We are an interfaith student organization offering a simple and natural way to promote self development among students.

Meditation-101

There's too much to do, and too little time. Assignments, jobs, deadlines, relationships, parties and more... The list is endless. And amidst these, our mind is always full of thoughts -- thoughts from the past ("if only I had prepared better for my exam"), thoughts about the future ("what if she rejects my proposal?"), thoughts of despair ("Eeks, I have not finished my assignment yet!"), temptations ("Damn to my work, I want to party") and more... These distracting thoughts decrease our efficiency, hamper the results of our actions, change our emotions and moods and deflate our spirits. 95% of our problems can be solved if we can train our mind to focus on the relevant thoughts and avoid distracting thoughts [1]. Meditation is a simple and practical tool to achieve this.

Most of us have heard the word "meditation". Few of us know what it means, and fewer still have actually tasted it by practicing it... For this reason, "The Natural Path" student organization was established at USC in fall 2004 to help students from all faiths and backgrounds to develop themselves by practicing meditation. We practice a simplified form of Raja yoga (king of yogas) called "Sahaj Marg*".

The highlight of "Sahaj Marg" practice is that it is simple and practical, so it easily fits into our daily lives. It helps in training the mind so that we can focus on the need of the moment, and not be distracted by irrelevant thoughts. Systematic practice reveals the innumerable benefits of meditation. "My mind stays extraordinarily calm in the middle of assignments and deadlines", says Animesh, a graduate student who has been practicing for a year now. Says Chris, a meditation trainer, "I feel more light and happy 'coz I can live in the present, without feeling the burden of the past or future. This has really changed my life".

"Sounds interesting, I want to know more about meditation and how to practice it..." You are most welcome to attend one of our introductory workshops on meditation. It's open for all and FREE for all! As our spiritual guide would put it, "Through meditation, you understand and achieve the immense potential within you. So, how can anyone ever charge you for helping you discover something that is already within you [2]?!"

To receive announcements about upcoming events, subscribe to our mailing list meditate-l@usc.edu. For more information on meditation, check the FAQ. For other questions, email us at meditate@usc.edu.

References:
[1] "Introduction to meditation", talk in 1985 by Shri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari (affectionately known as Chariji), current spiritual guide.

[2] "Sahaj Marg Companion", by Clark Powell.

* "Sahaj Marg" is registered in U.S. Patent & Trademark Office in the name of Shri Ram Chandra Mission.

The constitution and bylaws of our student body organization may or may not be consistent with the bylaws of Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM) in USA and hence there is no implicit or explicit affiliation established between SRCM and the Natural Path student organization. There is also no control exercised by the SRCM over the structure and activities undertaken by the Natural Path student organization

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