Not Just Yoga, a campus organization catering to students interested in yoga and meditation, seeks to provide students a refuge from the chaos of campus life.
Bhaskar Mitra, a School of Engineering postdoctoral associate, founded the club early last year.
"[Not Just Yoga is] an organization dedicated to relieving stress via healthy methods," said club President Justine D'Souza.
At a standard club meeting, members engage in meditation, practice breathing techniques and hold discussions.
"It's also a good outlet for people interested in peace and spirituality," D'Souza said.
But as the name suggests, Not Just Yoga goes beyond the realm of yoga mats and breathing exercises. Members also volunteer and give back to the community.
"[Not Just Yoga] offers members the opportunities to participate in community service initiatives throughout the semester," club administrator Najuk Mehta said. "Whether it's tutoring elementary school children after hours or spreading smiles across the campus with the ‘RU Smiling' campaign."
Club leaders also host "De-Stress" events for students in the University's residence halls with other campus organizations.
"Any student would benefit from this organization," D'Souza said. "Everyone endures tension and experiences difficulty in managing it single-handedly."
D'Souza spoke from experience.
"There was one meeting where I was really tense, because I had so many things to do after the meeting," she said. "After participating in the meeting's meditation, however, I felt great. I thought to myself, ‘If I can bring this to others, I can't wait to do so.'"
Mehta elaborated on the club's benefits. Unlike everyday activities, programs at Not Just Yoga put members in tune with themselves and bring them to a new level of understanding, she said.
"It's amazing what we don't notice about ourselves day in and day out," Mehta said. "We get stuck in the same patterns, and we often miss simple truths. But with a little awareness and wisdom, we can look deeper into these patterns of the mind and can be much more free and relaxed, enjoying the present far more."
School of Arts and Sciences sophomore Emily Chou expressed interest in joining Not Just Yoga.
"I currently take yoga classes at the College Avenue Gym," Chou said. "It's really relaxing and calming because it makes you forget your stress. A club about yoga would be beneficial to all the students, especially during exam time. I'd definitely like to attend."
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