Women's Retreat Ideas

Book of Meditations for Every Day of the Year

2011-01-27T19:53:00.000-08:00

Divine Intimacy: Meditations on the Interior Life for Every Day of the Year is a classic book of meditations steeped in Carmelite spirituality. Many people say that they grow so attached to its depth of wisdom and spiritual insight that when they finish it they start all over and read it again. Prayer time is not complete without it, as this masterful book always speaks to the heart, as well as the head. If you a serious student of the "science of love" and appreciate the great Carmelite saints St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, as well as St. Theresa and many others, you will hold this book dear.

Each day offers two meditations, in liturgical arrangement, that enable the soul to enter the conscious presence of God and to reflect on the theme of the day. These are followed by a Colloquy that helps the person at prayer to start a friendly conversation with God where acts of praise and love, petition and thanksgiving are made, together with good resolutions for the future.

In addition, at the end of each day's one or two-page teaching (which follows the Church year, although one can pick it up at any time and find it edifying), there are two prayers or reflections, either taken directly from one of the great Carmelite saints, or from the author of this book, himself a Carmelite priest and teacher.

At what comes to about 15 cents a day for the first year of use (assuming the book costs about $52.00), it's without a doubt one of the wisest purchases you will ever make.

Meditation and Past Life Regression Therapy

2010-04-23T22:24:00.000-07:00

When it comes to improving your life and working on yourself as an individual, life regression therapy is actually something that more and more people are starting to use. Past life regression therapy is not some new age technique that's designed to help you revert back to your old ways, but exactly the opposite.

Past life regression therapy is discovering a new way of looking at who you are by remembering who you were in a past life, and discovering how to use this knowledge to help yourself. You can do this through a variety of meditations, and the benefits of using past life regression therapy are without number.

Journaling Techniques for Past Life Regression

The first tool to use in your past life regression therapy is a journal. This isn't a simple list of what you ate yesterday, or what you wore last week to the office, or even a place to keep track of your spending. This journal is more complex, more demanding, and requires that you be open and honest with yourself and who you truly are.

Begin your past life regression therapy journal by making a list of the events of the day and your thoughts and emotions that those events inspired. How did you resolve the issues that were raised by those events? But in order for this journal to work for you, you have to be open and honest with yourself about your true thoughts and emotions, as these are the clues that will help you discover your past life.

Keeping track of how you think and feel about your day to day life will also help you see the patterns that surround you. You can watch these patterns grow, and change the ones you don't like to make you feel better about your life.

Using Meditation
Search Amazon.com for meditation cushion

The most difficult tool to learn to use in your past life regression therapy is meditation. It requires a great deal of you, and demands that you trust yourself, and learn to find inner serenity.

Many people begin meditation by using a music CD or DVD that has certain imagery, music, or sound recordings that help them get into a calm state of mind. Meditating correctly can take patience, strength of will and concentration, but once you learn how, you will find meditation becomes easy and restful.

When you are in a meditative state you will find yourself able to let your mind wander to what is truly important in your life, to relationships with family and friends and even work. When you are finished with your meditation, take a moment to write your thoughts, feelings, and discoveries in a journal.

Benefits of Past Life Regression Therapy

There are numerous benefits to getting involved with and starting life regression therapy. Looking back on your past and even your current self, you'll be able to understand yourself much better than before. It can help uncover hidden thoughts, feelings, and emotions that you didn't think you had. Your subconscious will be free and you'll be able to think more clearly than you had before.

Past life regression therapy can also help you resolve those issues which have hampered you throughout your life. Perhaps you have unresolved issues with your parents, a sibling or a child; this therapy can help you come to peace with those issues and help you to become a better person in the process.

All in all, a greater understanding of yourself and your ability to change is what you'll achieve through life regression therapy. By examining yourself through the years and making observations about your inner self, your attitudes, thoughts, and personality will improve for the better.

About the Author:

The author David Cootes writes for the popular http://www.past-lives-regression.com site. You can enjoy the incredible experience of past life regression and you can try it yourself when you get over 30 Free past life regression therapy Binaural and hypnosis mp3 Audios and Videos when you visit here.

Women's Retreat Ideas: Affordable Digital Scrapbook Kits

2010-01-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

If you are thinking about creating a scrapbook, you can choose between a traditional paper based scrapbook or a digital scrapbook. By learning a bit more about these choices you will be able to pick the option that is best for you.

Digital scrapbooking kits use a computer in order to lay out digital photos. You then add virtual decorations and add electronic lettering and decorative text accents. Paper scrapbooks do the same thing, but you use actual photographs, glue actual pieces of patterned paper to the paper backing, and add actual embellishments, writing and journal text accents. Digital scrapbooking can be much less expensive than paper scrapbooking, since you can reuse decorative accents. You are arranging them electronically, not physically, so you can reuse elements rather than needing to throw them away if they are the wrong size or shape. Many people prefer digital scrapbooks because they are less expensive to create.

Because you are creating everything virtually, you are able to use different decorations and memoirs in more than one way. In order to add something like a medal or a ribbon to a digital scrapbook, you can scan it in and add it that way. Not only does that make actually creating the pages less expensive, you can save money because you are not printing the photographs out. If you are cutting and repositioning them, you may need to print more than once copy. Paper scrapbooks can be great, but keep in mind you will need to pay for the album, the pages, the patterned papers and any other decorative elements that you are putting in it. That can really make the cost add up.

There are paper scrapbook kits and digital scrapbook kits. A digital scrapbook kit will often include page templates, digital decorative papers and other bits and pieces. A physical scrapbook kit will often include the album, the pages, embellishments, lettering, mounting adhesives and metal brads. Expensive kits will have more options and accessories included with them. This is true of both digital and paper scrapbook kits. Looking around in craft stores and online will give you a good idea of what is currently available.

Rather than buying pages right in time for specific holidays, think about completing these small projects shortly after the holiday has taken place. You might find that normally expensive seasonally themed page kits can be much less money when the seasons change and the holiday has passed. Learning when to shop can be the best way to save money on the overall cost of your digital scrapbook.

There are also digital scrapbook kits that can make brag books. These are usually smaller albums, often sized 4"x6" and are designed to be easily portable. They are often used by parents or grandparents to show off photos of a new child or grandchild, hence the nickname "brag book". Because these sheets are smaller, you don't even need to send them out for professional printing.

One way to make a digital scrapbook even more affordable is to display them online. That way the largest number of people possible can view the album, and you do not need to pay to have the album printed. If you are interested in having your album printed, shop around and find the lowest prices that give you the quality you want. You may find that getting more than one printed at once can lower the cost. If that is the case, think about printing one copy for yourself, and another for a gift.

If you are interested in looking into digital scrapbooking kits there are a number of excellent websites which you can look at. They offer a range of different kits that can be purchased online, and can offer advice on working with digital templates. You may find that they can help you gain more confidence in your artistic abilities and help you preserve your family's accomplishments for future viewing.

About the Author:

Finding out more about the use of digital scrapbook kits will make life easier. There are helpful scrapbooking software programs that can help you make your memories come alive. Look at them today and purchase one!

Ocracoke: A Great Destination for Women's Retreats

2010-01-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

The 1960's television hit "The Andy Griffith Show" centered around a small town sheriff and his family and friends in the fictional town of Mayberry. It harkened back to a simpler time, when life was slower, people more caring, and everyone knew your name.

While Mayberry is fictional, there is a place that will certainly remind you of it: Ocracoke Beach, located in North Carolina. It's a great place for women's retreats and family beach vacations. In this article we will tell you why we think Ocracoke is one of the "Top Beaches of the World", and a "must see". We warn you though...this place will move you in ways you will not expect.

While most of North Carolina has marched on in time, Ocracoke still maintains its old-time feeling. One of the major reasons is probably because it's a lot harder to get to Ocracoke compared to other vacation spots. No bridges, tunnels or roads go there directly. You will either need to have a private plane or boat, or be a good swimmer (we're kidding...), or use one of the ferries that travel back and forth on a daily basis.

Shopping in Ocracoke is different as well. While shopping on the mainland can be rush, rush, rush...shopping on Ocracoke is like a leisurely stroll through the park. The shops are all small and quaint, and many focus on only one or two things. For example, there is one shop that focuses only on kites...one of the favorite pastimes on the island. They do have two main variety stores for your grocery needs, and a post office for those postcards back to the mainland.

Ocracoke has a historic lighthouse that was built by Noah Porter (a builder from Massachusetts) in 1832. It's known as the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in North Carolina, as well as the second oldest in the US. It is 75 feet (23 m) tall, and it's diameter varies from 25 feet (8 m) at the base to 12 feet (3.7 m) at the top. The light from this lighthouse can be seen 14 miles out into the Atlantic. A United States National Park Ranger is on duty during the summer months. When a ranger is on duty you can enter the base of the lighthouse, but no climbing is permitted.

In conclusion, we absolutely love Ocracoke. Even if you don't enjoy going to the beach, this is the perfect place for your next women's retreat. If you often think back to "days of old" when life was simpler and more carefree, definitely check out Ocracoke. Beware, you may leave your heart there.

About the Author:

Want to find out more about Ocracoke? Visit Charles Vaughn's site on Creative Family Beach Vacations.

Women's Retreat Ideas: Chakra Cleansing

2009-12-26T15:08:00.000-08:00

Our body and our energy points are subject to various environmental influences, both positive and negative. It is therefore important that each individual responsible undertake effective chakra cleansing practices in order to maintain balance and harmony among our physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual aspects. This is necessary so that our chakras (energy systems) always function in unison with one another for a healthy and active lifestyle.

Following are some of the conventional chakra cleansing methods people have used for thousands of years:

1. Regularly burning incense or certain herbs and plants and allowing ourselves to soak in the smoke can negate the negative effect of obstacles to our energy points. Smudging is an age-old practice known to people of diverse cultures and civilization as an effective method if achieving balance and harmony in life.

2. Undergoing auric brushing or having someone run their hands down chakra line from top to bottom also frees energy jams. Some people recommend the use of crystals and gems can be used to clear out blockages in your auras but some of the gems and crystals are too strong and requires very good experience in order to prevent serious damage rather than effect healing.

3. A wholesome lifestyle, drinking plenty of clean water, tea and fruit juices, plus enough sleep and moderation are highly suggested in order to preserve the function of our chakras.

4. Regular physical workouts and breathing exercises are very important to the maintenance of healthy and strong chakras. Aside from making the heart healthier, regular physical activity and proper breathing also ensures unrestricted blood flow to all parts of the body.

5. Connect with the wonders and magic of nature. Learning to appreciate the nature has a wonderful influence in the function of our energy systems.

6. Color therapy is another effective chakra cleansing practice. Colors, with their effects on individuals can successfully be used in initiating chakra cleansing either by visualization or by looking at the real color.

7. Music has long been known as a way by which we achieve relaxation. Listening to music is a very helpful chakra cleansing strategy because a relaxed chakra is one that functions at optimum level and equally benefits the corresponding endocrine system connected to it.

8. Stimulating our mental power and engaging in worthwhile intellectual pursuits are critical factors to maintain a healthy chakra. The mind rests in the mental aura and this level of the aura needs to be stimulated or it will slow down, accelerating the aging process. We need to be learning, interested, and passionate about something at all times in our lives.

9. Deep contemplation for a few minutes on a regular basis is enough to allow us to realize and understand our thoughts and emotional feelings. It is a vital way of chakra cleansing technique because it makes us cognizant and receptive to everything around us.

10. Learn to love yourself. This is important so that you can also learn to love others around you. Feelings of love and appreciation releases chemicals that benefit our body and in the same way, feelings of anger also releases chemicals that affect us negatively.

11. An awareness of our feelings and emotions coupled with the ability to express them in a constructive manner to people around us is a very vital chakra cleansing and maintenance strategy. Restrained thoughts, feelings and emotions can invariably cause energy jams that can disturb our health and well being.

12. Being imaginative in our daily activities helps us maintain balance and harmony. Imagination and creativity is not the private realm of the arts as we can utilize it to make our activities more interesting!

13. Be perceptive of the significance of your past since it can provide a deep understanding of your purpose as a person.

14. Maintaining sincerity and reliability in all facets of our lives keeps us healthy and righteous. Living a life anchored on moral values help make us more productive, creative and dependable, not only to ourselves but for others as well.

15. Prayer is also a central element of our health and energy systems. Prayer allows us to communicate with a Higher Being who can help us achieve emotional balance and stability. Prayer helps quiet down our minds to make us receptive to everything around us.

The above are all effective chakra cleansing techniques which we need to incorporate in our lives. Although chakra cleansing takes time, it should be done regularly and continuously for us to reap its benefits and advantages in living a healthy life.

About the Author:

The author Anne-Marie Laureaut is one of the team of experts who contribute to the popular chakra-balance.com site. To get more information on how chakra cleansing can transform your whole life and how you can get free chakra meditation Audios visit here.

"Girls' Night Out" Party Kit Series

2009-12-21T11:37:00.000-08:00

One of the titles in the "Girls' Night Out" party kit series from Group.com is "Bead Mania". the kit contains supplies for 8 beaded bracelets. The idea is that each participant discovers her own unique beauty and talents as she creates a bead bracelet.

Each woman chooses a colored bead and each color corresponds to a conversation-starting question. Each woman goes around the table and responds to her question and over the course of the evening, everyone gets to know one another better AND leaves with a really cool bracelet as a reminder of the party. The creative connection is concluded with a time for conversation and themed snacks (recipes included). Discussion questions are provided.

The party guide gives ideas for how to decorate for the party, foods to serve, etc. It comes with a CD-Rom that provides party music as well as templates for invitations, name cards, etc. They even sell a refill kit for the bracelets in case you want to have more than 8 participants, or repeat the party with a different group.

There are also Girls' Night Out Party kits with other themes (spa, chocolate, cooking). Some of the newest themes are:

* The Bloomery (in case you don't need the whole retreat, do this flower-themed party)
* Tickled Pink (focuses on laughter and joy--and has a tie-in for breast cancer recovery if you want to use it in that way)
* Cozy Kitchen (a cooking party where you'll make comfort foods, wear your fuzzy slippers, and chat!)Really fun for women--and your guests don't have to buy anything!

Girls' Night Out Party Kit: Bead Mania

Reclaiming the Moon: Ritual for Women's Retreats

2008-12-03T00:32:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for a meaningful menopause ritual for a women's retreat? Reclaiming the Moon is spiritual ritual suitable for midlife women's retreats. The name comes from the Aboriginal tradition, and is suitable for all women women who are ending their menstruation.

Menopause is no longer the taboo subject whispered about behind closed doors. Women are increasingly honoring this important time in our lives - which makes this ritual a wonderful activity for a women's retreat.

As described in an article from the Aboriginal Nurse journal:

Physically and medically, menopause is defined as the time when our moon cycles end; we no longer menstruate or have our period ... In contrast, native culture as seen from the traditional teachings, views aging and menopause as a time of renewal and wisdom, sharing through the grace of grand parenting ... not just your own kin, but the youth of the nation. For women, it was seen as a state when our duties of birthing and mothering could be exchanged for a clearer focus on our own gifts including more intense spiritual work however this was done.

Reclaiming the Moon Ritual

A recognition of the earth cycles in relation to female cycles can also help each woman gets/makes a calendar showing moon cycles

Maria Campbell's (Metis author of Halfbreed) reclaiming of traditional understandings about the moon has helped her through menopause.

Aligning herself with nature has allowed her to understand more about her own body. As Campbell says in A Recognition of Being: Reconstructing Native Womanhood, this is an understanding she had to reclaim:

When I started my menstrual cycle, I didn't pay attention to those teachings, because who talked about the moon when they talked about menstruation in the 1950s? But as I grew older and I went back to the old ways, I started to pay attention to my body and how the moon affected me. Once I understood that, then I could work with her and it helped me go through my change and all of those women things. I never really had a bad time because I understood how the moon affected me, and I was able to teach that to my daughters. I think it made a difference for them. In Cree, the moon is Kookoomnow - Grandmother. How can she hurt us if we work for her?

Women's Retreat Idea: Natural Facials

2008-11-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

For people with fragrance allergies you can try all natural facials. You simply mash fruit with honey to get a smooth paste, and put it onto your skin. The mixture is sticky, but smells great and is loaded with lots of natural anti-oxidants and other good stuff. Here are the fruits to use:

For dry skin: banana and honey

For normal skin: peaches and honey

For oily skin: strawberries and honey

You do have to be sure the fruit is very ripe so it will mash easily. You can even make the mixture in the blender to make sure it's super smooth. Do note, if women are allergic to eating these fruits or honey they shouldn't put them on their skin.

Women's Retreat Themes

2008-11-19T22:53:00.000-08:00

Women's Retreat Themes are more than just something to fill in the open space on a poster. They are the critical component to attaining registrations. A women's retreat theme has got to consume the thoughts of prospective attendees from the time they hear or see it until the day they put their money down to register.

There is way too much competition for their attention for you to neglect selecting a captivating theme. It needs to be a stand-alone hit as well as one that can be incorporated into every aspect of the retreat.

STAND ALONE THEMES.

The name itself should generate curiosity while being self-explanatory. Themes like:

- Magic Show: Creativity Theme

- Prescription for a New You: Medical Theme

- Heart Notes: Music & Loving Relationships

- Trip Around the World: International Cuisine

- Shine Like Stars: Fundraiser Outreach or "Grammy" Awards

These themes provide instant interest while lending themselves to easy development.

THEME DEVELOPMENT.

Consider the theme Women Under Construction. You would decorate by placing ladders, saw horses, plastic drip sheets, and tool boxes everywhere. Your volunteers would dress in bib overalls and wear hard hats while carrying real walkie-talkies. You would offer break out sessions on topics like S.L.O.W. - Stress Reduction Strategies for Busy Moms and Duct Tape- Taming the Tongue. Food would include a "Build Your Own Sandwich" bar, featuring individual bags of chips, whole apples/oranges, Little Debbie's desserts and bottles of cold pop. Use lunch boxes as serving containers for the condiments. You could host a nail-driving contest or an entire construction site carnival.

The ideas are endless when you select the right theme.

THEME GENERATION.

Coming up with ideas is fun, but time consuming. Host a theme generation party with your volunteer staff at least six months, if not a year in advance. Spend time in the popcorn popper - popping up ideas, crazy and sane, all together until you have a long list. From this list, select a few favorites and narrow it down to the one you want.

Consider your speaker: Is the theme easy for a speaker to develop? Some groups go about it the other way: Finding the best speaker they can and going with her theme.

Many groups are tapping into ready-to-go themes like those available at www.PromoTemplates.com. These resource sets include the theme development ideas plus the publicity templates that help you instantly create posters, bulletin inserts, postcards, tickets and more.

Women's Retreat Themes are important. If you select an exciting theme that captures the imagination of your women, they will be much more likely to make the sacrifices required for them to attend. As a bonus, they will be highly motivated to invite their friends to come with them.

Marnie Swedberg is the author of Retreats Made Easy: A comprehensive guide providing step-by-step instructions so you can set and accomplish your goals, enjoy the process, and get rave reviews all in less time and with less stress than you would think possible.

Women's Retreat Ideas that Build Relationships

2008-11-12T22:59:00.000-08:00

Busy women will invest time, money and home-based stress in order to attend a retreat where they can relax, recharge and build relationships. The types of relationship building activities to include in your retreat should ideally:

- generate laughter

- increase guest interaction and

- build relaxation by eliminating the fear of being embarrassed.

HOLD ENJOYABLE CONTESTS WHERE EVERYONE CAN WIN.
A "Tea Tasting Contest," for example, adds no stress and is just plain fun. Hold it during breakfast on the first morning of your retreat: Set up six tables featuring carafes of hot water, disposable Styrofoam cups, plastic spoons, sugar packets and numerous tea bags of one kind per table. Do not identify what kind of tea is being served at each table except by numbering the table itself.
During and after breakfast, invite each guest to make her way around the room sampling the teas and writing down her guesses on a personal sheet of paper with only the numbers 1-6 on it. At that morning's session, let the guests self-score their papers. Have volunteers pass out "free" tea bags to everyone. You could even create your own tea bag packet-jackets featuring the retreat's theme verse.
HOST A GAME SHOW WITH VOLUNTEERS.
True, a few people may get embarrassed, but they would have volunteered for the job instead of being forced to play.
- Tweak the Newlywed Game to make it appropriate for a mother-daughter event.

- Lead a friendly game of Family Feud at a MOPS retreat.

- Host "Name That Praise Song" at a worship planner's renewal weekend.
PLAY A BOXED GAME AS A GROUP.
Balderdash, Cranium, TaBoo and many other games are ideal for large group play with a few simple changes. Remember: Put no individual person on the spot, but rather let the "teams" do it - or, let someone from each team volunteer to be the spokesperson.
HOST A BEAUTY PAGEANT.
Again, recruit volunteers who LOVE the spotlight and are willing to prance around in their cute pajamas or even in something as basic as their winter coats, gloves and hats. Since only the flamboyant volunteer, it will be fun. If you enlist the most quick-witted-woman you can find as the impromptu pageant hostess, and another volunteer to hold up signs toward the audience that say things like, "Clap Now!" or "Gasp!" your pageant is sure to be blast.
There are so many things we can do at retreats that can't be done during regular meetings. Go for it! Your women will thank you.

Marnie Swedberg is the author of Retreats Made Easy, which is a comprehensive guide providing step-by-step instructions so you can set and accomplish your goals, enjoy the process, and get rave reviews all in less time and with less stress than you would think possible.

Women's Retreat Ideas: What is Spirituality?

2008-04-30T00:49:00.000-07:00

Have you had the experience of reading self-help books on spirituality or going to spiritual workshops, and having an uplifting, perhaps even an ecstatic experience, yet having nothing change in your daily life? That seems to be a common experience and frustration among people who are seeking transformation.

One of the myths about “spirituality”

There are many definitions of spirituality, and I do not pretend to encompass all of these definitions here. One of the myths about “spirituality” is that we have to “go somewhere,” such as into a trance or into another world so that we can transcend our day-to-day lives. Certainly, it can feel like a relief to escape from the human condition and merge with other-worldly realms.

I spent the early stages of my spiritual journey trying to do just that, thinking that I was ‘working’ my path. What I have learned from experience is that anything that takes us away from direct contact with our own human realness, from the experience of being absolutely here in this moment can also take us away from our ultimate nature.

The temptation to avoid the human experience

This temptation to avoid the human experience in favor of finding something “out there,” reinforces a dualistic perspective. What if we could stay “right here” to connect with the present moment experience of being in this grounded body, having an open heart, and quieting the chattering mind? How would that affect one’s capacity to experience that which is more than the small me (also known as the ‘egoic me’)?

Let me offer some examples. Have you ever carried around an emotional hurt, such as grief over some important loss in your life, or the accumulated stress of trying to do too much over an extended period of time? You do your best to ‘hold it (whatever “it” is) together,’ then someone looks into your eyes, and quietly gives voice to your experience. Perhaps the person simply says, “I see you’re in pain.” That’s when the tears roll. You might recognize that relief arises, as well. You have been seen, your experience has been recognized, named and brought into the light. You allowed your feelings to be there, without pushing them away. You have a direct experience of your inner environment, and then you notice that some or all of the pain lifts. Something has changed for you. Perhaps you have an experience of being lighter, more spacious.

An example from a women's retreat

Another example is one that I experienced recently while on an annual women’s retreat with a group of friends. While some of us see each other more frequently, as a group, this one time per year offers a chance to nurture our longtime bonds, and engage in many activities that we love to share. This year we noticed that something was missing from our time together.

With some exploration, we realized that we had not remembered to create a container for each person to be in the moment, and share her current experience, with no one barraging her with questions. When we consciously created the space for each person to be in truth with her current life, we were all deeply touched. We saw each other from a new perspective. We were changed. The depth and realness experienced made a powerful difference in how we felt about the entire week-end.

Are these really spiritual experiences?

Some may question whether these are really spiritual experiences. I would affirm that they are. There was contact with the truth of Now. There was an awakening and a deepening of experience. Internal change occurred. Hearts were touched and opened. And through contact with self, perhaps there was a recognition of something larger than self. A sacred moment occurred. It’s one of the great paradoxes of life.

* The author would like to acknowledge the pioneering work of Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson with the Enneagram.

by Roxanne Howe-Murphy, Ed.D.
www.lifewisecoaching.com

The Big List of Women's Retreat Ideas

2007-10-01T00:02:00.000-07:00

Are you planning a women's retreat? I've compiled a list of topics that you can use to spark ideas for topics at your next women's retreat. I'll be adding to this list as I find more resources.

Personal Development Topics

Stress Management
Sisterhood
Self-Care
5 Senses
Success
Leadership
Attraction
Innovation
Time Management
Motivation
Inspiration
Spirituality
Goal-Setting
Creativity
Organizing
Happiness
Positive Attitude
Addictions
SARK
Inspired by a book

Relationship Building Games

Beauty Pageant
Fun Tea Party

Home and Family Topics

Home Improvement
Interior Decorating
Landscaping & Gardening
Parenting
Pets
Holidays
Pregnancy
Women's Health

Arts and Craft Topics
Journalling
Altered Books
Scrapbooking
Candlemaking
Collage

This is just a start on the big list of women's retreat ideas. Be sure to check back often for updates.

Women's Retreat Idea: The Alpha Meditation Technique

2007-09-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

At your next women's retreat, introduce your retreat participants to the power of alpha meditation.

In order to understand how alpha meditation can help improve your creativity, it is important to start by understanding what binaural beats and brainwave entrainment are.

Brainwave entrainment is the use of some external stimulus, usually different sounds that a person will hear with stereo headphones, to induce a certain level of brain wave activity. When a person's brainwave activity is artificially altered by these means, it will subtly shift their awareness and perception.

Using binaural beats is a common and effective method of brainwave entrainment. In order for the binaural beats to be effective, a person must be using stereo headphones so that they can hear a different sound in each ear.

Most of the time, the binaural beats will be embedded underneath the layers of tracks on a song, usually soothing ambient music or soundscapes, so that the person listening can focus on the music and not on the frequencies they are hearing. If you either find or create effective binaural beat audios to listen to in stereo heaphones, the frequencies should blend perfectly into the background, and you should not be able to consciously notice them unless you really try to isolate them.

Binaural beats are the most effective this way, when they are loud enough to still have an effect on your brainwave activity but quiet enough that you do not notice them. Depending on the difference between the two frequencies you decide to use, you can entrain any desired brainwave state and state of mind.

The ideal brainwave frequency for alpha meditation is about 9-10hz, so if we wanted to create a set of binaural beats that could be used to artificially induce this specific frequency, we could play 110hz in the left ear and 120hz in the right ear.

To any person who is hearing these different frequencies in each ear, their brain will act like a tuning fork and it will lock on to the difference between the two frequencies, which in this case would be 10hz.

'Alpha' is the name that we use for the range of brainwave frequencies from around 8hz-13hz. We go through the alpha brainwave state many times during a 24-hour period, and it is usually we are in a light sleep and are dreaming. You can also reach this state by listening to soothing soundscapes or chill-out music, preferably music with alpha binaural beat already embedded in the layers, and simply lying down and resting. When a person reaches this alpha state while they are still conscious, their imagination will be highly active and they can see very vivid imagery, like an intense dream.

After practicing this daily for a short while, even just a week or two, a person's intuitive creativity will naturally be higher and coming up with new ideas will seem easier.

Remaining in the intuitive alpha state for extended periods is the key to increasing your creativity, because this frequency stimulates the right-side creative portion of the human brain. After doing daily alpha meditation and staying in the alpha state for 30 minutes or more per day, your creative visualization capabilities will markedly increase, and it is this creative visualization that can help you achieve any outcome you desire.

If you are interested in pursuing alpha meditation, you can do a number of things. While it does not require music with alpha binaural beats, this is highly recommended because your brain will automatically lock on to the alpha frequency.

You can go to your local music store and look for CDs on 'alpha mediation' or 'alpha relaxation,' or you can also look online at places like iTunes. Or if you would like to have full control over your alpha meditation experience, you can embed any song of your choosing with binaural beats using special audio software.

Creating your own binaural beat audios will give you full control over your meditation experience, and you can experiment with different frequencies around the 7-10 hz area to see which ones give you the biggest boost in intuition and creativity.

This article was written by Richard Weber, who uses alpha meditation to program his mind to be more confident, charismatic and successful with doing any conscious work. Learn more at http://www.HumanMindPower.com

Women's Retreat Inspired by SARK

2007-08-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a great women's retreat weekend we had at Camp Narnia near Shawnigan Lake BC. This was my first time at this particular women's retreat, and I'll definitely be going back.

What made this women's retreat so great?

Well, first of all, the location was magnificent. As you can see from the photos, Camp Narnia is in a beautiful rustic location. For women from the city, the opportunity to kick back and breath that fresh mountain air is a real treat.

Second, the theme of this women's retreat - "Wild Succulent Women" - was irresistable. This theme, inspired by the SARK book of the same name, inspired lots of provocative conversation throughout the weekend. Overheard:

"When you come upon the edge of all that you have known—you can either step back into what is familiar or you can learn how to fly.”

And finally, whenever you gather 60 women ranging in age from twenty-something to in their 80s, something magical is bound to happen! This past weekend reminded me that there's nothing like a women's retreat to inspire the spirit and delight the senses.

Womens Retreats: Do They Make a Difference?

2007-08-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

For anyone who organizes or presents at women's retreats, you know that sometimes you wonder if all the planning and hard work is worth it.

To answer this question, we only have to read this feedback from a women who attend the Wild Succulent Women's Retreat weekend at Camp Narnia in June:

"I found my joy again! It had been absent in my life for several years and although I was experiencing many other strong emotions JOY was not one of them! When I reread my journal the recurring theme was this lack of JOY. I was beginning to think it was gone for good. Thank you, thank you, thank you to each of you for allowing me to be a part of something as wonderful as this women's retreat weekend."

Six Benefits of Women's Retreats

2007-08-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

There is something very special about the experience of being on a women's retreat with a group of women. For the past several years, I have been both leading and going on a variety of retreats. The ones solely for women have always been the most moving and fruitful. When I look back on my experiences, there are six benefits that immediately come to mind.

1. Sisterhood
“A sister is one who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.” (unknown)
Women intuitively understand each other. We share so many similar experiences that we naturally empathize with one another. No explanation is necessary. When on retreat together, this bond becomes so clear and its richness so healing. We come to women's retreats as strangers and leave as sisters.

2. Self-care
“Those who don’t love themselves don’t know what love is.” (Unknown)
Women are the primary nurturers of the world. Our ultimate challenge is to direct all that loving, nurturing, compassionate qualities upon ourselves. Going to a women's retreat is a declaration that self care is no longer perceived as selfish but is instead a necessity. Our well being is a pre-requisite for the well being of all those around us.

3. Solitude
“Be the ever alert guardian of your inner space.” (Unknown)
The word ‘alone’ comes from the Greek “All One.” To know your true self, you must spend quality time with your self. This requires stepping away from familiar relationships and environments. Going on retreat creates the space to reconnect with your core being.

4. Spirituality
“Be the environmentalist of your own soul – conserve and reclaim the innate capacities with which you were born.” (Unknown)
To me this is the ongoing process of life and the very essence of a women's retreat. To heal one’s self from the inside out is a spiritual journey. A group of women retreating together create a safe harbor to rest, replenish, and renew their commitment to this path.

5. Silence
“Your life is always talking to you - are you listening?” (Unknown)
A woman needs to step away from the outer cacophony of voices to hear her own innate wisdom. She needs the time and space to know the sound of her own voice, to speak it, and then choose to honor it. Taking the time on retreat to sit quietly in nature and write in your journal is a wonderful way to listen to your heart.

6. Senses
“A bird knows the sky without knowledge.” (Unknown)
We all perceive the world differently. By retreating to a beautiful location and feasting on the senses, we can rediscover our unique way of interacting with the universe. A women's retreat is about nurturing all the senses and allowing the sixth sense of intuition to gain strength in this fertile environment.

Sisterhood, self care, solitude, spirituality, silence, and feasting on your senses, doesn’t it sound glorious! You deserve all of it! Gift yourself with 1/2 hour a day to immerse yourself in just one of these essential benefits of womens retreats. Commit to spend one day a month in one of your favorite places. Join or create a women’s circle that focuses on self nurturance and growth. Sign up for a women's retreat this year. You will be a better woman for it. And the more fulfilled women there are in the world, the better place it will be for all of humanity.

Written by Karin Marcus, Certified Life Coach and Womens Retreats Leader, Certified Seasons of Change and Purpose Clarity Coach “Helping women become environmentalists of their souls.”' http://www.steppingoutcoaching.com/