With classes, extracurricular activities and part-time jobs, students can get lost in the stresses of daily life. And as finals rapidly approach, rest and relaxation could soon be brushed aside for classes and study sessions.

However, many students are beginning to find relief through activities and organizations provided by the Spiritual Life Center.

Christine Vincenti said she turns to the center as a place to calm down and take time away from her everyday routine.

“Yoga lets you reflect upon yourself and it is a great way to step away from your daily life,” the middler business major said.

Vincenti is a member of the Multi-Faith Council as well as the president of the Christian Student Union. She has been involved in activities at the Spiritual Life Center since her freshman year, when she said she turned to it as a way to grow in her faith and be more involved spiritually.

For students such as Vincenti, the Spiritual Life Center has fulfilled its goal of supporting spiritual well-being. Frequent activities, including the popular yoga classes and “Chill Out Before You Burn Out” during move-in week, aimed at bringing new students together and teaching them to deal with stress before it happens, have helped more Northeastern community members become involved in the center.

The most recent event, Spiritual Wellness Week, included a variety of activities, ranging from Reiki and yoga to Zen meditation and a labyrinth, that everyone could find solace in.

Director of Spiritual Life Shelli Jankowski-Smith said she incorporated two main initiatives into Spiritual Wellness Week.

“The first idea is to help people access spirituality in new and unique ways that they may not have before. Then, we want to show people that there is a relationship between well-being and spirituality,” she said.

Mia Grottola, a sophomore American Sign Language and English major who has participated in weekly meditation since her freshman year, said she felt Spiritual Wellness Week offered students a starting point to recognize their spirituality.

“Previously, a lot of students did not know about the Spiritual Life Center and the Sacred Space and all of the beautiful, beautiful programs that they offer. A lot of people are intimidated about regular meditation, but this event definitely encourages newcomers,” Grottola said.

Spiritual Wellness Week, which was Nov. 5 to 10, began with a Free Yoga Sampler Saturday and Sunday. Along with educating participants on ways yoga is helpful as a stress reliever, the sampler provided a foundation for beginners to learn the basics.

On Monday, “A Reiki Experience!” gave students an opportunity to experience self-healing on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels through the ancient practice of Reiki. Students, staff and faculty were then offered instruction on Zen meditation Tuesday and an introduction to the labyrinth Wednesday.

There was a labyrinth in the Sacred Space during Spiritual Wellness Week. Labyrinths have been used for more than 3,500 years as a tool to clear the mind, find calm and lead to personal and spiritual growth. It is a winding path on the floor followed by walkers as they reach a meditative state. The path, a metaphor for the journey of life, has no end.

“Spirituality Through Movement, Music and Meditation,” the first interactive workshop of the week, was held last Wednesday at noon. The event included prayer, accompanied by movement and singing, as well as an introduction to the labyrinth as an instrument for meditation. Led by Beth Meltzer, the Jewish chaplain at the center, it showed how these daily elements can be a part of a spiritual experience.

“I wanted to let people know that there is not only one way. There are all these different avenues to experience spirituality,” Meltzer said, “and it doesn’t have to be separate from your everyday life.”

Spiritual Wellness Week finished on Thursday with “Express Yourself! Spirituality Meets Creative Art” and Unity Worship Night: NU Christian Groups Celebrate Faith.

Promoting further participation, the Spiritual Life Center is providing an event called “NU Gives Thanks!” It will include an Interfaith Service of Thanksgiving Nov. 16 at noon and a Thanksgiving Yoga Nov. 22 at noon. These events are intended to “acknowledge the bounty in our lives” and attendees are encouraged to bring canned food for those in need, Jankowski-Smith said.

The “amazing” popularity and positive reaction to Spiritual Life events reflects a growing interest from the students at Northeastern, Jankowski-Smith said.

“Students are really open and willing to try something new and different,” she said. “It reflects the general trend to embrace spirituality in less than traditional ways, whether through yoga, Reiki or the other programs that are offered.”