2023 Refresh & Renew: A Spring Wellness Day
Events
Our 2023 Refresh & Renew, A Spring Wellness Day was a success! The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and it was the perfect 70 degree day.
Mindfulness
We started the day by practicing the difficult skill of mindfulness. Mindfulness is about awareness and acceptance of the present moment. Noticing the things around you and happening within you. It can include noticing physical sensations, thoughts, and feelings. Along with noticing, comes the acceptance or non-judgement of these items. For example, if I am feeling anxious. I might say to myself (or aloud) “I am noticing that I feel anxious right now.” I am not viewing this as good or bad and I am not trying to change it. Mindfulness is a practice that gets easier over time the more we use it in everyday activities.
We had the opportunity to intentionally practice mindfulness while putting our own flower arrangements together with flowers from Old Silo Flower Farm.
Tips for practicing mindfulness:
Use your 5 senses to notice what you see, hear, smell, feel, and taste. Describe in detail your observations either to yourself, to someone else around you, or by writing it down.
Guided Journaling
Sometimes our own conscious or unconscious thoughts are getting in the way of true rest and renewal preventing us from moving forward. Participants were guided through journal prompts and invited to create a Self-Compassion Intention. The single word or phrase was painted on a rock as a solid reminder to take back to everyday life.
Breathing Techniques
At times we can unintentionally practice anxiety breathing when we breathe shallowly into our chest. At our wellness day we had breath taking views, but we still took the opportunities to breathe deep from our stomachs and practiced breathing techniques that help to calm the mind and body.
Nature Meditation
Amber with Sweet Spirit Yoga + Retreats shared one of her many gifts with us by guiding us through a nature experience that allowed us all to slow down and appreciate our surroundings. The benefits of nature are many and the dedicated time spent in nature without electronics, expectations, or responsibilities was refreshing.
Sound Bath
Sound baths have many benefits including reducing anxiety, lowering heart rate and blood pressure, boosting the immune system, lessening stress, and more.
Jennie Ruth shared her gift of sounds with us in this beautiful outdoor setting. It was a wonderful way to close the day.
THANK YOU to everyone that attended, donated, & contributed their time and talents! We are so grateful for you all!
