Heartfulness Institute helps high school students overcome stress, depression

PADMAJA KRISHNASWAMI

FREMONT, California: The administration and staff of several high schools seem to be tackling cases of depression and stress in students due to unreasonable expectations. These expectations could arise out of peer pressure, need for academic performance, or trying to cater to social demands in the age groups.

Irvington High School, Fremont, has taken a pioneering initiative to do something about it. The last few Fridays, the school has been buzzing with volunteers conducting sessions to about 600 ninth graders. These sessions, which a high schooler excitedly terms the “Heartfulness” sessions, are an outcome of a joint partnership between Irvington High School and Heartfulness Institute.

“This is an effort to foster a holistic development for the High schoolers.” says Amanda Melsby, the principal of Irvington High.

“The need to focus on our inner development and to strike a balance to the inputs we receive from the external environment is of paramount importance today in this fast-paced digital world, than ever before.” says Beena Shah, a volunteer trainer of Heartfulness Institute.

These sessions focus on topics such as stress management, fostering positivity and overcoming anxiety. Simple techniques of relaxation, meditation, rejuvenation and affirmation are introduced to the students, so they can use them as tools to prioritize their tasks and strengthen their core values, flourish as individuals and cultivate a healthy society.

“I really resonated with the moment of pause, that taught me to respond rather than react, to any situation,” said a ninth grader from one of the sessions.

Heartfulness Institute is a global nonprofit, volunteer driven organization that serves its local community with the spirit of human well-being and oneness. Over a million volunteers worldwide work at the grass roots level with individuals – with a fundamental belief that inner transformation in an individual can lead to transformation of the class, school and hence the society. They believe that the ripple effect of individual action, fostered by effective techniques of Heart based meditation, will propel humanity to strengthen its roots of interconnectedness that naturally brings about kindness, compassion, understanding and unity.

In the Tri-City area, trainers and volunteers of Heartfulness Institute conduct workshops and ongoing sessions on meditation techniques and related topics at various locations that include Washington Hospital, PAMF, Senior centers at Fremont, Newark, Union City as well as at various corporate locations. In addition, there is an ongoing “Introduction to Meditation session” every Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Heartfulness Center at 585, Mowry Ave, Fremont. These introduction sessions, workshops and ongoing sessions are offered for free and the organization is self-supported by voluntary donations.

For more details about Heartfulness Institute and its activities, email at bayarea.ca@heartfulness.org