Activity Descriptions
All retreats include these activities: Camping and cooking, yoga, journaling, hiking, fire ceremony, solo time, and art.
The activities we offer have been powerful pathways to personal growth for both
Sharon and Abbi. We have spent years exploring these activities with others and have seen even more benefit. Whether you are new to these activities or a tenured enthusiast, we creatively teach and support multiple skill levels and learning styles.
We offer these activities as places to start, to learn what you can from them and
to notice who you are in relationship to them. Our hope is to help you connect with
modalities that can best work for you when you go home. Facilitated conversations
follow many activities in order to process the experience and to learn from others.
Camping and Cooking: The woods are available to you. Learn how to camp comfortably in various weather conditions. We will also practice mindful eating as we prepare and are nourished by healthy food.
Yoga: Yoga is a movement practice, with origins in India that is accessible to all levels
of mobility. Intentionally take a deep breath, feel that sensation in your body, and you are on your way to doing yoga. Stepping onto the yoga mat you are making a commitment to yourself to practice being present, to slow down and connect with and find compassion for yourself. You will learn postures that have been practiced for centuries and your body and mind will develop strength and flexibility. You will use your breath to release tension and will practice noticing the power of your intention. In time, yoga can help to quiet the fluctuations of the mind. By taking the time to turn our attention inward we can gain more awareness in our body, more control of where our awareness is in any given moment, and witness how powerful our actions are in shaping our internal state. We invite you to notice that wherever you are in the posture and on your journey, you are enough, perfect in the moment.
Journaling: We prepare journal exercises with thought provoking questions to allow participants the opportunity to focus their attention. Journaling provides an opportunity to speak to our self, to grapple with conflicting emotions, to witness who you are in the moment, to question what lies ahead, and to find clarity before articulating one’s experience in a group discussion. We invite you to take the time to contemplate, explore your heart, and see what motivates you.
Hiking: As soon as you start hiking uphill and your heart starts beating hard… where does your mind go, what messages does it send and which ones do you listen to? Hiking can be ‘not fun now, fun later,’ as you push through resistances and feel the physical rewards of your effort later. Hiking can also become ‘fun now, fun later.’
If you have hiked before, how do you hike?
* Do you rush out of breath; unaware of your surroundings to reach a summit, excited
to see what lies beyond the horizon?
* Do you hike moderately along in pace with your breath, taking time to pause along
the way, ending for a nice lunch at the top?
* Do you pay more attention to the path in front of you not worrying if you ever
reach the top?
There are many different “paths to the summit.” Do you resonate with one pattern or do you utilize many? Come explore with us.
“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a
mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” ~ John Muir
Fire Ceremony: Fire ceremony is a tradition that is steeped in some Native American practices. We hold space for a fire ceremony as a means for letting go and setting new intentions. Offerings are made to the fire to represent what is ready to be let go of. For example, these offerings could consist of an item (rock, leaf), letter, or a created symbol that would represent a repetitive thought or habit that is not longer supportive. As the fire accepts the offering, space is created for setting new intentions and allowing what is to come next.
Solo Time: Solo time in the woods facilitates deep listening. This is often when journaling exercises will be offered, or you can use the time to connect to the natural world.
Transformational Art Projects: Create and explore through art in nature. These transformational art projects are therapeutic activities that offer a way to share things that need to be said beyond what words can convey.