Students may not be aware that there is an upstairs yoga room in the gym. Or that there is a meditation class with Laurie Angress.

A student like engineer major Oscar Arevalo who said, “I wasn’t aware of it, i think is good, sometimes the persons stress is to high, it would help to focus and study better.”

The class takes place on Monday’s and Wednesday’s from noon to 12:30 p.m., the class is located in the campus’ main gym in the upstairs yoga room.

The class is free, and open to faculty, staff and students on campus and the maximum capacity is between 24 to 28 people.

Angress said, “Students don’t have to sign up, they can just stop by, they can come once, twice a week, students can also sit on a chair if it’s uncomfortable to sit on the floor.

“Sometimes we do lay down and meditate, sometimes we are sitting up, I can do some modification if it’s to make it more comfortable to their body.”

There are no requirements for this class, although it is suggested to come in comfortable clothes.

Meditation does not require a whole lot of movement, does require open mindedness.

Math major Nevin Villa said, “I didn’t know anything about meditation classes being provided.”

Angress said, “Meditation is about mindfulness, you have to be mindful in your daily life, how to bring this sort of full body awareness to everyday daily life.”

Meditation is about reminding yourself that this is an act of self-love and you are taking care of a vital part of your body, focus on your breath, work on not letting the acts of others bother you.

You can only control yourself. Be still and present to knowing that you are safely transporting yourself from one place to another without distraction.

Angress said, “We call it the practice because is not something that [you] get right away necessarily, so it helps to come multiple times, let yourself be, have some experience with it over time because it changes. Your meditation experience, changes every day, that’s normal and that’s okay.”

Angress said, “Meditation is the eight limbs of yoga, meditation is sort of like [an] experience going inside with your thoughts, in your breath, in your awareness.”

She added “meditation is […], what’s happening in your body, your breath, your thoughts, your emotions, and you just take a look at it all.

“Practice helps you find out that deep quiet place within you, that [has] been changing, it’s always been well, always healthy, always wise and peaceful, we all have that within us. It’s a happiness that we have inside of us, we get lost, we get distracted from, by daily life and stress.”

Meditation also involves breathing techniques, that can be calming and energizing.

Agress said “I also talk about breathing techniques, to help explore a calming breath technique, and I talk about how your breath can be calming or energizing, the breath can decrease feelings of stress, your breath can relax [from] feelings of stress.”

Angress explained, “After we are done [meditating], then you are on your way, you had a nice little moment with yourself to connect in your own true nature.”

Angress is certified in Integrative Restoration Meditation and has been practicing yoga since 2009, and meditation since 2014.

This is Angress’ second year teaching at Cerritos College.

For more information, you can obtain it at, Student Health Services Department or contact Elizabeth Rodriguez, extension 2323.