Flyer courtesy of Rev. Dr. John Huxtable.
A new four-week mindfulness course, led by Rev. Dr. John Huxtable, is underway at the Champion Miller Center. After a short orientation on Sept. 4th, the program officially began on Sept. 11th and will run every Thursday night at seven through Oct. 2nd.
Huxtable created the course to give students tools to handle stress and anxiety that seem heavier than when he was a student at Monmouth.
“You guys have so much going on all the time,” Huxtable said. “No matter what you bring into the class, it goes away when you’re doing the practice… It’s not a miracle drug, but it helps you find calm and focus.”
To Huxtable, the class is about more than relaxation; it is about teaching students how to live fully in the present.
“Too often we’re stuck in the past or rushing toward the future,” he said. “Mindfulness lets us celebrate the moments we’re in.”
Originally designed for students at Duke University, the course blends practices like mindful breathing, mindful eating, and walking meditation. Participants also receive a book and lifetime access to a mindfulness app to keep using after the class ends.
“I didn’t think I would love it as much as I did,” he said about when he first took the course, “but it helped me focus, be intentional, and actually enjoy each moment instead of just racing to the next thing.”
Huxtable hopes students get the same benefits saying,
“The gift I want to give you is to be happy and secure in yourself and in the moment. This helps you realize that who you are is already good enough.”