The Meditation Center is a common facility for students and staff members who belong to the TU/e community. Willemien Fraaije, humanistic counselor and secretary of the Meditation Consultation: “The TU/e has stipulated explicitly that the Meditation Center is intended for all religions and cultures. This may result in someone worshipping Allah in one corner, while someone in another corner is meditating. I think it is great that such activities are possible simultaneously.”

Commissioned by the TU/e, the Meditation Center was established in September 2001 in collaboration with a number of different parties, including the Eindhoven Student Chaplaincy TINT, the Humanistic Student Counseling and the multicultural student association Mosaic. In 2003 the Center was refurbished, according to ideas developed by students from the Design Academy. Fraaije: “Now it looks fresh and friendly and the room has soothing colors.”

Activities
Fraaije says that the Meditation Center is not only used on a daily basis for individual prayers and meditation, but that different activities are also organized there every year which are related to reflection. Four organizations are active in the Meditation Center. In addition to TINT, the Humanistic Student Counseling and Mosaic, this is Kinjin, the Japanese cultural association for Eindhoven students. Thus, Kinjin organizes an annual Japanese tea ceremony there, and engages in ikebana, Reiki and shiatsu.

In the Christmas period the student chaplain, together with Mosaic and the Humanistic Student Counseling, holds an intercultural Christmas celebration. Fraaije herself organizes philosophy meetings led by a philosopher, where a theme such as the art of living is dealt with, and workshops in meditation techniques. Many members of Mosaic use the Meditation Center as a room for individual prayer. Mosaic organizes more activities, also outside the Center - last Wednesday together with TINT it organized an Iftar in De Bunker to conclude a day of experiencing Ramadan.

Fraaije: “The fact that the room is used every day indicates that there is a clear need for such a facility. It is important that the TU/e should have such a room for reflection. People appear to need it.”/.

The Meditation Center in de Hal 1.46 is open from 8.00 to 21.00 hours and is freely accessible to TU/e students and staff members.