Let's Meditate is a weekly, free, 30-minute guided mindfulness meditation series.

Let's Meditate is open to all members of the Cornell community, including students, faculty, and staff of all ages, genders, sizes, shapes, and abilities. No special attire, equipment, or experience is necessary, and you are welcome to attend as many sessions as you wish.

During each session, a trained facilitator leads participants through meditation exercises designed to focus on the breath and quiet the mind. Participants typically sit quietly with their eyes closed throughout the session.

Meditation is the practice of training your mind to focus on one thing at a time and to be fully present in the moment. People who meditate report learning to quiet the constant chatter of their minds and experience more calmness and serenity.

While some forms of meditation have roots in Hinduism and Buddhism, meditation is not an inherently spiritual or religious practice. Instead, people who meditate aim to tune into themselves to experience inner quiet and cultivate a state of peaceful contemplation.

Meditation is a highly researched, evidence-based tool that can foster increased well-being — mentally, physically, cognitively, and emotionally. Meditating may help you:

Quiet your mind and be more present
Improve memory, attention, and focus
Increase productivity
Reduce stress
Increase contentment and decrease depression
Manage negative emotions, physical pain, and addiction
Increase energy and self-esteem
Improve sleep patterns
Create deeper levels of relaxation

Some research indicates that regular meditation may even increase brain size and grey matter, improve intelligence and creativity, strengthen the immune system, normalize blood sugar, and lower blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, and the buildup of plaque in coronary arteries.

However, it doesn't take years of meditation to experience results. The benefits can be immediate and long-term. So . . . let's meditate!