Entries For: May 2008

Ah! Sweet retreat! I've just returned from 10 days out West and I'm feeling the expansiveness in my body, in my spirit, in my mind! I co-facilitated a one day retreat in NM and then attended a 6 day retreat in CO. I suspect I'll be writing in the coming weeks about some of my a-has and inspirations on my sojourn out west. But for now I want to encourage you, wherever you are, to take yourself on retreat ASAP!

My joyful co-facilitator, playpal, soul sister and dear friend Licia Berry and I recorded our second radio show 5 Elements for a Kick Butt Getaway! on The Celebration Station on Blog Talk Radio.  We did this after facilitating our retreat at Ghost Ranch and then experiencing the magic of the Echo Ampitheatre in Northern New Mexico (photo above). If you have 30 min to listen, click here and enjoy!

Or if you just want the quick skinny so you can start planning right away, here are the 5 key elements for retreat we highlight in our show:

1. Determine your purpose – why are you going? What do you need? To rest? To be in nature? To be alone? To connect with others? What are you craving?
2. Choose a great location – it can be your backyard, a local park, the beach or half way across the country. Make sure it’s a place that feels really good to you and will nourish you for a few hours or a few days.
3. Make it a multisensory experience – have yummy food, beautiful scenery, great music – or listen to the birds. Be aware of all your senses when experiencing retreat.
4. Create sacred space – create a little altar – something to mark the occasion. It can be with a candle or a rock or a pile of leaves – it doesn’t need to be fancy – but something to mark that this is sacred time and space for you to retreat
5. Pick a retreat process – retreats are more meaningful if you have a process to focus your energy – it can be journaling, hiking, collaging, focused conversation, walking a labyrinth. Something to focus your attention so your mind’s not wandering all over the place.

What is your favorite place to take yourself on retreat? Or where would you like to go on retreat? I invite you to comment below...

I co-facilitated a women's retreat last week with my dear friend and colleague Licia Berry at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM and guess who lives 15 minutes down the road? That's right - Judy!!!

After two years of relationship - and coaching can be a very personal, intimate, deep connection - we finally got to meet in person! It was wonderful!

I love the phone and I love e-mail and I've made authentic connections with people all over the world this way. But somehow a hug in person is just the best.

Judy introduced me to her husband, Wayne and her horses Jack, Madonna and Guapito. I soaked in all the details about her home, land and business. I'd heard about these for years and even seen photos but it's just not the same as being in person.

You can learn more about her business at Healing Through Horses. Thank you, Judy, for attending our retreat and for welcoming me to New Mexico with open arms! It was a joy to spend time with you!

Eileen is my friend who I call "the fun time girl" because she's the life of the party! We found just about everything worth giggling about during her wedding weekend! (Here she is getting ready being tended to by Jennifer, her maid of honor, and Mista, a fellow bridesmaid.)

I've determined that there are 4 key ingredients to make any gathering - a wedding, birthday party, holiday gathering or simply dinner with neighbors - a smashing success!

1. Family and Friends - it may be stating the obvious but the best celebrations in life involve the people we love the most. Weddings in particular are a wonderfully special time where all aspects of your life (from childhood to now!) can collide for a brief few hours. Eileen and Lars had people from all over the country (and 3 from overseas!) fly in for the weekend. It requires energy and effort on everyone's part but the end result is often priceless!

2. Ambiance - finding the right location and setting the mood for your gathering makes all the difference in the world. Eileen knew that she wanted to get married at the beach. Even though the weather didn't cooperate for the bridal party to take photos on the sand, just being near the ocean with the salty air and the breeze put everyone in the spirit!

3. Planning with Intention - Eileen comes from a large Irish Catholic family from New Jersey - Lars comes from a small Baptist family from Georgia. Definitely two different worlds! So they combined elements of the two to make for a rich experience for all. For example, during their ceremony, two of the readings were from their favorite performers - Alan Jackson and Jon Bon Jovi!

4. Sacred Elements - there were many holy and divinely inspired moments during the weekend. Exchanging vows is usually a very sacred ritual and their Celtic hand tying ceremony was touching and beautiful. Another sacred moment came when Eileen's three nieces did a dance routine they'd learned in school. Perhaps it wasn't a "traditional" sacred moment but anything that inspires delight, bring joys or move people to tears is considered sacred in my book.

My favorite part of the whole weekend was when Dexie's Midnight Runners (remember them?!) blasted "Come On Eileen!" and the place went wild! Eileen's brothers hoisted her up on their shoulders, everyone rushed to the dance floor to boogie and there was my friend for 17 years ~ Bean~ beaming in the middle of the crowd of friends and family as she kicked up her heels with her new husband.

It doesn't get much more sacred and precious than that!