Abigail Clark ’26
News Editor
On Tuesday, November 12th, the Performing Arts Center hosted their Yoga and Soap Bath session, the first in a two-week series of wellness exercises. The event was organized by SWELL along with faculty in the arts center, in order to provide students with a relaxing evening and yoga experience.
The session took place in the Cantor Art Gallery which is currently home to Blue Profundity and is a calming environment, especially at night. Any Holy Cross students were welcome to join the event and engage in a break from the busyness of the approaching finals season. The event was 45 minutes long and the leader guided students through multiple meditative exercises. Focusing more on the breathing and relaxation techniques that come with yoga, the event was not hard and did not require any prior experience.
Especially in a time of high stress with the fall semester coming to a close, the yoga was focused on de-stressing exercises to relax the body and mind. Even a short session of yoga can significantly reduce stress, improve your mood, and balance breathing. Having attended the event myself, my breathing became more regular as the session progressed and my mind slowed down, allowing me to take a break from all of the work and stress that surrounds finals season.
A unique aspect of the Yoga and Soap Bath was the sound element. The event began with muffled, quiet noises that imitated that of an ocean or water. Being in the Cantor Art Gallery, the sound nicely filled the large room. An important aspect of these white noise-like sounds was the calming energy they emulated. Rather than having students do the exercises right to music or more distracting sounds, this “soap bath” of sounds was much more relaxing to the mind. As the session continued, the noises became louder and featured light singing and voices. This was a beautiful way to conclude the event as the students were focused on their breathing and mind, and were able to enjoy the angelic sounds.
The exercises students performed throughout the yoga session were not strictly outlined or necessary to follow perfectly. This allowed for participants to choose what was comfortable and most relaxing for them. Rather than continuously moving throughout the whole event, the instructor emphasized long moments of reflection where students could just lay down, focus on their breathing, and enjoy the sounds and times of peace. This aspect made the event even more relaxing and meditative because there was time for individual focus.
The Cantor Art Gallery is hosting a second Yoga and Soap Bath session on November 19th, which is encouraging for more students to participate in an important time of self-reflection and relaxation.
Featured image courtesy of College of the Holy Cross
Copy Edited by Sophia Olbrysh ’28
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