Dr. Melinda Asztalos Karma Pema Khandro has a PhD in Movement Psychology from Ghent University and holds two Master’s degrees (one in Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences and another in European Physical Education with a specialization in Pedagogy), complemented by Teacher Training.
Melinda Pema Khandro has been a dedicated student and practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism for 25 years, following teachings with the highest Lamas of our time, including Karma Trinlay Rinpoche, Lama Karta, Lama Zeupa, Pema Chödrön, Lama Ole Nydahl, Maniwa Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche, the Shamarpa Künzig Shamar Rinpoche, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Additionally, Melinda Pema Khandro has become an advanced Bikram Yoga practitioner, learning since 2019, third year with exceptional teacher Karel Hajek. Her combined background in academics, scientific research, spiritual practice, and focused bodywork has profoundly shaped her expertise in mindful movement and consciousness development.
The list of Melinda’s teachers can only be complete by highlighting the Bodhisattva Cat Kicsike Baby, who has taken the Bodhisattva vow with Karma Trinlay Rinpoche, and has received blessings from Maniwa Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and Lama Zeupa.
Kicsike Baby is familiar with Tibetan Buddhist meditation and mantra recitation, and she does mantra rounds around the Stupa of Enlightenment at the Tibetan Institute Yeunten Ling in Huy, Belgium, several times a year when she travels with Melinda by car, sitting in her own (human baby) maxi-cosi on the front passenger seat. Their Yidam is Green Tara, and their main protectors are Mahakala, Tara Jigje Chenmo, Ugra (Black) Tara, Dorje Sempa & Nyema. They express gratitude for blessings and protection every day.
An activity that Melinda Pema Khandro and Kicsike Baby cherish deeply and regularly need is walking in the forest and connecting with Mother Nature. In the woods, they both find inspiration, wisdom, healing, joy, and peace.
Melinda’s book “The Crack – freedom while stuck in human form” builds on her doctoral thesis and offers a practical guide on how to become mindful in posture, breathing, movement, and virtually all actions one performs. The element of mindfulness changes the quality of all manifestations and actions. Melinda teaches how to be conscious and mindful in everyday life, and how to be connected to the body and aware of the mind throughout all activities, not just during bodywork or meditation. She inspires people to develop a relationship with Life and actively seek ways to be responsive partners to Life.
Melinda’s PhD focused on developing the concept of mindful movement and creating a method by which mindful movement can become an integrated part of one’s daily life. Mindful movement refers to being consciously present during different (and preferably all) activities, including physical activity, sports, rehabilitation routines, activities of daily living, and work-related activities. Melinda’s research suggests that physical movements involving focused mental participation lead to better performance and greater benefits for physical health and mental well-being than physical movements that lack mental focus and kinesthetic awareness.
The power of mindful movement
Mindful movement enhances the quality of preventive and rehabilitation programs, increases performance in sports and fitness, and, when applied to daily activities, can improve the quality of life and significantly increase the chances of healthy and happy aging. Additionally, through the body, you gain access to the power of your mind and learn to control your mind and your ego. You learn to read your body’s signals and harness the power of the mind-body connection. You gain the ability to release stored tension and reduce stress reactivity, cultivate a deep sense of inner harmony and resilience, and calm your inner critic and doubter/worrier. Through your own body, you rewire your brain for more strength, meaning, joy, and peace.
The method that teaches how to integrate mindfulness into daily life is called ‘The 3M System’, and Melinda created this method following many years of research into how awareness of human thinking, behavior, and bodily movements can bring more peace and meaning to daily life. The motto of ‘The 3M System’ is “BE in all you DO” and this is the essence of Melinda’s teachings. Learning this method has numerous beneficial consequences, as applying the simple motto involves learning to discover, understand, and accept yourself, including both your desirable and less desirable qualities, and developing a more conscious and deliberate perspective on life in general.
Melinda’s most recent work explores how mindful movement can be applied in elderly care and integrated into protocols that promote happy and healthy aging. You can read about it here: Mindful Movement in Elderly Care and Healthy Aging Abstract.docx
