The international student experience is often underrepresented.
Adapting to new cultural environments whilst also balancing work commitments,
Family expectations and homesickness requires constant effort.
And this can leave us feeling overwhelmed and sometimes lonely.
The following practice provides a safe space for exploring the reality of such challenges without judgment,
Facilitating greater balance and self-compassion.
So I'd like to invite you to make yourself comfortable.
You may want to sit upright with the back straight.
Or if this is too difficult,
Feel free to lie down.
And whenever you're ready,
Bring the eyes to a gentle close.
And I'd like to start this practice by focusing on the breath at the edge of the nostrils and just feeling the quality of the breath.
Cool as you breathe in and slightly warmer on the exhale.
And we're not trying to influence the breath here.
We just want it to assume its natural rhythm.
Through the nostrils and down into the core.
And allowing our attention to rest in the area of the abdomen.
Noting the rising and falling sensation of this region of the body.
As we pay attention to the flow of the breath,
The mind will gradually become calmer.
And when the mind wanders,
We can redirect our attention to this particular point of grounding.
And just allowing this revitalizing force to relax and settle the body.
And when you feel ready,
I invite you to give yourself permission to contemplate your university experience so far.
We don't need to choose a particular event or scenario.
Just allow whatever feels most natural to express itself in the mind.
Gently become aware of how this manifests in the body.
Without judgment or evaluations.
Just observe any physical sensations,
Feelings and emotions.
And this could be sadness or optimism.
Loneliness or even a sense of freedom.
As and when they arise,
We can just note.
Emotion as emotion.
Feeling as feeling.
And connect with the reality of the experience.
Without needing to apply any additional content.
We may find that the mind wanders and raises thoughts about our friendships or lack of friendships.
About missing home.
About pressures from family or the new environment that we live in.
Or the new environment that we find ourself in.
We may become aware of the difficulties that we have in adjusting to this new and unfamiliar environment.
And this is a perfectly normal response to undertaking this very challenging path.
A path which requires an exceptional level of courage,
Determination and strength.
Qualities which,
Even though we may not see them ourselves,
We necessarily possess in abundance.
As you continue to anchor the attention at the area of the abdomen rising and falling.
We may want to acknowledge that it takes a very special kind of person to make such an important decision.
To undertake this challenging journey.
A journey which we may have undertaken to improve our opportunities.
To make our family back home proud.
And to improve the lives of those who we are most familiar with.
In deepening our awareness of these facts,
We gradually come to recognize the incredible achievement of simplicity.
Simply being here.
The fears,
Anxieties,
Doubts and social and cultural adjustments we are already overcoming.
And we can come to appreciate that it is absolutely okay to miss our family and friends.
To miss the safety and familiarity of home.
And it's absolutely okay to have down days,
Low energy and require extra time to recharge sometimes.
And so I want to give you some time here to allow the mind to express any phenomena that is natural.
In a short time you'll hear my voice again.
And we'll gently bring this meditation period to a close.
Coming close to the end of the meditation now.
I invite you to gently check in with how you feel.
Just notice what has changed.
You will now hear the bell ring three times.
And on the third ringing of the bell.
Gently open the eyes.
And return to the room.
Moving countries is something that most cannot even imagine.
And it's not always as fun as it may appear.
But you are here.
And in time you will be rewarded for your dedication and hard work.
If this practice helped you today,
Try our other resources to help you feel calmer and ultimately empowered throughout your university journey.
