Serenity Center

The Serenity Center is open Monday – Friday and available for:

General use from 8:30 a.m. – Noon and 2–5 p.m.
Prayer from Noon – 2 p.m.
Club programming after 5 p.m. (please reserve your time ahead)

Below are the items you can find in the Serenity Center. All items are open for students, faculty and staff to use. We hope you make the most out of this space and use it to prioritize your well-being!

Textured white pillow sitting on patterned lounge chair with a blue bean bag in the background

Comfy Lounge Chairs and Bean Bags

Get comfortable and let your body and mind relax on our cozy lounge chairs and bean bags.

Blue drum labeled with numbers 1-6, two wooden drum mallets with a black rubber top and a maroon steel tongue drum music book.

Tongue Drums

The tongue drum is of Aztec origin and was originally made of wood. The sounds of the tongue drum can help to promote deep relaxation and relieve stress and anxiety. Feel free to play our tongue drums with the drum mallets. Please put the drums back when you are finished.

Fidget Toys

Humans have used items now commonly known as "fidget toys" for hundreds of years as a way to relieve stress. Fidget toys provide an outlet for anxiety, restlessness or impatience and can serve as a distraction in overstimulating environments. Feel free to take a fidget toy with you or use one while you're enjoying this space.

A golden singing bowl with a wooden mallet resting on a green and gold pillow.

Singing Bowls

Tibetan singing bowls originated in Mesopotamia and have been used to transport those who play or listen to them into a meditative state for thousands of years. The sounds they induce can have profound healing effects on the physical body as well as induce deep relaxation Feel free to play our singing bowls by striking the bowl gently with the mallet and running the mallet along the outside of the bowl. Please put the singing bowls back when you are finished.

Crystals

The use of crystals dates all the way back to Ancient Sumerians, who used crystals in their magic formulas. Today, crystals are used to either interact with the body's energy field or to help someone to set an intention. Different crystals have properties that make them useful for different areas of the body or intentions. Feel free to hold our crystals while meditating or engaging in this space. You can touch them and take pictures of them, but please leave them for others to enjoy.

Brain Teasers

Brain teasers date back to ancient Greek mathematicians. Brain teasers help to increase cognitive function, boost critical thinking and improve learning and memory. Feel free to use the brain teasers we have in this space.

Knitting

Knitting originated in the Middle East in the 5th century and eventually travelled to Europe with wool traders. Knitting helps to reduce stress and boost confidence as well as stimulate the brain and increase mindfulness. Feel free to take some knitting supplies or start working on something here and leave it for someone else to continue.

A brown card with a flower on it that says "I am safe to be my true authentic self".

Affirmation Cards

The use of affirmations can be traced back to ancient religions and indigenous tribes, and their effects are rooted in science. Affirming oneself regularly can reduce stress, improve self-esteem and break a negative thought pattern. Feel free to take an affirmation card with you or choose one, take a picture of it, and leave it for someone else to find.

LEGO Bonsai Trees

Bonsai trees symbolize harmony and balance, while legos allow for imagination, creativity, concentration, and stress relief. Feel free to work on the LEGO^® bonsai trees and leave them out for others to work on.

White essential oil diffuser with a wooden bottom, wooden circular sound machine with a grey interior housing buttons for different sounds.

Essential Oil Diffusers & Sound Machine

Engaging the senses has a profound effect on your well-being. Our hope is that the smells, sounds and sights of the Serenity Center help you to feel relaxed and grounded.

Coloring

Coloring supports well-being by relaxing the brain and inducing a meditative state. Coloring for 30 minutes per day trains the brain to re-wire itself to induce a relaxed state and allow one to feel calmer. Feel free to grab a coloring book and color while you're here or take a few pages and some coloring utensils with you.

Open journal page with the words written "You are loved"

Journals

Journaling has been used as a method of reflection dating back to the fifteenth century. Journaling supports well-being by helping one clarify thoughts and feelings, practice gratitude and reduce stress. Feel free to take a journal with you or write a positive note in one for someone else to find.

multicolored puzzle on puzzle mat with the writing "taking time to play"

Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles originate back to the 1760s. The first jigsaw puzzles were European maps that mapmakers would put onto wood and then cut into small pieces. Puzzles help to boost brain health by improving cognition and memory. They can also help one to unwind, reset and boost creativity and productivity. Feel free to work on the puzzles and leave them out for others to work on.

Peacock Feathers

Peacocks originate from India, where their feathers symbolized royalty. Today, peacock feathers are said to remove negative energy. Engaging with peacock feathers can also be a sensory experience or a practice of concentration. Feel free to enjoy the sensory aspect of our peacock feathers or try to balance one on your palm to practice concentration.

Massage Chairs

Massage therapy is one of the most common practices in holistic medicine, originating in Ancient Chinese Medicine. It has been used for thousands of years to induce relaxation, provide pain relief, improve sleep quality and reduce stress. Please enjoy the massage chairs for no longer than 10 minutes at a time.