Physical Education and Health Teacher Deborah DeBetta brought her seniors and a handful of juniors from her Mindfulness classes to a Mindfulness Studio located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Nov. 1. The studio, called MNDFL, is a place where people can practice various kinds of mindful meditations involving sounds, breath, and emotions. Debetta states, “The studio has only been open for about a year, and this is the only Meditation studio on the east coast. The only other one that exists in the United States is in LA.”

Mindfulness is a pretty straightforward word: the practice of keeping the mind fully aware of what is happening, what you ae doing, and space around you. It may seem trivial at first, but people often do not realize how much they are stuck dwelling in the past and worrying about the future. Our mind wanders, we lose touch with our body, and pretty soon we are trapped thinking obsessive thoughts. Mindfulness allows us to remain in the present, and it has been shown to be extremely beneficial to both physical and mental health.

On a physical level, meditation lowers high blood pressure, reduces anxiety attacks, increases the energy level, as you gain an inner source of energy and more. On a mental level, meditation decreases anxiety, improves emotional stability, and helps an individual gain clarity and peace of mind.

Upon arrival at the studio, the students were treated with herbal tea and water. After settling in, they were brought into the studio where experienced a new kind of meditation called Sound Meditation. Sound Meditation is the practice of deepening meditation with the use of sound and music. According to the Sound Meditation website (soundmeditations.com), it focuses on the ancient Tibetan instruments, particularly gongs and crystal singing bowls. This form of meditation asks participants to lie down in a relaxation pose or sit in a comfortable position, close their eyes, and focus on their breath as wave after wave of sound washes over them. With an hour of sound meditation, participants can come closer to a state of peacefulness.

The students left their phones and worries behind and had an extremely calming meditation. “Meditation studios, I believe, are going to somehow end up being the wave of the future. People are starting to see the benefits of unplugging and minding that inner sanctuary,” adds Debetta.

Senior Nicole Bonomo states, “My favorite part of this trip was when we were in the soundproof room, and it was silent, but that silence had a sound. Also, when we compared an emotional check-in to a weather report within an individual’s body, I found that to be a really interesting connection.”

Senior Tara Schwizer agrees, saying, “It was a totally new experience, and it was cool to sit in absolute silence rather than the noise of the gym.”

Mindfulness is truly an incredible tool that helps an individual relax and soothe the body. DeBetta was completely thrilled with her experience at the MNDFL Studio and hopes to go on many similar trips in the future.