Many college courses produce large amounts of stress, but one course exists to help students fight back.

The University is offering a course that centers around the idea of meditation.

Meditation is the practice of using techniques to increase concentration to reach a heightened awareness.

“It’s a very unusual and experiential course,” Marvin Belzier, instructor of the class said.

During a class session, much of the time is spent in meditation. The other part of the class is spent discussing the different traditions in meditation.

The class also discusses how the different meditation practices integrate into art, philosophy and psychotherapy.

The class practices two different types of meditation techniques. They often practice both walking and sitting meditation. With walking meditation, emphasis is placed on the feet and legs.

According to Belzier, with this practice there is an attempt to be only aware of the movements of the legs.

During sitting exercises, students concentrate on their breathing.

According to Belzier, students are supposed to concentrate on their breathing and allow their thoughts to come and go.

The concentration is based on the opening of the nostrils and the actual breathing in of the air. Putting an emphasis on only breathing creates a higher level of consciousness.

“To give the mind a simple neutral object and in connecting with the object you deepen your concentration,” Belzier said.

As the semester unfolds, Belzier tries to have each student develop a meditation technique that is best suited for them. Belzier offers other techniques to students who may be having trouble.

One other technique utilized is a kindness meditation. With this type of meditation, students try to cultivate a sense of kindness for themselves and compassion for others.

According to Belzier, this meditation is radical in today’s society. He believes that our culture to to only cultivates ambition and a critical attitude towards oneself instead of kindness.

Belzier believes that all the different meditation techniques are important in the development of critical thought.

“Meditation is helpful because with it we are not always caught in ordinary patterns of thinking and reacting,” Belzier said.

Another element in the course is a silent weekend. For this part of the course the students go on a weekend retreat, where they remain silent unless talking is necessary.

“Remaining in silence is helpful because it causes the mind to get more centered and focused,” Belzier said.

During the weekend retreat, students alternate between sitting and walking meditation and have a guest speaker.

A past speaker was Susila, a Buddhist nun who teaches meditation practices in Burma.

Belzier began the course during the spring semester of 1998. The class adds an element of diversity to his other classes as a philosophy professor.

Belzier has been a professor at BG since 1991. That year he began teaching an informal meditation class on Friday evenings. Belzier realized there was a strong interest in the class and decided to teach it through the University.

Belzier’s interest in meditation began as a graduate student at Duke in 1983. That year he went on a week-long retreat which peaked his interest.

“It has powerful effects, concentration really can be deepened by practicing meditation,” Belzier said.

Following his graduate students Belzier traveled to Burma for five months. Those five months were a silent retreat. He spent those months practicing sitting and walking meditation.

For some students the class has created immediate results. Senior Jaclyn Mercede took the course because she was interested in philosophy and mental and spiritual growth. She said that meditation is not too difficult and there have been many benefits.

“It makes me a stronger person and makes life more enjoyable,” Mercede said.

“It’s really helped me focus in a lot of areas of my life. It has helped me keep attention in my classes as well as in dealing with life,” said Paul Armbruster, senior and member of H20. Armbruster decided to take the class after noticing it in the schedule book.

The meditation class is currently being offered this semester, with one class per year. Meditation is a three credit hour course. The class is held on Wednesday nights from 6-9 p.m. at the UCF church.