Sugar Ridge final reflections

Cats enjoying the Diva Den already

I'm home and had a great sleep.  I was so thrilled to see my husband, talk to my bestie, parents, and snuggle with my cats.  I feel amazing and have already instituted several changes that align with my learning.  The best coolest thing is that while chatting while my husband while I was away, he recognized that I needed a space for myself to do yoga and meditate so he moved his stuff out of a room we deemed the "man's room" and into our TV space therefore allowing me to move into his old space.  Not only did he move his stuff out, he moved a bed and desk into the space for me.  I shared this with the guests at Sugar Ridge and asked them to brainstorm a name for the space and of course my funny roommate came up with "Diva Den".  Not that I'm a diva but I love the name.  Today I moved some more photos in, brought my yoga/meditation stuff in, and found some of my favourite things to put in the space to make it special and to be able to be surrounded with awesome things.   I am going to order/purchase a couple of the special yoga pillows to keep my back in a good position and sitting more comfortable.

Reflecting on my time at Sugar Ridge I did wish many more people could go and experience the relaxation, peacefulness, and importantly, life lessons learned.  But, what I have also learned is that if you are not ready to attend and not chose to attend as your own idea then the program won't be as effective as it could be.  I was ready for this and sought it out on my own to be a more effective friend, daughter, wife, and leader for our school.

I joked that I wish I had a shirt that says "What would Liz say" to replicate the quiet voice of our leader Liz Frost.  What a gift she is to this program and all of us.  I did spend a lot of time journaling throughout the program and was able to record some of her best teachings.

I really appreciated that she did call me out on my BS as to why I do what I do and act the way I do. She is a tough cookie (and a therapist when not running these retreats) so is totally legit when she tells you that you are lying to yourself, being too hard on yourself, or using distorted thinking strategies. I was happy to hear and see alignment between some counselling sessions I have attended here in London and what she taught us.  Hearing from another perspective about my unhealthy thinking strategies made them even more real and importantly, needing to change.

This place was easy to attend if you are ok with bugs, living in a cabin without it's own toilet, sharing a restroom, walking around in slippers and dressing very casually (no one wore make up and still looked gorgeous), family style eating, participating in a group therapy type sessions, and meeting new people.  I really wish it was 2 weeks long to continue the daily yoga and to really master the meditation practice but, real life needs to be real and getting home to work on myself needs to start sooner than later.

Thank you Liz for all your wisdom...

"What is mindfulness? Training and controlling your mind to pay attention"

"Nothing lasts forever"

"Perspective is everything"

"The pain you know is easier that the pain of where you may go"

"Notice the thoughts you have and challenge them"

"How do you create your own suffering and how can you alleviate it?"

"Be careful of your ownership of your emotions i.e my depression' because when you are not 'depressed' you won't feel like yourself"

"Recognize what it is instead of what it isn't"

"Opportunities don't go away, they go to someone else"

"Yoga means...union of mind and body"

"Does it make sense that I am putting energy into this memory?"

"If you can't find a minute to meditate then you need an hour"

"Are you at work when you are not at work?"

"What does that thought say about you and is it true?"

"Your body isn't who you are"

"You can grieve more than death and dying, you can grieve the lost of an expectation"

"Feel the boredom and learn to live with it"

Ready to Grow

Tonight I have all my stuff ready to go and I am excited to head north to Sugar Ridge Resort for their MBSR
(Mindfulness - Based Stress Reduction week retreat.

As I mentioned earlier, my motivation to attend this week is due to the fact that I feel I need to learn more skills associated with my mental (positive optimistic thinking) fitness before I reexamine my physical fitness.

The resort provides everything you need except towels and personal items so it looks like I have packed a lot but I just want to have many clothes to change into since there will be tons of yoga and outdoor activities.  Plus, who knows how the weather will be or how hot it will be at night so I am bring a lot of change of clothes.

Lennie said to bring our fancy camera so that I can capture some photos of the beautiful grounds that the resort is situated on.

The resort is just over 3 hours away so I am hitting the road in the AM to give myself lots of time to get there.

I had to complete a full "get to know you" form to send ahead of the trip so that they can meet my needs and provide anything special needed.  I don't have any dietary needs but I did say that I am looking forward to more yoga practice and especially the afternoon mindfulness workshops.  I wonder what I will be able to transfer to work and school.  Maybe use with some of our students?

The schedule for the week is:

Sunday July 23
1 – 3 arrive and settle into your cabin
3 – 5 pm  Introduction and course orientation
5:30 dinner
7 – 9 pm workshop

Monday – Wednesday July 24 – 26
7:00 – 8:15 optional Yoga class
8:30 breakfast
9:30 – 11:30 am workshop
12:30 – Lunch
2:00 – 4:30 workshop
5:30 dinner

Thursday July 27
8:30 Breakfast
10:00 – 4:00 workshop (lunch today is part of the workshop schedule)
5:30 dinner

Friday July 28
7:00 – 8:15 optional Yoga class
8:30 breakfast
10:00 – 11:30 am workshop
11:30 – 12:30  closing discussion
12:30 Lunch

I love yoga and was really into it in 2005-2007 when a couple of my teaching partners encouraged me to join Moksha yoga here in London.  I was going several times a week for 90 minutes of hot yoga and my practice really improved.  I joined The Yoga Shack a couple of years ago and again loved going and practicing.  But, my practice stopped when I started running and then completing the doctorate.  I now have the time and energy to start again.

Wish me luck.

I'mmmmm Backkkkkk

I know I know it has been almost 17 months since my last post.  I have not forgotten about you I promise.  I think I was burned out, tired, and so busy writing for my doctorate that I couldn't put another word to paper...until now.  The doctorate is done (here it is http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/3890/, I graduated and held a fun weekend party, the school year finished and I have enjoyed 2 solid weeks of summer that I have not had in many many years.  No courses, no speaking engagements, no work, truly, I have nothing to do except relax and hang out with Lenster!

I brainstormed for months what I should do this summer and I booked a trip to Spain to speak at a big research conference, I wanted to return to Fitness Ridge for 4 weeks, I wanted to go to Iceland but you know what...I am not doing any of it.  My body is telling me that I need to rest and I am actually listening.

In an effort to learn to listen to my body I am going to be attending a week long retreat at Sugar Ridge www.sugarridge.ca on mindfulness, yoga, and meditation.  I found the retreat through a search of the internet in which I wanted something here in Ontario so I could just drive and not have to worry about a flight, shuttle, and not having a car.  But, more importantly, I have realized that before I can work on my physical fitness again, I really need to get to a better head space and this week, I believe, will provide that. Check it out here. http://www.sugarridge.ca/retreats/event/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction-mbsr-week-retreat-4

I started this blog in 2009 so my family could be connected while I attended my first 2 weeks at Fitness Ridge in Utah.  I loved updating them everyday with my fun and crazy adventures.  I do see the irony in that fact that I am now attending a retreat at a place called Sugar Ridge, I wonder if it is meant to be? I will be blogging my days at Sugar Ridge so that I can remember all the lessons learned and be able to bring the learning back to London.

It's good to be back.