 
Volume 1: Rejoice! Holidays are Approaching
HELLO WILDWOMEN OF THE NORTH-SOUTH-EAST-WEST AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN!
Welcome to WOMENS WEAVE, the bi-monthly MUSELETTER from the Women’s Quest staff. Our passion in creating this newsletter is to keep in touch with the AMAZING women we meet at our camps and events, and to provide you with tips and motivation to continue on your quest. Of course, this will be no ORDINARY newsletter (our QUEST is to arouse the EXTRAORDINARY potential that is within EACH AND EVERY WOMAN!) The Museletter will provide practical suggestions and inspiration for the body, mind and spirit. The theme for the winter Women’s Weave is NOURSIHMENT. We hope you enjoy our offerings, and that you will keep in TOUCH!
This Museletter will be sent bi-monthly to former WQ campers, and those who have requested to be on our mailing list. If you are interested in having your FRIENDS receive the WOMEN’S WEAVE MUSELETTER, have them check out the website...they can sign up on our mailing list from there.
If you would prefer not to receive this MUSELETTER, no problem (we won’t take it personally), just reply with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
WOMEN’S WEAVE: vol. 1
REJOICE! Nourishing the BODY by Colleen
In December, many of us are experiencing the white winter wonderland. The days are
shorter and the darkness can drive us inward. Following the rhythm of nature, this is
NOT necessarily the time to create more structure in your workouts. This IS a time to
NOURISH yourself—letting yourself sleep and eat more (it’s ok, really...especially
nourishing whole foods), and relax your workouts. The stress of the holiday season can
take a toll—so do some different sorts of exercise: PLAY! Even in the midst of winter
you can always create a little time for your BODY.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Take a fitball or yoga class at your gym.
2. Try a martial arts class...great this time of year!
3. Start a plyrometric playground in your garage.
4. Jump rope with friends!
5. Cross country ski, or roller skate if you have no snow.
6. Hike, snowshoe or just go for a stroll along a street with pretty lights.
7. Ride, run or ski to your favorite restaurant.
8. Go out dancing. Or have a DANCE PARTY with your family. (Let out the inner nerd
and dress up!)
9. Hula hoop it (try some Beach Boys music if you really need to SMILE).
10. Instead of swimming laps find folks for a game of water polo.
11. Take a singing class or join a choir for an aerobic workout. (Or belt out some
Christmas carols in the car – why not!)
Thich Naht Hahn said it best for this season:
GO SLOWLY, BREATHE AND SMILE!!!!!
REJOICE! Nourishing the MIND by Colleen
“Just say No!! to Go Go Go!!!!!”
When I think of winter I think of real” QUIET TIME.” Watching snowflakes fall elegantly
and delicately from the sky is a lovely simple mediation. The blanket of white sparkling
snow calms and soothes all of nature.
QUIET Time is important for the Mind, especially this time of year. We need to shut out
the “crazies” of the world and calm down and center ourselves. Taking some mental
“time out” opens our channels to creativity and allows room for possibility. Our bodies
can catch up with our minds, and we will find more clarity and perspective.
How can we create the quietness so that we can appreciate the our lives like softly
falling snowflakes?
Turn off the T.V., stop reading so much news.
Carve out some time each day to just be, no expectations... just be QUIET.
Nourish your self with a bath. (With bubbles.)
Take a walk. The rhythm of walking, breathing deeply, and not having to “think” about
anything can be infinitely relaxing.
Our parents didn’t know they were doing us a favor by making us take some “QUIET
TIME!” We still need this...
REJOICE! Nourishing the SPIRIT by Lorraine
If the Apollo’s dictum was “KNOW THYSELF” then perhaps Aphrodite’s would have
been “LOVE THYSELF”. Loving yourself is essential groundwork for loving others and is
the framework upon which all our beliefs about our world are built. Consider this: we
cannot love anyone more than we love ourselves and we cannot accept any more love
than that which we have for ourselves. So essentially the quality of life that we
experience and what we will allow into it is determined by how much we love ourselves.
DAILY PRACTICE:
STEP ONE: Take a fresh new sheet of paper and write in the middle “I love myself”.
Around it write down all the ways in which you show yourself that you are loved by you.
Spend at least 15 minutes on this and be creative.
STEP TWO: Post this paper on your bathroom or bedroom mirror, somewhere private.
Read it over and then look at yourself in the mirror, give yourself a big hug and say” I
love myself”.
The degree of difficulty that you have with this exercise is the degree to which you need
it. Continue to do this whenever you look in the mirror, until you feel quite comfortable.
You will love yourself for it!
REJOICE! Nourishing with YOGA by Gretchen
Simple, simple...CHILD’S POSE. Kneeling on the floor, hips dropped back by your
heels, rest your head on the floor or on a pillow. Fold your arms wherever they are
comfortable. (Colleen calls this the “egg pose.”) Send your breath into your
back...toward your kidneys. The simple act of deep breathing creates a stretch for both
your back and your hips. Experience your back widening with each inhalation...your
spine naturally lengthening with each exhalation. Do child’[s pose before bed for 3
minutes – helpful for making the transition to sleep, and an excellent gift for your back.
Note: Reading this article will not give you the effects of yoga...offer yourself a few
minutes to try a child’s pose tonight before bed (or right now.)
SOUL SPARK! by Gretchen
Let me share something. Since I was a kid I have had a challenge: I make enormous
PLANS for December. I consider all the wonderful gifts I will make (for EVERYONE I
care about – which is quite a number of people), and things I can do to decorate,
and...you know the scenario. In making the PLANS, I have sometimes missed the JOY
of the season. (As a kid I remember being in my room attempting earnestly to construct
gift projects (last minute, of course)...and my grandfather lovingly retrieving me, saying
“Honey, I really want YOU for Christmas...it’s OK not to do so much; I know you love
me.)
Can I can encourage your to LET GO of some of the shopping or cooking or planning or
decorating, and make this holiday season SIMPLE. Yes, simple. Easy. Spend your
precious time REJOICING in what is TRULY IMPORTANT—being with those you
love...sharing and playing and just bein’ together.
The SOUL SPARK that inspired those thoughts is a funny. We can be GLAD that we
are NOT Ms. Martha Stewart! (Sorry Martha.)
“MARTHA STEWART’S HOLIDAY CALENDAR”:
December 1
Blanch carcass from Thanksgiving turkey. Spray paint gold, turn upside
down and use as a sleigh to hold Christmas cards.
December 2
Have Mormon Tabernacle Choir record outgoing Christmas message for
answering machine.
December 3
Using candlewick and hand gilded miniature pine cones, fashion
cat-o-nine-tails.
December 4
Repaint Sistine Chapel ceiling in ecru, with espresso trim.
December 5
Get new eyeglasses. Grind lenses myself.
December 6
Fax family Christmas newsletter to Pulitzer committee for consideration.
December 7
Debug WINDOWS 98
December 10
Align carpets to adjust for curvature of Earth.
December 11
Lay Faberge egg.
December 12
Take dog apart. Disinfect. Reassemble.
December 13
Collect dentures. They make excellent pastry cutters, particularly for
decorative pie crusts.
December 14
Install plumbing in gingerbread house.
December 15
Replace air in mini-van tires with Glade "holiday scents" in case they
are shot out in the mall.
December 17
Child-proof the Christmas tree with garland of razor wire.
December 19
Adjust legs of chairs so each Christmas dinner guest will be the same
height when sitting at his or her assigned seat.
December 20
Dip sheep and cows in egg whites and roll in confectioners sugar to add
a festive sparkle to the pasture.
December 21
Drain city reservoir; refill with mulled cider, orange slices and
cinnamon sticks.
December 22
Float votive candles in toilet tank.
December 23
Seed clouds for white Christmas.
December 24
Do my annual good deed. Go to several stores. Be seen engaged in last
minute Christmas shopping.
December 25
Bear son. Swaddle. Lay in color-coordinated manger scented with homemade
potpourri.
December 26
Organize spice racks by genus and phylum.
December 27
Build snowman in exact likeness of God.
December 31
New Year's Eve! Give staff their resolutions. Call a Friend in each time
zone of the world as the clock strikes midnight in that country.
UPCOMING CAMPS!
If you have not yet attended a Women’s Quest adventure...you have something to
look forward to! Nourish your body, soul and mind by attending a Women’s
Quest adventure....Check out www.womensquest.com for an explanation of how our
programs inspire women of all ages to manifest vitality and balance in their lives. Each
program is unique and empowering. We vary the theme and activities of each camp to
inspire and challenge the women who return to camps. Consider a 2002 camp for a re-
infusion of “SOUL SPARKS” and the rejuvenation and transformation that is at the heart
of every Women’s Quest program.
WINTER WONDERFEST: 1/30-2/3
Hint: this could be a gift you give yourself.
See the website for details of this camp, and schedule of other 2002 adventures.
We welcome comments and suggestions for WOMENS WEAVE MUSELETTER!
Contact gretchen@womensquest.com. |
