Yesterday evening, as I left VTCYT after facilitating the Mindful Parents workshop, I recognized that parenting with a mindfulness approach could sometimes be a challenge. I think this challenge arises due to the following.

1.  A mindfulness practice is a difficult practice. For parents, finding time or a space can be tricky. However, this practice is essential as one group member pointed out last night. She stated “We need to practice...

When we think of exercise, we often think of our bodies. We exercise to keep ourselves physically fit, be in charge of preventing various health issues, or to just let go and feel good. We also know that there are ways to exercise our brain. Maybe, you completed this morning’s Sudoku or crossword puzzle or will watch tonight’s Jeopardy. I want to tell you about another brain exercise that is...

When we eat raw foods we experience the nourishment that comes from life feeding life.  There has recently been a lot of research in the area of raw foods. Raw foods alkalize the body- balancing the body’s pH.  This helps the body to quickly rid of toxins.  Raw foods provide us with energy in its most natural form. This empowers our bodies, making us feel energized and whole. <...

When I woke up this morning, a cool breeze coming through my window pleasantly greeted me. In this moment I was reminded that a new season is indeed approaching us sometime soon. You may have had your own reminders of this change – preparing your children getting back to school or you may be looking forward to that last weekend summer getaway.

It seems, that sometimes when reminders force us to take...

When I began practicing mindfulness meditation formally 4 years ago, it was on a whim. A classmate of mine, who led meditation at the UVM Mindfulness Practice Center, invited me to join him during their drop-in hours. I began to attend regularly and also took a few mindfulness-based courses that contributed to my psychology degree. The positive effects mindfulness can bring to our minds and spirits quickly fascinated me.

I currently work in...

We are pleased to announce that Young Living Essential Oils will be available for sale at the center!

Please click below for more information!

https://www.youngliving.org/oils4wellness

Also, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Julieta I. Rushford-Santiago will be running a workshop at the center where she will explore the various uses of these oils!

http://vtcit.com/calendar/event/the_anatomy...

We all play many roles throughout our day. Tied to these roles may be particular emotions, sensations, energy, or presence that we and others around us experience. We form attachments to various things and may even identify them as “mine” or part of “me.” I invite you to try this practice, found in The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield.

For one day, check in with yourself every half...

VTCYT is please to offer individual mindfulness meditation instruction, facilitated by our graduate level intern, Catherine Schiller. Mindfulness meditation is an opportunity to deepen one's awareness of one's internal and external experiences, moment to moment. Mindfulness allows one to bring a gentle curiosity, with openness, compassion, and non-judgement to these experiences. Mindfulness meditation can allow one to develop skills that may be helpful for a particular ailment or concern including depression, anxiety,...

Two weekends ago, I decided to dedicate some time to just myself while attending a two day retreat at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I experienced what I call the “full spectrum” of everything you could imagine that would come up while being in silence for those two days.  Pleasure, pain, pain and pleasure at the same time, boredom, joy, etc.

One fascinating moment occurred when...

The Wisdom 2.0 conference is underway in Silicon Valley, California. The conference explores how "we can bring deeper meaning to and wisdom to ourselves in our technology-rich age." You can also enjoy the lectures via live stream or view the lectures previously recorded. Those presenting include Jack Kornfield, Dan Siegal, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Eckhart Tolle. 

http://www.wisdom2summit.com/Live-Stream

Picture via Wisdom 2.0

The March issue of Shambhala Sun explores who meditation has been researched over the past few decades as well as provides "Living Proof" of how meditation can affect one's life and overall well-being. Isabel Adon, a social worker in the Bronx shares why she is "Living Proof." Read an excerpt below or find the latest issue to read for yourself.

http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task...

Preparing and sitting down to a nice meal is a great time to integrate mindfulness into your life.  Even while at the store picking out ingredients, one can practice mindfulness- it is all about slowing down, taking the time to know what ingredients go into your meal, and practicing patience- set time aside to learn about and prepare a new dish.  While in the kitchen, allow yourself to discover new smells and...

Paying Attention

Erin Marie Henry – UVM Nutrition Student and Intern to Kimberly Evans, RD

Mindfulness is paying attention to our everyday actions, surroundings and thoughts in a non-judging way.   Food and mindfulness are closely related. When the mind and body are connected, one has the energy to be present in all that there is to experience.  Our bodies have an innate healing ability. When we feed...

Many of the individuals I meet with to teach and practice mindfulness meditation always ask me about how they can maintain their practice independently. It may be helpful to have a guide. Please follow the link below to be connected to Dr. Arnold Kozak's complete collection of mindfulness practices. Guided practices include basic mindfulness meditation practices, mindful walking, yoga, and specific practices for anger and pain. 

http://exquisitemind.com/learn...

Interested in the Mindfulness for Teens or Mindful Parents Support groups but missed the first meeting? No worries! Groups are still open for participants to join. Feel free to come this upcoming Monday, September 12th.

Mindfulness for Teens 3:30-4:30

Mindful Parents 5:45-6:45

For a detailed schedule, check out our events page. 

I watched change happen for seven silent days. A lot happened. That is the short-form version of my experience on a recent mindfulness meditation retreat. Change is beautiful and interesting. However, that perspective is not always the relationship we may have towards change. I have often heard and experienced that change is hard, but we can rely that it is always happening, in fact change must happen. My retreat experience opened my eyes further...

I came across an article today in the New York Times that explored the seemingly increased interest in meditation - only, especially among many New York yoga studios. Yoga, which can invite us to be exposed to meditation and to our internal selves if we allow it, seems to be inviting many yoga students to practice meditation soley. As a meditation instructor and intern here at VTCYT I have noticed an increased demand for...

I am excited to offer a Meditation and Mindfulness workshop at VTCYT, which starts next Tuesday, Sept. 13. There are many concrete, measurable benefits from meditation -- decreased anxiety, enhanced immune system, better focus and concentration, improved relationships, and more -- but meditation at its best is not about fixing or improving anything. What becomes increasingly clear through sustained and regular practice is the paradox that what produces all these benefits is allowing everything to...

I am excited and looking forward to facilitating Mindfulness for Teens and Mindful Parents starting a week from today, March 5. I am also pleased to offer these groups to the community for no charge. 

Mindfulness for Teens provides opportunity for Teens to learn and practice mindfulness based practices that includes formal meditation, mindful eating, mindful movements, and mindful listening in a group setting. Teens will also discuss areas in which mindfulness...

Check out this article on meditation!

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2012/11/meditations-positive-residual-effects/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11.15.12%2520%281%29#.UKT3Ol0o_MY.email

As I continue my internship here at VTCYT, I am please to offer free individual mindful parenting, meditation instruction, and counseling starting November 1. Each session will be one hour and slots are available now on Monday's 2:00-7:00 p.m., and Tuesday and Friday mornings, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. If you are interested, please inquiry by calling the center, 802-658-9440 or emailing Catherine.E.Schiller@gmail.com.

Mindful parenting instruction...

Workshops

Self-Compassion: Taming the Inner Critic with Isabeall Logan Tuesday’s starting November 8th, 5-6:30  p.m.

Pratyaagati…Journey Home with Bree Greenberg-Benjamin Thursday’s starting November 10th, 4-6:45 pm

Women, Food, and Self-Love [Half –day Retreat] with Tisha Shull & Laurinda Poirier-Solomon Saturday, November 12th, 9:30 am – 3pm.

For more information on the events above, please see our events page...

Feeling stressed, tired, or burnt out? It may be helpful to take a walk, or if you are lucky enough to be living in the beautiful state of Vermont, take a moment and take in a spectacular scene of the Green Mountains or Lake Champlain. Being in nature, researchers understand, has restorative power to nurture our selves.

In an article featured on the Miller-McCune website, researchers found that being in nature, even...

Margaret Russell and Deb Sherrer are leading a Yoga & Mindfulness for Infertility workshop on Saturday May 4, from 9:00am - 12:00pm at the Vermont Center for Integrative Therapy. The workshop is a great introduction to their Yoga & Mindfulness for Infertility Series, which starts May 23.  Yoga can be a wonderful tool for stress relief during the process of infertility. Using...