&M College of Dentistry. Reduced anxiety before exams, increased calm during emergencies, more patience for patients (and for students, faculty or family members), and a serving heart are ways that meditation can complement the dental profession and health care overall, says Dr. Barbara Miller shares passage meditation information with D1 Purav Patel before a session.

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