For this week’s Rose Scholar Event, I learned about and engaged in mediation. I had very little exposure to meditation prior to Katie’s Table Talk, but given the stress inherent to daily life at Cornell, I approached the practice with an open mind. I appreciated that she took the time to discuss the background of meditation and how it has been practiced in different cultures and in different religions. Especially given the rise of mediation in popular culture today, driven in-part by the influx of mediation apps available, it is valuable to get a better understanding of the practice and its origins. Following this introductory discussion of mediation, Katie led us through several mediations — first, a mindfulness mediation, then a visualization mediation. I was really pleasantly surprised by how genuinely relaxed I was able to feel after the two mediation sessions. I found that there was something really settling about the idea of focusing on being focused — in the sense that you are supposed to focus on your breathing, focus on visualizations, and focus on the weight/position of your body, but all in a non-stressful way. I can definitely understand now how meditation is simultaneously something that is easy to start, but can take time to really become “good at.” Additionally, I really appreciated the overall tone of the event and the general availability of similar meditation programs on West Campus.