Julie Gilbert has been a part of the Gustavus Adolphus College community for over two decades—first as a student in the late '90s and now as a dedicated professor in the Library and Archives Department, helping students navigate the research that is so integral to the Gustavus experience. “I do a lot of thinking about how we can navigate this increasingly complex landscape of information,” she says. But beyond assisting Gusties on their educational and research journey, Gilbert also brings over 25 years of personal meditation experience to campus, helping students and employees cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives.
“I was dealing with my own anxiety, and like most people I heard, ‘Oh, meditation can help with that,’” she says. “I originally took a course in mindfulness-based stress reduction, and thought ‘Okay, the anxiety is going to be gone,’” she says with a laugh. “Nope!”
“But what I realized is that meditation isn't about stress reduction or relaxation or sleeping better. What meditation really is, is getting to know your own mind, and recognizing how your mind works in various circumstances.”
Rather than treating meditation as a quick fix or a transactional "catch-all" for stress relief, Gilbert views the practice as a tool for self-discovery and resilience. To her, it’s about becoming aware of your mind’s habitual patterns, self-talk, and reactions.
“Meditation is not about fixing anxiety or life’s fluctuations. They are completely natural,” she says. “Meditation helps people be aware of [these things], and it’s that awareness that creates this spaciousness and openness and less reactivity.”
This journey led Gilbert to train to be a teacher in secular meditation, connecting with fellow teachers from across the world, and participating in a year-long workshop. “It was on Wednesday mornings, and we learned Buddhist meditation practices combined with scientific research. This approach really invites everyone in.”
While Gustavus had offered some semblance of meditation on campus for years, Gilbert partnered with the Gustavus Counseling Center to help teach sessions to campus community members. These weekly guided meditation sessions are designed to be warm, accessible, and completely pressure-free.
“We do a variety of meditations: meditation on sound, breath, body scans, and loving-kindness meditations. We do some meditations that get into wisdom concepts, which is a Buddhist term that essentially asks, ‘What is that self-talk?’” she explains.
The sessions meet every Thursday from 11:30 to 11:50 a.m. (when classes are in session) in the Bonnier Multifaith Center in Anderson Hall, and are open to everyone. “We have some who come every week, and others who drop in whenever it fits their schedule,” she says.
“Whether you have a long-time practice, tried it once or twice, or have never started, you are welcome,” says Gilbert.
To find all upcoming meditation sessions, go to gustavus.edu/events and search “Guided Meditation.”
