Students finishing their dinners in the Union Thursday eveningwere given another item to clean their palate by participating inguided meditations and the ancient Chinese martial art of TaiChi.
“A Night of Asian Healing,” hosted by the Office ofMulticultural Affairs, helped to educate and celebrate some customsof Eastern culture.
Participants were able to choose between the two Eastern artforms, Tai Chi and guided meditation, and were led by experiencedinstructors in the Royal and Cotillion Ballrooms.
The guided meditation was led by a soft-spoken lady in anincense-filled Cotillion Ballroom where participants wereinstructed to concentrate on the meditation to increase theirawareness.
“The four core principles of meditation are attentiveness,which leads to awareness and then helps us understand what is goingaround us,” said Phi Truong, the meditation leader.”The goal of meditation is to formulate wisdom.”
Truong led the participants through the three main types ofmeditation — devotional, Sumahti and Vipassana. Truong saideach form attempts to achieve a certain principle which eventuallyleads to wisdom.
“I take minutes between each activity during my day tomeditate,” Truong said. “Meditating is taking time outof your day for wisdom to come.”
Truong taught the participants to use their sixth sense which istaught through Buddhist meditation. She instructed them to closeall of their senses but to keep their sixth sense, the mind, openand aware of their surroundings.
Students needing a break from the quiet atmosphere of meditationwere able to attend a Tai Chi lesson in the Royal Ballroom.
Students were led by Tai Chi instructors Michael Chow andKathleen Powenski through 19 of the 121 Tai Chi movements.
“Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art which focuses to reducestress and anxiety and increase flexibility,” Powenskisaid.
Chow said Tai Chi is a fundamental exercise for all martial artsand is viewed as a way of life rather than a religious ritual.
Tai Chi focuses on balance, strength and flexibility to producea longer and healthier life.
“Tai Chi is a moving meditation,” Chow said.”It allows for you to cleanse your body physically, mentallyand spiritually.”