Koru Mindfulness Providing Improved Quality of Life for Students and Staff
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 19, 2021) — Better sleep, less stress, more self-compassion … all for free. Too good to be true? Not at all!
Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness for as few as ten minutes daily can have myriad benefits and can improve one’s quality of life. The University of Kentucky is excited to offer the Koru Mindfulness program to students, faculty, and staff at no cost.
Koru Mindfulness is an empirically tested mindfulness curriculum designed specifically to target the developmental needs and interests of young adults, though individuals of all ages can participate in and benefit from the program. Although there are several benefits from KORU, students often express happiness with seeing a reduction in anxiety and a deeper sense of relaxation.
When asked about the benefits of KORU, one student stated, “I often get overwhelmed and anxious over school, so through mindfulness I am learning to take everything one step at a time. I have found that doing deep breaths and focusing on that for a few seconds or minutes calms down any anxiety that I am experiencing.”
KORU does not just benefit the participant while they are taking the class. Numerous students, faculty and staff members have found it incredibly beneficial in their daily life. When asked how they have utilized or adapted mindfulness approaches to their life two former KORU students said, “What I have learned from mindfulness practices this semester is to practice it when I feel stressed by taking 10 minutes to myself to not think. I also have been doing the breathing exercises when I get nervous for presentations and exams. I have really enjoyed learning these practices because now I have something to actually calm me and feel relaxed.”
“I have become extremely mindful in the world around me. I have started to notice the simple beauty’s around me. I am more mindful of my stress and knowing when I need to take a break or de-stress. I have become self-aware and realized there are times I need to focus on myself rather than other task that may not be as important.”
No experience with mindfulness or meditation is required, making it a perfect opportunity for those who may think that they are too restless, anxious, or stress-prone to meditate. Don’t worry — these are some of the very issues that this program was created to address!
The course is composed of weekly 75-minute classes over four weeks. Students will be introduced to a variety of mindful practices and stress management skills, led by one of the 25 trained facilitators from UK’s faculty and staff. Courses are offered throughout the semester, most of which will be held via Zoom. Visit uky.edu/koru to view the full course listings and to register. Please note that Koru Mindfulness is not offered for course credit at this time.
If you are faculty member and are interested in incorporating Koru into your course curriculum, please reach out to Ashley Hinton at Ashley.Hinton@uky.edu to submit a request. Demonstration, or even offering the full program within your course, are options.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.