Wellness Retreat Reflections, Gratitude & a “Thank You” letter
I just wrapped up my first wellness retreat in Sedona and it was nothing short of magical. One of the most beautiful things I noticed throughout the retreat was the ability of each woman – myself included – to slowly let go.
Our first day was our “Root” or “Ground” day where we focused on letting go of excess weight, energy, thoughts & beliefs that no longer served us. We grounded with yoga, let go with breath work, released with a fire ceremony and re-centered with reiki + a sound bath.
Day two was our “Grow” day, where we used the comfort & strength of the roots we planted to challenge ourselves & remind ourselves that we can do hard things. We hiked Boynton Canyon, meditated in the healing vortex, climbed up rocks & connected with Robert, the reiki flute player in Sedona who can best be described as pure love. We jumped into freezing water at Slide Rock State Park, jumped off cliffs, tuned into our breath & challenged our beliefs.
Day three, our last full day, was our “Bloom” day and designed to acknowledge that once we set things into motion – they can often continue flowing without the need to overexert ourselves or burn out. We planted our roots, tested our strength, and now it was time to let go and let the blooming take action through a day of relaxation.
The third day started with yoga & reflection, and continued with relaxing in the sunshine, melting under massages, & laughing under the sunshine in the pool. While I scheduled the day as a “pause” to give everyone the opportunity to bloom, what I realized is that every single woman had already been blooming along the way.
I noticed people start to let their shoulders drop alongside their guards. I saw dark & heavy emotions being released through breath & tears. I saw women face their fears directly in the eye in order to acknowledge, feel & let go. I watched anxiousness turn into laughter & pure joy. I saw a beautiful melting pot of different people and different personalities connect, create & radiate.
Day by day, I saw each woman stand up a little bit straighter, laugh a little bit louder, & sparkle a little bit brighter. There is something incredibly powerful about watching a woman recognize the power that’s always been within her.
I watched what it looks like to have the opportunity to root, grow, & bloom – and through every change of seasons I’ve experienced during my time on earth - it was the brightest bloom I’ve ever experienced.
As someone who’s giving love language is gifts – the opportunity to take a step back and take this all in – to watch as each woman opened her heart & soul, leaned into vulnerability, and chose to trust me in a small aspect of their healing was one of the greatest gifts I never imagined but am so grateful to have received.
Gratitude can be described simply as a feeling of thankfulness.
But immense gratitude – something I felt throughout the retreat and a feeling I took home with me – can be harder to put into words.
I can best describe the feeling of immense gratitude as that warm feeling you get when you take a pause and let yourself feel the soft heat of the sunshine on your skin.
It’s like feeling the butterflies of your first crush – the ones that come with a certain lightness and airiness that leave you floating – while simultaneously feeling the gentle gravitational pull of a close friend or family member that grounds you.
It can be described as feeling the biggest & most expansive you’ve ever felt – like you could stretch your arms open wide to reach farther than the eye can see and being able to bring your arms in and somehow contain all of this expansive energy into a tiny place within your heart that feels just as big.
Immense gratitude feels as free as flying in a dream and as cozy as being rocked in a fluffy blanket next to a fireplace on a chilly night.
It feels like the warmest hug for your heart that you didn’t know you needed – and this is exactly what I needed.
To each & every woman who said “yes” to the retreat, who said “yes” to taking time for themselves and who said “yes” to me – I cannot express the gratitude and love I have for you.
Thank you for making my first retreat such an incredible & memorable experience. I can’t wait to “Get Rooted” with you again soon.
In love, light & gratitude,
Allie
xoxo