Students swept up in a blur of panic-inducing finals can find solace in a space unlike any other on campus—a place that allows one to simply be.
“There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground,” goes a quote by Rumi, the 13th-century poet and mystic, written in cursive on a chalkboard in Portland State’s Quiet Prayer and Meditation Lounge.
Students swept up in a blur of panic-inducing finals can find solace in a space unlike any other on campus—a place that allows one to simply be.
Daniel Johnston/VANGUARD STAFF
Hamiel Ogaili prays in the Quiet Prayer and Meditation Lounge.
“There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground,” goes a quote by Rumi, the 13th-century poet and mystic, written in cursive on a chalkboard in Portland State’s Quiet Prayer and Meditation Lounge.
It’s a space open to all, regardless of religious or spiritual tradition—or lack thereof—for quiet meditation, reflection or prayer.
“This is really unique for a public institution,” said Rachel Samuelson, an advisor for Student Activities and Leadership Programs who runs the lounge. “Not many have an interfaith space like ours.”
“School can be stressful. And students need time to be alone with themselves,” said Zimei Xu, a graduate student who interns with the lounge.
The room, with its earthy-green walls and violet drapes, is charged with a palpable silence. The faintest hint of musky incense permeates the air. Amidst the ambient lighting and colorful floor cushions, there is a unique aura—what some would term spiritual energy and others would call intense focus—that lingers in the room.
In shadowy corners, students sit in repose, drawn inward. One woman practices yoga, enveloped in tranquility. Another leans her head against clasped hands, deep in thought. A young man studies the Bible in one of the lounge’s small private rooms. A group of Muslim students gathers on spacious prayer mats and face east, toward the direction of Mecca, the religion’s holiest site, as they pray.
For Muslims in particular, the lounge helps fulfill a central tenet of prayer.
“As a Muslim, I pray five times a day, so this is where I go,” said Qanani Kalil, a former volunteer for the lounge.
A survey conducted by volunteers found that the lounge’s spirit of inclusion attracts a range of students from both religious and secular backgrounds—Buddhists, Hindus and those without a particular faith tradition who seek the lounge for reflection, stress-management and meditation in a space without judgment.
One responder who suffers from an anxiety disorder retreats to the lounge when overwhelmed with school and life.
“That’s the beautiful thing about our space. Different philosophies and religions [cohabit] the space. If a Buddhist student ever mistakenly sat on a Muslim prayer mat and was asked to move, that sparked a dialogue,” Samuelson said.
The origins of the lounge began to take shape several years ago, when the Muslim Student Association—citing harassment of Muslims who prayed in the library or Park Blocks—sought out a space, Samuelson said. Although the group was granted a temporary space that was technically open to all, conflict arose.
“There was the outside perspective of this being just a Muslim hangout, though that wasn’t the intent,” she said.
Last year, following a call for multiple voices, the space in the basement of Smith Memorial Student Union was launched. A one-time reserve request to the Associated Students of Portland State University’s student fee committee to help beautify the space was answered with $3,000.
The lounge has gradually drawn a greater diversity of visitors every term, visitors who have found a space to nourish a variety of needs.
Still, in the past there have been complaints about noise and distractions,
Samuelson said.
“It’s a do-no-harm situation,” Samuelson said. “Are we going to say no food, no sleeping? A student sipping coffee or slipping into a doze is one thing. Eating lunch or snoring is another.”
Samuelson and her team plan to continue to assess the lounge to figure out how to better serve students. A carpet labyrinth, more private spaces, and even a massage therapist have been floated as
possible additions to the space. Students have asked for more spaces for Christian worship, more reading material in the lounge’s library and a special area for women.
“We have a quarterly focus group and we are looking for insight and feedback,” Samuelson said. “Anyone is welcome.”
Xu stressed the importance of the space.
“PSU is a public school, with people from so many different religions and backgrounds,” Xu said. “The lounge lets them be who they are.”
