Growing up in a house filled with gongs, statues of Buddha and the sweet smell of incense, Emily Pagano, sophomore, experiences the mysticism of Buddhism on a first-hand basis. Pagano’s mother, Elizabeth Fryer, lived in Japan for 10 years and returned to America with Buddhist beliefs she eventually passed on to her daughter.

 
After watching her mother teach an introduction to meditation course at the Big Bend Yoga Center, Buddhism captured Pagano’s interest. Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, which means there is no God.

 
“It’s really just about coming to inner and outer peace using awareness, and meditation is a huge factor,” Pagano said. “It really builds confidence and you get to know yourself.”

 
While Buddhists are typically encouraged to meditate for an hour each day, Pagano is realistic about the amount of time a busy teenager has. To get in the habit, she tries to meditate for about five minutes each day. In comparison to many of her friends who are Jewish and Catholic, Pagano feels her Buddhist beliefs keep her relaxed and free of stress.

 
“There’s a whole lot of stress you can come by as a teenager, and this is just taking a few minutes a day to just stop and not have to think about anything,” Pagano said.