What is mindfulness meditation?

“Mindfulness practice is simple and completely feasible. Just by sitting and doing nothing, we are doing a tremendous amount.”

In Buddhism, practicing mindfulness enables us to live peacefully within our own minds.  We know our minds run amok like spoiled children without discipline, but it’s never too late to reign it in.

I used to think that I wasn’t meditating unless my mind was completely free of any activity, but that’s not quite right.  Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche from the Shambala Sun makes a wonderful point that may help many of us put the concept of what it means to meditate into perspective,  “An important point is that when we are in a mindful state, there is still intelligence. It’s not as if we blank out.”

So what exactly is mindfulness meditation?

For a nicely detailed, yet digestible article on mindful meditation, visit The Shambala Sun.

Live deliberately, mindfully, honestly.

Namaste,

– Your Charmed Yogi

(Photo: Unitarian Universalist Church of Fargo)

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What’s your yoga style?

by HealthCentral.

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The foam roll: Your personal massage therapist

The benefits of using a foam roller for myofascial release and massaging tight muscles  are well discussed among sports medicine practitioners, massage therapists, chiropractors and physical therapists.  Fascia is an interconnected web of tissue just below the skin. It wraps and connects the muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels of the body.  It’s literally what holds everything together. Muscle and fascia together make up what is called the myofascia system. Overtime, we develop at adhesions and scar tissue from injury, misuse, lack of stretching or misalignment.  These adhesions can restrict movement causing pain, reduced flexibility, and can even lead to more injuries as we compensate.

The good news is, in addition to getting regular massages, you can work to break up the adhesions yourself at home using a foam roller.  I like to use the foam roller before my morning practice on larger muscle groups. After I work out, I tend to use more localized techniques like using a tennis ball on particularly tender trigger points to facilitate release.

Here are some foam roller techniques you can try at home.

Roll, roll roll your glutes gently to relief.

Namaste.

– Your Charmed Yogi

(Photo: 70sbig)

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Which Christmas character are you?

Namaste.

– Your Charmed Yogi (aka Santa)

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Skip the resolution, set your Sankalpa for 2013

In Sanskrit, the term ‘Sankalpa’ means will, purpose, determination or resolve. It is the inspired intention we set allow our true nature to shine through bringing us peace and serenity. “Rod Stryker, founder of ParaYoga, explains that the chief architect of life is the mind. To create the life we are meant to live, we must draw the mind again and again to our dharma, our deepest intentions, and the qualities of the Divine within.” [Himalayan Institute]

Sankalpa isn’t about restraint like a traditional resolution as much as it is about acceptance and nourishing that which will help you realize your Sankalpa.

 

 

 

 

Resolve to evolve in 2013, and set an intention.

Namaste.

– Your Charmed Yogi

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Bathroom-Break Yoga?

Awesome infographic from Greatist.   Don’t forgo your practice just because you don’t have an hour and half to dedicate to your session.  Here are 10 postures you can do anywhere.

 

Namaste.

– Your Charmed Yogi

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