Women’s Quest
Adventures for the Mind, Body and Spirit
November 2009
Women’s Quest Adventures
Hello Everyone! Whew! We have had an incredible fun-filled summer of adventure. Extraordinary Horse Camps and Adventure Camp in Colorado; Glorious times at the Lake Mansfield Trout Club in Vermont; Magnificent cycling and wine in Sonoma and now we’re off to Mexico to experience the Mayan majesty at our yoga retreat.
Check out our 2010 retreats at www.womensquest.com
Enjoy our Fall Newsletter -- take a few moments to nourish your mind, body & spirit and get in tune with the seasons.
This newsletter provides you with tidbits of knowledge based on the principles of nature and the wisdom of ancient Chinese philosophy. Throughout my career as an athlete, this was core to my training and racing success. Today, I continue to follow these principles. I hope you find health and happiness in them as well!
Hugs,
Colleen
Time to Restore
I am always a bit sad about leaving summer and watching all the beautiful flowers die, the leaves fall off the trees and knowing that SNOW is coming. Feeling a little blue heading into winter is right in tune with the seasons. Fall is the lung time of the year in Chinese medicine and that is related to grief. To keep up your spirits, get outside. Move and BREATHE. Take action now by letting go of people, places and things that no longer serve you. Just as the trees let go of their leaves, you let go.
BREATHE
The Lung Time of Year
The lungs are so important because they bring in the vital chi and oxygen to every part of the body. So it is a good idea to develop a deep breathing practice. Try the following to help stimulate your lungs, oxygenate your body and cleanse yourself of physical and emotional stagnation and toxins which you may have picked up. Start by finding a quiet spot where you will not be disturbed. Outside is ideal but inside will work if you can find a place with clean air. The exercise is extremely simple and involves deeply inhaling pure, crisp air and exhaling to let go of anything that is toxic to you. While inhaling, visualize clean, pure air filling your lungs and energizing your whole body. While exhaling, visualize the release of stagnation and toxins to the universe. Do this for 10 minutes at least once day. Twice a day is ideal.
I like to also do a movement called the Balancing Movement which I learned from my friend and Qigong teacher, Daisy Lee
Here is her explanation:
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, our lungs not only clean the air that comes into our bodies to provide fuel for efficient metabolic processing, but metaphorically the lungs allow us to breathe in life more fully when we let go of emotions that no longer serve our mental, emotional and spiritual development. In the fall, emotions such as grief and sadness that are thought to dwell in the lungs can be consciously released as we let go of past hurts and find strength through the courageous act of forgiveness.
The fall season is also when the lungs are more vulnerable to colds and flues often proliferate at this time of year when the weather changes from hot to cool and the joys of summer take a backseat to more serious endeavors and priorities such as school and other types of learning. If left untreated, lung conditions can become worse and develop into asthma or pneumonia. At the same time there is great opportunity for the lungs to be strengthened if cared for properly in both a physical and emotional context.
This Balancing Movement is one of the best things you can do for yourself when you feel off-center. It is especially helpful in times of distress and uncertainty, or when you feel you are unable to put one foot in front of the other. It supports the balance of the left and right hemispheres of the brain and is helpful for anyone who seeks focus, emotional balance and inner peace. It can be used as a stand-alone exercise, as a precursor to activities that require mental focus, or can be used in between clients, classes, meetings or when you are feeling vulnerable and the wei Qi field is compromised due to illness or emotional instability. In the latter instances, repeat the Balancing Movement at least 9 times in different directions, as if painting spheres of light around the whole body. Do a final repetition in the center position and close with hands crossed over the belly in the Nourishing Qi position.
Balancing Movement:
1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, whole body relaxed. Palms face each other at the lower belly, as if holding a golden ball of healing energy.
2. Inhale deeply and gently as you slowly pull the hands apart and then rise the energy up to shoulder height, as if expanding the energy ball between your hands to embrace the earth. In your mind, you are magnetizing nurturing Qi of the earth through your palms and into your heart and lungs.
3. Exhale deeply and relax the whole body as you float your arms down to release any blocked energy from the lungs and out through the palms. If you have been feeling heavy-hearted or sad about a situation in your life, use your intention to let go of that situation or feeling, using the magnets from the earth's core to draw out any "blocked" Qi you perceive in your body.
4. With palms still facing the earth, bend down and criss-cross the arms into an "X" in front of the body as if holding the earth and then yourself in a warm embrace. When you rise up, the palms are on the lung points just below the clavicle. Keep your hands here as long as you need, using loving intention to melt away any frenetic, stressful energy in the lungs and heart.
5. After you sense the blocked energy has dissolved from the chest, gently draw the palms away from the body until the wrists touch and form a circle in front of the chest.
6. Turn the palms up to face the sky and exhale as you uncross your arms and let them drift down to the side, using the mind to paint a rainbow of colors around the circumference of the body to reinforce the Qi field. Repeat 3-9 times or more as needed.
7. To close, draw the energy into the lower belly as the hands criss-cross on top of each other.
Daisy Lee is a Qigong expert who teaches internationally. She also takes groups of students to study in China and Asia every y ear and travels extensively to share this ancient self-healing art. Her award-winning DVD's have aired on Fit TV and PBS TV and continues to be used in hospitals, clinics, schools, spas, women's centers and prisons to help people from all walks of life find balance and inner peace. To learn more about Daisy and her specialized programs for women and children, visit www.radiantlotusQigong.com.
Founder, Radiant Lotus Qigong, President, Kahuna Valley, P.O. Box 1921, Kapaa, HI 96746, (808) 822-4268
www.radiantlotusqigong.com www.kahunavalley.org
ACTIVITY
As with many things in our lives, change -- especially with the seasons -- is wonderful. This applies to our training as well. Running the same loop, at the same time, at the same pace, on the same days throughout the year is just not good for your mind or for your body.
Fall is an excellent time for a change from your normal summer activities. Go from mountain to road bikes (or vice versa depending on where you live). If you’re a runner or hiker, move from roads and speed to the forests and trails to see the leaves changing close up. And if you are a swimmer, you’ll probably be moving to indoor pools from outdoor pools and lakes or the ocean. Embrace the fall and the change it brings. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you end each session with a short stretching program or meditation. And make sure you don’t go super anaerobic (without oxygen) this time of year -- so don’t go out and go super hard. I will tell you more about how to build up your aerobic base in the winter months. For now, get outside and enjoy the last days of fall and treasure every moment!
BODY
Fall can be a great time to strengthen your immune system. It is no secret that this is a time of year we are prone to catching colds. Taking care of your lung Qi can help you avoid colds and fight them off quickly if they do invade your space. To keep these pests away, I tend to rest more this time of year. I start eating soups and warmer foods. Here is a recipe that I love this time of year.
Roasted Autumn Veggies:
Start by going to your local health food store and buy at least one of everything in the root vegetable isle, if you know what it is or not. Here’s one potential shopping trip’s worth:
1 small butternut squash, 1 small rutabaga, 2 Jerusalem artichokes, 3 large carrots,1 large onion, 2 parsnips, 2 beets,1 yam, 1 Burdock root (it’s good for the blood)
Chop all of these veggies into cubes, triangles, circles, anything that looks interesting and then lightly salt, drizzle with olive oil and stick in the oven at 350 degrees mixing occasionally. Bake in oven for 20 to 30 minutes until it is tender.
Women's Quest Upcoming Retreats
Winter Wonderfest
February 3-7, 2010
Snow Mountain Ranch
Winter Park, Colorado
Come celebrate winter with us and indulge in a magical retreat especially designed for the season! Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing for all ability levels combine in the magnificence of a Colorado winter wonderland with yoga and creative activities including journaling, and inspirational talks, to recharge mind, body and spirit with inner light. Click here to learn more.
What people said about the trip!
“Women’s Quest challenged me to reach outside my self-imposed boundaries – physically and spiritually – and I was gently guided to success in both of these areas.”
“A wonderful, uplifting experience bringing together all the elements of women: strength, spirit and challenge.”
Costa Rica Surf and Yoga Retreat
March 7-13, 2010
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Welcome to surf paradise! Women’s Quest has finally found the ideal location for a fabulous surf and yoga adventure retreat so we’re heading to Santa Teresa in Costa Rica!! Learn how to surf, stretch your body and your mind, share the sunsets with new friends and have the time of your life. Cowabunga!! Click here to learn more.
Hawaii Relaxation & Yoga Retreat
March 21-28, 2010
Big Island of Hawaii
Transport yourself from winter to spring in the magical waters of Hawaii. This enchanting retreat takes place by the tranquility of Hookena Bay and will nourish and relax every cell of your body. Each day will be full of yoga, ocean swimming, kayaking, hiking and quiet moments on the beach.
Click here to learn more. |
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Priestess Astrology for Business Success
From 21 November to 21 December we are in the time of Sagittarius
Sagittarius is a most interesting constellation: ruled by the abundant, good fortune planet of Jupiter and represented by the mythical beast the Centaur. Inherent in the symbol of the Centaur is the essence of the Sagittarian energy. A centaur has the body of a hefty, sturdy equine, hooves planted firmly on terra firma. The centaur’s upper body is human, holding an arrow pointed to the heavens. The nature of Sagittarius is to be fun-loving, jovial and bound to earthly pleasures while shooting for the stars. A delightful combination!
The arrow of Sagittarius is a symbol of the Sagittarian quest for truth, of the highest order. Sagittarius time is a good time to seek the truth for yourselves in your work, daring to ask the questions:
Is this my true work, the work that feeds my pocketbook as well as my soul?
Is there a higher truth worth pursuing as I do my work in the world?
Do I need to be thinking more globally, seeing myself as an integral part of the world community?
Just asking the questions, questing for Truth, IS the Sagittarian way.
Astrology readings for all the times of your life
Cindy Morris, MSW, Cinnabelle@earthlink.net
http://www.PriestessAstrology.com
