About 60 people sat in a semi-circle in silence.
On Thursday afternoon, UF Mindfulness hosted its first UF "MedMob," a mass meditation movement.
"The idea is a peaceful mind, a mindful mind," said Monika Ardelt, UF sociology professor and one of the event’s volunteers. "It’s to take some time off from our busy, distracted, overloaded life during the day and just be."
As the event started, she stood outside and greeted people, welcoming passersby into Library East.
The goal of the event was for a group of students, faculty and community members to start meditating, sparking others’ interest, Ardelt said.
Some sat cross-legged on yoga mats and towels. Others sat with their legs folded underneath them on pillows. Everyone closed their eyes and practiced breathing.
UF soil and water science master’s student Toshi Mizuta said he attended the event to relax. As an international student, he said he’s stressed adapting to American culture.
The meditation mob was an opportunity to take a break.
"Our adviser introduced us to the opportunity for the people to calm down themselves and relax," the 25-year-old said.
Ardelt said the purpose of the event was to make people appreciate the present moment.
"The spirit of the MedMob is really that people come together," she said, sort of like a flash mob.
On Monday, the group will hold UF Mindfulness Day, starting at 8:20 a.m.
Lauren Schinnow, an 18-year-old Santa Fe engineering freshman, meditates in Smathers Library before MedMob. “I think the energy level will be higher with so many people doing it together at the same time,” said Schinnow, who said she’d meditated before by herself.
Nancy Lasseter (left), a UF Health wellness educator, welcomes meditators to MedMob on Sept. 24, 2015. People continued arriving throughout the hour; about 60 came altogether.
Oliver Norden, an artist in residence at The Zen Center and Hostel, meditates in Smathers Library before MedMob. He played the gong with multiple mallets for the last 15 minutes of the hourlong meditation session, filling the room with an ethereal ringing tone.
