By Carole Fogarty
Editor Rejuvenation Lounge and facilitator of Women’s Rejuvenation Retreats:
Rejuvenate Your Soul:
“Inspiration is my favourite feeling”
I thought it’s about time I share with you a little more about myself and what I do outside of writing this blog. In case you don’ know, I also facilitate Rest and Rejuvenation retreats in Ubud, Bali and I must say they are my absolute joy and passion. Along with my blog and children of course.
As I’ve been receiving lots of enquiries lately for this years Balinese Retreat (yeah!), I felt it perfect timing to give you a sneak peak into what you can expect on any given day which includes daily massages (yes daily massages), meditation, gentle body movements and relaxation practices. I’ve also added a little extra on how I prepare myself for each retreat.
Photo by Ben Bieske:
A few months prior to each retreat I think of nothing else except - How can I create an even more restful, and even more nurturing experience for all participants? I prepare my energies, meditate on the retreat, journal about the retreat and generally open myself up so I can deliver exactly what is needed for all women. My whole body, mind and soul is focused on creating a memorable retreat that leaves everyone with all the good feelings and energy levels they deserve.
A typical day:
Imagine, just for a moment you are booked for my next Rest and Rejuvenation Retreat. For 5 days and 6 nights you simply put yourself first - 24 hours a day. You’ll experience a continuous flow of nurturing to improve your energy levels, quieten your mind and strengthen your immune system. Your five senses will be awakened and deeply nourished.
Your mantra for the Balinese Rest and Rejuvenation Retreat is “Its all about me”.
Mornings:
In the mornings I facilitate the rejuvenation circles and draw on both knowledge and intuition. You’ll be treated to a series of restful practices, breathing techniques, different meditation styles and gentle body movements in the marble meditation/yoga room at our retreat venue. A chair, yoga mat, yoga eye pillows and cushions are all used to insure each practice is deeply restful.
Middle of the day:
Most lunch times and early afternoons (with a few exceptions) are free time to do whatever you choose. Most participants either, shop, sleep, read, go on an adventure or take a swim in the pool. This time has been created to enjoy some alone time, if that is what is needed.
Afternoons:
Each afternoon we meet at 3.00 o’clock in the foyer of our retreat venue. It’s time for pampering and extra special nurturing with specialized hand selected massages and body treatments. You’ll be driven to a different spa each day. Each location has been carefully chosen to offer you, what I believe to be the most beneficial treatments to encourage rejuvenation, improve energy flow throughout the body, calm the mind and release blockages.
Early evening Yoga Nidra:
I finish each day back in our marbled meditation/yoga room with one of the deepest forms of rest you can experience - yoga nidra. In fact they say 30 minutes of yoga nidra is similar to 3 - 4 hours quality sleep. This will allow your body and mind to integrate the energy practices and treatments for the day and to prepare you for a great nights sleep.
Photo by Lululemon:
Evenings free:
Most evenings are free except for the first and last nights which are the welcome and closing dinners.
The next retreat on July 4th -9th 2010. It was fully booked until last week, and a few places have now become available. If you feel the Rest and Rejuvenation Retreat is exactly what you need please feel free to contact me. Eight is our maximum number so I am able to give individual and personalized attention. Hope you don’t mind me giving the retreat a little plug. Now back to more on the retreat.
Relaxation, meditation & gentle moving practices:
The morning rejuvenation circles are specifically designed to quieten your mind, soothe your nervous system, release tension, improve the quality of your breathing, relax your body, open up your meridians, balance your chakra’s, connect you more clearer to your intuition and repair your auric field.
My morning rejuvenation sessions are drawn from both knowledge and intuition, so the morning practices will vary from group to group. Following are just a few of the practices that your body, mind and soul will be enjoying.
Breathing exercises:
Improve the quality of your breath with practices such as alternate nostril breathing, full belly and yogic breathing. Quality breathing greatly helps to detox your body, oxygenate your organs, release stress from your muscles, change your posture and calm your nervous system.
Sound medicine:
Chanting or repeating certain chakra sounds is fabulous to clear energy blocks and release tension from the body. “Om” is a very healing sound that when chanted (particularly in a group) is amazingly nourishing.
* 12 instant benefits of humming daily:
Gentle body stretching:
We practice a few very gentle and calming yoga relaxation exercises to calm your adrenals, soften your thoughts and allow the body to let go and rest. Exercises include legs up wall, child pose, supta baddha konasana and chair yoga. All are simple postures that are extremely beneficial to rest in.
Meditation:
There are many different styles of meditation that I may use during the morning relaxation practices. Humming meditation, walking meditation, crystal meditation, guided meditation, chakra meditation or relaxation meditation
* Teach yourself walking meditation:
Hand Mudras (Hand yoga):
Simply by holding your hands and the tips of your fingers in certain positions you create a circuit, that directs a flow of energy to specific parts of your body and brain. Hand mudra’s are used often to enhance a particular relaxation or meditation practices.
* Power at your finger tips with hand yoga.
Releasing ceremony:
I create a special crystal healing circle where each retreat participant is invited to lie down in the centre (one at a time) and release deep pockets of stuck energy and tension. This is considered by many of the participants to be one of the highlights.
As additional support I may use Australian bush flower essences, crystals, essential oils, along with individual reiki and angel oracle cards. I also dowse your aura and chakra’s for any imbalances.
Daily massage and specialized Ayurvedic treatments:
Much thought and care goes into hand selecting the very best body treatments in and around Ubud. And not everyone will get the same massages at the same time. There will be variations depending on your individual needs.
Tumeric body scrubs, papaya body wraps, sea salt scrub, sea weed body scrub, ayurvedic crown massage, chakra dhara, shirodara, mandi lulur and flower baths, just to name a few. All you need to remember as a retreat participant is that you get a massage or body treatment every day.
One Auruvedic body treatment worth giving a special mention to is Chakra Dhara. It is a new addition to our Rest and Rejuvenation retreats. Warm herb oil is dripped onto each of your chakra points. It is an ancient oil ritual to balance energy flow, and purify the mind, body and spirit. It removes toxins promotes circulation, increases flexibility and relieves pain and stiffness.
Hope this article helps shine a little insight into my retreats and what else happens in my life, other than writing the Rejuvenation Lounge.
To find out more about my Balinese Retreats please click here.
To find out more about my Queensland (Australian) Retreats please click here.
Thanks so much for reading my article, Carole.
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“It is virtually impossible to write a journal and not discover more about yourself”
