Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a five-part series exploring the role of religion in the lives of Ohio University students.
Adolescence is a time for growing and maturing, but juggling teenage responsibilities and adulthood can often leave students struggling.
So when Andrew McMillian, a senior studying video production, was diagnosed with clinical depression at age 16, he turned to faith and meditation for recovery.
“When I found out what meditation could do for your mental and physical health, I just started trying it out,” he said. “Everyone is prone to worrying and random erratic thoughts. Learning to handle your mind is a basic and fundamental skill that helps with all aspects of life, and meditating helps that.”
Because of the benefits meditation has provided McMillian, he decided to start a meditation club at Ohio University last fall. About 15 people attend on average, he said, a number with which he is extremely pleased.
Athens Karma Thegsum Choling, the local Tibetan Buddhist meditation center, in conjunction with OU, also offers students an opportunity to participate in a Tibetan Buddhist study group. Sue Erlewine, founder of Athens KTC and a nursing professor at OU, said the group has seen increased attendance throughout the years.
“I would say that in the last year or so, we’ve seen more students coming,” she said. “A lot have come for a while to learn and then leave, some have moved on completely and others stay in contact.”
Lane Robbins, a graduate student studying journalism and president of the Tibetan study group, has been studying and practicing the Buddhist tradition for nine years.
“I was really interested in meditation and eastern religions,” he said. “I also felt dissatisfied with my life and wanted to see what else was here.”
Elizabeth Collins, professor of classics and world religions at OU, said Buddhism can be described as a wisdom religion — a religion about how to live life rather than about salvation.
Rather than a strict religion, Dinty Moore, director of creative writing and author of The Accidental Buddhist, said Buddhism is a way of life. Because of that, Buddhism becomes a form of spirituality that can integrate into other faiths.
“In many ways, Buddhism is not really a religion since the Buddha is not a god and he never discusses god,” Moore said. “It is more of a lifestyle and philosophy, so there are Jewish Buddhists, Christian Buddhists, atheist Buddhists and folks who practice meditation without calling themselves Buddhist at all.”
Because Buddhism can cross faith lines, it can be difficult to count the number of Buddhists in America today, Moore said. Based on the growing number of Buddhist centers he has noticed, however, he believes the interest in Buddhism is rising.
D.J. Weber, a sophomore studying journalism, said that, although the college atmosphere can prove distracting, finding time to meditate has helped him become the kind of person he wants to be.
“I find that my purpose is to show people love and be kind to others,” he said. “It provides a moral and ethical foundation.”
ao007510@ohiou.edu
