Breathwork and Sound Bath Offer Comfort to Students at Mental Health Event
On February 25th, City College students engage in a transformative breathwork practice. Sponsored by the Office of Student Equity and led by Qilig’s healers and cultural workers, the event integrated sound therapy with a unique Sound Bath meditation.
By Qi Mai
On February 25, more than 30 City College students gathered in MUB140 for a meditative retreat led by local healers and cultural workers.
The event was sponsored by the Office of Student Equity and produced by QILIG. Kim Acebo Arteche and the Pinay musical duo Astrologik, who make up the QILIG group, aim to facilitate expansive queer experiences that center joy, connection and tend to culture.
The “Community Altar Building and Breathing” event incorporated a breathwork session, led by Arteche. Breathwork involves intentional and conscious breathing techniques designed to expand and improve physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
While many are familiar with yoga breathwork practices that incorporate meditation mantras and music, the event took a unique approach by integrating Astrologik’s sound bath meditation experience.
The sound bath features an array of instruments, including a rain stick, gong, crystal sound bowls, brass Tibetan bowls, hand pan, wind wand, native drum, shaker, water drum, tuning forks, chimes, tingsha bells and goat toes.
The practice began with the high gong's resonant echoing sound. Participants were transported to what felt like a silent temple in the mountains, momentarily escaping the noise of the world. Higher-pitched instruments then followed, creating elegant and distant sounds that seemed to dissolve the participants' consciousness bit by bit.
As their awareness softened, the subtle sounds of the rain stick, like finely crushed sand sifting through fingers, floated into their ears. Gradually, their minds entered a meditative state and their bodies fully immersed into the experience. After only 10 minutes, the participants lost track of time, and didn’t realize how deeply they had drifted into relaxation until they awoke feeling balanced, connected and energized.
“It was my first time experiencing a sound fragrance bath and community breathing session,” said Kat S, a student worker from the Queer Resource Center. “I am grateful to the healers and breath workers who came to transmute with us. I think we need more events like these together — we are human together.”
Kimberly Boral, a classified staff member and Work-Based Learning Coordinator, shared a similar excitement. “As a new staff member at CCSF, it was nourishing to breathe and be in community with students, colleagues, and friends.”
Several psychology students echoed these sentiments and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to step away from their academic routines, practice breathing exercises, and embrace a novel, calming experience.
“Students on academic paths often spend much of their time in their minds, which is necessary for study,” said Charito Soriano, one of the two musicians that make up Astrologik. “A sound bath reminds people of the body-mind connection. The mind's journey is smoother when the body is in sync. It also provides a moment to breathe and pause, which is especially crucial in today’s fast-paced world.”
Jing Shi, a student worker at the Math Lab and Student Health Services Group, spoke about how the event came to be. “In December 2024, my team and I participated in a breathwork session at the San Francisco Main Library. We experienced its positive effects and realized how valuable it could be for our students. We pitched the idea to the Office of Student Equity, and with the support of Dean Dr. Tessa Henderson-Brown, we were able to bring this event to life.”
Shi believes combining breathwork with a sound bath is a powerful way to support mental health. “I was really moved by the inclusive space the facilitators created, which is so important as we confront the suppression and oppression faced by vulnerable members of our community,” Shi said.
The Breathwork practice was the first event session in City College’s Mental Health Awareness Series for the Spring Semester, arranged by the Office of Student Equity. Upcoming events in the series are as follows.
March 13, 12-2 p.m., “Almost Home” Film Screening & Panel with Palmer College & CCSF Rising Scholar Students, MUB140
March 25, 1:30-3 p.m., Patterns That Remain: Unlearning Cultural Scripts about Mental Health in Asian Communities, MUB140
April 29, 1:30-3 p.m., Bridge Generations and Identity through Talanoaga: Breaking the Stigma by All My USO’S, MUB140
May 13, 1:30-3 p.m., Self-care: Graceful Shirt Designs with Scarves, Batmale Hall 208
