The Brown & White

Lehigh students are used to stress. Some third and fourth-year students may worry about the poor state of the economy, while other students may be having trouble adjusting to their newfound independence.

Lehigh hosted a series of workshops called The Art of Living Yoga Empowerment to help students, faculty, staff and alumni better handle stress. From Oct. 16 to 20, renowned yoga instructor Poonam Tandon taught workshops in Packard Lab.

The workshops were aimed at teaching people how to feel empowered about managing their life. Fourteen students, faculty, staff and alumni participated in the workshops.

Yoga Empowerment is an intensive, 26-hour program focused on improving health through physical, mental, social and emotional exercises.

The Art of Living Foundation aims to strengthen individuals and society by offering programs to reduce stress, creating a sense of belonging in society, and encouraging people from all backgrounds to come together, according to The Art of Living Web site.

The foundation was first recognized as a non-governmental organization by the United Nations in 1996, and is involved in consulting the UN's Economic and Social Council on human welfare issues.

Aravind Prasad, an Art of Living volunteer, said the program was designed to be more interactive than simply learning about yoga techniques.

"This is not like a course where there is a PowerPoint presentation and somebody just talks," Prasad said. "It's more about doing workshops together as a team so you grow together."

"The idea is to empower yourself and everybody around you. It's all about the students giving their 100 percent; the teacher just helps facilitate," Prasad said.

Prasad participated in The Art of Living programs as an undergraduate at Purdue University. He said he believes the program is particularly helpful for college-age students in managing the rigors of academic and social life on campus.

Ravi Tummidi, a doctoral candidate of electrical engineering, said although the course was relatively short, he can feel the positive effects already.

"I could focus more in my classes. It's a small difference but you can feel confident about it," Tummidi said

Tummidi said the experience taught him how yoga is more than simply physical exercise. He also credited the interactive environment cultivated by Tandon and the other participants as adding to the value of the program.

"It's an integration of mental and physical workout," Tummidi said.

"The course was designed such that there are teams," Tummidi said. "We were divided into groups and we played many games. We also discussed many topics, such as our fears, and how to remove those fears from within."

Tummidi also said the program allowed him to develop and strengthen friendships with fellow participants.

"We are always being asked to express our ideas," Tummidi said.

For instance, a part of the program involved cooking and sharing food together, as well as volunteering.

"Cooking can be a good team building experience," Tummidi said. "I didn't know anybody in my team, but all of a sudden we were discussing, 'You bring me this, you bring me that, and I'll bring this' and through this, we built a bond."

A participant at the workshop had the idea to help out at an orphanage, because spending time with children helps alleviate stress, Tummidi said.

"It gives you a new perspective on things," Tummidi said. "It slows you down and makes you think. You analyze things so you can decide what's more important. You can categorize which things are more important in life."

The breathing techniques taught by Tandon help him to relax, Krishna Thudi, a graduate student, said.

"The emphasis lays on living in the present moment and accepting people around you," Thudi said. "I will definitely do this course once again, if there is an opportunity."

Laurie Gray Evans, a staff psychologist at counseling and psychological services, often recommends exercise and relaxation techniques to students who feel overwhelmed.

"Regular exercise helps the body burn fat and maintain a normal weight," Evans said. "It reduces stress, which helps lower blood pressure and heart rate, but also can help improve mood, sleep, and brain functioning," she said.

"Regular exercise also supports the immune system, which can reduce the number of colds and viruses that one might catch," Evans said.

Rahul Kulkami, a graduate student and coordinator of the program, said he wants to bring more programs to campus.

"I myself was doing the course so it's been a fun and amazing experience," Kulkami said. "It's the first time we've had it at Lehigh, and hopefully we'll have more students benefitting from it."

Tummidi said it was difficult to put his feelings about the experience into words.

"It's just something very unique," Tummidi said. "It's just something I've never experienced before."

Tandon travels worldwide to teach people breathing techniques to reduce stress and connect the mind and the body.