HON 200: Brandon Ishikata Empowers Students to Gain Control of their Mental Health through Yoga and Meditation

Interview with Brandon Ishikata, Honors College Academic Advisor and Program Specialist, who developed and taught a new HON 200 Seminar this semester entitled, Restore Your Core: Restorative Yoga and Meditation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Q: How did you first discover yoga and meditation and the benefits of it?

A: I was actually inspired as a dancer for cross training purposes. One of my good buddies that was training me as a dancer recommended that it would be a really good way to relieve stress while continuing my weight training journey. I spent Thanksgiving of 2019 with a family friend, and her daughter was pursuing a 200-hour yoga license, which is equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree in the world of yoga. I had this idea that it would be really good for me to understand yoga philosophy, the ‘asanas’, which are the poses. Once the pandemic hit, that was actually an imminent teaching license because when I was supervising UIC tour guides, I really saw darkness behind the students’ Zoom screens. I could just see how the pandemic was taking a toll on them mentally based on their facial expressions. In June of 2020, I started my yoga license to support my students and connect with them in a virtual setting.

Q: What are your thoughts on the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of college students?

A:  It’s not surprising. Video games and cell phones have become more mainstream in our culture. I think it’s definitely been elevated due to the pandemic because of us being socially distant and also being more at home. Although we have a more sedentary lifestyle, I will say that during this pandemic, we’ve really realized the importance of mental health. It is a buzzword nowadays, but it does need to be brought to the forefront and destigmatized. What’s nice about this pandemic is that it’s taught us that people can find ways to do activities to still be active in their own way.

Reporter’s Comment: I think the importance of physical movement is often underrepresented when it comes to discussing mental health.

A:  Absolutely. One of the things I like about yoga is that yes, it’s not a performance. It’s really more of an internal process. The main goal of yoga is actually to find stillness in meditation, not to become an Instagram-glorified-yogi doing all these complex poses. I think yoga is really relevant to this college demographic because students are trying to find themselves. They’re becoming adults throughout these four years. I am really proud to be a part of that journey and helping them to discover their authenticity.

Q: You talked about seeing struggling students and also in your course description you mentioned, students discussing how to find inner peace during the pandemic. How would you recommend students use mediation and yoga to deal with issues that are generally outside of their control?

A: The way I structured my classes is that I select certain yoga poses, called ‘asanas.’ I chose poses that are more on the relaxing end. For example, downward dog is a staple asana of yoga, but to me, that’s not very relaxing. When we study the asanas and techniques of each pose, I encourage my students to find something that works for them. One of my favorite poses is the child’s pose because it clears my mind. It’s easy; however, in contrast, a pose like a low lunge is one of my least favorite poses because it strains my knees. I always tell the students to find that style of meditation or yoga (that) is for you. Even if you do not master the pose, I hope they learned something and are finding peace within the practice.

Discovering the best self-care technique through yoga and meditation is the goal of the class and hopefully the students can apply it in their lives.

Reporter’s comment: Yes, I think that’s good – not necessarily trying to fit what your expectations are but what works best for you in actuality.

A: I always ask my TA, how does this class relate to your life? Because I think a lot of Honors College classes are very inquiry-based, students are challenged to read between the lines. Since this is a unique lecture, discussion, and activity based course, I like to be as direct as possible.  For example, if you are sitting or writing a 10-page essay and your spine isn’t in alignment, I recommend to my students to do a child’s pose because it can ease lower back pain.

Q: What do you think is the appropriate amount of time for students to dedicate to meditation to get some of the benefits from it?

A: I think 5 to 10 minutes. In general, if students have time to watch a YouTube video, scroll through Instagram or post a comment, I think they have time. It just comes down to prioritization. In my class, 50 minutes goes by extremely quickly and so what I usually do is block 10 and 15 minutes of the class for a short sequence or meditation. I actually received qualitative data from students saying that they feel more centered and at ease after a yoga flow/meditation. Because of our technology driven world, we live in a society where everything has to be short, sweet, and to the point. I challenge my students to spend time doing 5 to 10 minutes of a pose that works for them. If you can spend 5 to 10 minutes on social media, I think you can devote some time to doing yoga or a meditation sequence.

Q: Have you noticed that your students had any misconceptions about yoga meditation before starting the course and how did you combat that?

A: At the start of the class, I opened up a discussion about what yoga is and asked about student expectations of the class. Lots of the time, people think that you have to be flexible or that there’s only one style of yoga. In fact, there are actually different forms! Yin is my favorite style of yoga. It’s the one that helps my flexibility and mental health. While I am qualified to teach a Vinyasa styled class, my strengths are best equipped for yin and restorative yoga flows.

Through my class, I think students realize that there are many different forms and that yoga doesn’t have to be a performance. When vulnerability emerges within our class, even in a virtual setting, the students have such a rich discussion in the reflections and the assignments. My HON 200 students are wonderful and make my Mondays brighter!

Reporter’s comment: Do you mind explaining the distinction between Yin yoga and Vinyasa?

A: Vinyasa yoga is what traditionally a lot of students perceive yoga to be. It has a dance-like flow and is more focused on strength and flexibility. While Yin is rooted in the Chinese Taoist tradition of holding a pose for about 3 to 5 minutes, both styles are equally challenging in their own way. Yin yoga focuses on the inner connective tissue and the focus is not necessarily gaining six pack abdominals. Yin is known as a moving meditation, which is what I like about it as a dance instructor. Yin classes are more about taking in silence, while a Vinyasa class would be more like “inhale in, exhale, push up to downward dog, look towards the top of the mat and send the weight forward.” Vinyasa has that breath to movement quality while Yin is saying “Melt into a child’s pose for 3 to 5 minutes in silence. Can you hold it?”

Q: What has been your favorite aspect of teaching the course?

A:  Number one – really seeing how the students are taking care of themselves. I think with Honors College students, there is this high expectation to perform and have a sense of perfectionism. What I’m really seeing in the students is the sense of vulnerability and authenticity. When I asked students why they take this class, a lot of them mentioned, “I’m taking the MCAT, the LSAT, or this pandemic has been stressful and my mental health is pretty low.” What I’m seeing from the students is that they are recharging their batteries and putting themselves first. Not in a selfish way, but in a good way, because they’re actually seeing themselves as the priority. I like to give a visual example of recharging your batteries by using multiple cups and water. If I had a cup of water (symbolizing the student’s energy/time) and a lot of other different empty cups (your priorities), I ask students how could you lead other people if your cup is empty? My students are filling up their own cups so they can pass their exams and do well in school. I deeply care about the students. If I can be a small part of the journey to help them get into graduate school, become a lawyer, become a teacher et cetera, I want to be part of that. Even if it means teaching you how to do the ‘Child’s Pose’ correctly, well, I did my job right.

My second part is seeing how my TA, Keshav, has really grown. He is actually one of the main reasons the class came to fruition. In October of 2021, when I mentioned that idea in the 101 class, he emailed me and said if this class were to happen I would volunteer to be your TA. Because he’s on the pre-medicine track, he’s really utilizing his strengths with anatomy,  physiology, and his science background to educate the students on how to practice yoga safely. My philosophy for TAs is that you should be active in the class and teach sections that appeal to you, which Keshav has demonstrated through his developing leadership skills and living out his authentic truth. As wonderful as yoga can be, we have to keep in mind that it is a physical practice and students can injure themselves. If you don’t have the right form and alignment then injuries can happen.

Reporter’s comment: I want to say that authenticity and vulnerability are concepts that come up  a lot in your classes and I think it’s what makes them distinct from other Honors College classes. I think it would benefit students to take your classes because you approach teaching in a unique way from other professors, in my experience.

A: Thank you. I think why it’s so important is that we’ve grown up in a social media generation: Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. Social media can be at times inauthentic because you only show the “good stuff”, and if you show the things that aren’t as pretty or glamorous people might think there’s something wrong. I like to shed away from the “mask” and those expectations so we can be real and genuine with one another.