I am still unfolding all the goodness and learning that came from leading my first Qigong retreat—Nourishing the Spirit—our beautiful setting was a cabin on a stream in Sundance, UT.

Honestly, it was as if the stars aligned for this to happen, and I believe everyone left feeling more connected to who we are, knowing we are not alone, and increasing our self-acceptance as we refilled our vessel in many ways. 

Insights on how we spent our time together
First, there was the personal connection, I witnessed 12 women, who all didn’t know one another, leave with exchanging phone numbers and the promise to stay connected. 

A Fluid Outline
Qigong has taught me throughout the years to be fluid in my life, and that’s exactly what my team (Beth & Heather) and I decided to BE with this retreat. And you know what? We were complimented on being so fluid, and not being strict on how much time we spent doing an activity or free time. We went with the flow…

We began Friday morning with a Cacao Ceremony, a guided meditation, and choosing a word we wanted to embody. As the weekend began to unfold, the group came to the conclusion that we were all “breaking habitual patterns” that no longer serve.

We practiced Qigong out on the deck both Friday & Saturday, breathing in the fresh air and moving slowing with one another. On Saturday, we added a Bagua circle-movement, and a Tai Chi session arose for some of us.

During free time on both days, there were optional add-on sessions for a Thai massage or a Crystal Bed healing. Both were AWEmazing and given with insights afterwards. Oracle decks abound for those who wanted their own personal insights, reading was also a popular option, soaking in the hot tub, or writing and reflecting in a personal retreat journal I created for everyone.

A continuous cozy fire. I cannot remember the last time I have been around a fireplace. Fire is transformative—a wonderful metaphor for what was happening within each person.

Friday night, we put on our nourishing the soul playlist, that I made with songs chosen from everyone. I definitely have some new favorite songs. We danced and did our best to remember the electric slide. To complete our first evening, we enjoyed a sound bath before bed.

Saturday morning. While some were enjoying coffee/tea, others began in a seated meditation, followed by a nourishing vegetarian breakfast, and qigong outside on the deck. 

In qigong, autumn’s emotion is grief, and the other side is appreciation. Without going into detail, we witnessed and shared in an unexpected grief, which eventually led to the appreciation of life and its impermanence.

Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us,  “It is not the impermanence that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not.”

Saturday night. We gathered in a sacred circle, sharing ourselves with one another. What we learned, what we wanted to remember, and how we planned to move forward with our new insights. Each person took a turn and spoke about what was in their heart, we shed tears, we shared laughter, and we found a new respect for ourselves and each other.

We began the retreat by arriving with the perfect golden scenery of Utah autumn, and we left with a soft blanket of Utah snow.

It came to me that we transformed as much as the weather, it was pure magic.
There is so much more I could write, but will end here.

We are planning another retreat or two in 2023… stay tuned!
The retreats will be small in numbers, if you would like to be the first to know, email me.