Blog - MindBodyVortex

Using Aromatherapy Candles for Stress Relief

Stress is a common experience that you may be quite familiar with. While understanding that stress is a natural response triggered by real events that take place in your life or even imagined situations, it is important to understand that stress will always be a factor throughout various aspects of your life. If left unchecked it can become debilitating and result in a number of undesirable feelings and behaviors. The trick to handling stress is learning how to cope with it as opposed to avoiding it. Common stress triggers can be relationships, our jobs or financial worries. In the same way that … Read More

The Surprising Benefits of Lying Down Meditation

By providing you with the ability to relax and re-energize, meditation is a powerful way to get in sync with your body. The practice of being still and allowing your mind to settle into a state of awareness can take many forms. One technique that is not often talked about is lying down meditation. This simple way to meditate can work very efficiently to accommodate specific situations where other forms of meditation cannot. Lying down has proven to be much more of a meditation technique than most people would believe it to be, and the benefits are highly revitalizing for the energy flow of the … Read More

Meditation and the Power of Brain Plasticity

The human brain is extremely dynamic by nature — seemingly built to be resilient and adaptable. As we unravel many more of the mysteries associated with this complex neural netowork, a growing body of research has indicated that the brain can be influenced in a way that can alter its performance in almost miraculous ways. The repetitive influence of certain thoughts and behaviors, for instance, has been found to change the actual structure of the brain and the cognitive function of the individual experiencing them. This phenomenon, now widely known as neuroplasticity, is a revolutionary discovery that is changing our … Read More

Meditative Martial Arts Techniques

Martial arts are a system of combat exercises that have been practiced for centuries as a way to develop one’s physical, mental, and spiritual aptitude. In martial arts philosophy, training begins with the mind. When the mind is calm and flexible, the body can maneuver effectively with grace and precision. In conflict, the warrior has no time to hesitate or contemplate distraction. Energy must be preserved and each move must be intentional. If the mind is too active, the body is tense and the ability to act with swiftness is compromised. Awareness and focus are considered the most crucial aspects … Read More

The Positive Influence of Mindfulness for Mental Health

Today mental illness is affecting more people than ever before. It can strike anyone, anytime, and the outcome can be devastating. This is why getting educated and taking the proper action to prevent or reduce your risk is essential. If you or someone you care about is struggling with such an issue, finding out everything you can is the best way to reach the perfect treatment plan. And because alternative therapies have become more and more appreciated, it’s time we found out together about the holistic mindfulness-based approach. The Effects of Mental Illness Mental illness comes in many shapes and forms. On the … Read More

The Tibetan Art of Calm Abiding Meditation

Imagine being able to gain full control of your entire mind. Being able to choose with razor-sharp precision which thoughts you invest your attention in, and which thoughts can be completely released without a trace. What would it be like to reflect on an inspired idea, and be able to follow it through to reach a stable conclusion without wavering? This can only be achieved with a calm mind, and once a conclusion is reached, you are able to observe and accept the implication of this experience without deviation. You are then able to integrate this observation into a more enhanced world view. With … Read More

What Is The Mind-Body Connection?

The terms ‘mind-body connection’ and ‘mind-body medicine’ are commonly used in the context that our thoughts influence the functioning of our body. When it comes to yoga, this notion carries a lot of weight but is considered only a small fraction of what the mind-body connection actually entails. How Mind Affects your Body Yoga teachers describe this mind-body connection as something abstract; this is a connection that we forge with our yoga practice but in reality, this mind-body link is present all the time whether we are aware of it or not. One of the most common examples of the … Read More

The Benefits of Integrative Body-Mind Training

In meditation, the goal is to restore mental efficiency by bringing the mind into a state of tranquility. A more recent approach called Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) is based on the theory that calming the mind begins with calming the body. As a holistic meditation technique, IBMT aims to acquire the benefits associated with meditation in a very short period of time. Integrative Body-Mind Awareness IBMT is a modern form of meditation based on traditional Chinese medicine, Taoism, and Confucianism (the philosophical teachings of Chinese philosopher Confucius). This method was developed and studied by Dr. Yi-Yuan Tang — a professor at the … Read More

An Overview of Yoga Nidra Meditation

Yoga and meditation are known to share symbolic similarities regarding philosophy and culture. Although these disciplines are unique, both practices are synonymous in being able to bring the mind and body into a relaxed and balanced state of harmony. While meditation is highly emphasized on the mental state of awareness as an anchor point, yoga includes movement of the body as a gateway to our energy centers. Yoga and meditation definitely share some very key aspects, but what remains constant is that when we are referring to the practice of meditation we are not necessarily speaking of yoga and vise … Read More

The Benefits of Meditation for Energy Enhancement

Meditation has become a little-known secret for the modern-day practitioner. You may have heard about how this mysterious ritual can be used as an effective relaxation technique or even a powerful way to get in touch with a deeper part of yourself. But did you know that meditation can also increase your energy? That may seem counterintuitive, but the concept of slowing down your mind to establish a balance between your mind and body is the exact reason why meditation is such a powerful way to stay energized. Why Do We Feel So Tired? Low energy can be a vicious … Read More