Spiritual Retreat

Last weekend I embarked on a one day spiritual retreat at Faith Presbyterian Church in Emmaus, PA. The retreat was organized by Becki, a pastor I will always first think of as a youth in the youth group Don and I helped lead twenty years ago. It is a reminder to all of us that in God's eyes we are all his children, therefore in the eyes of church adults, we don't always grow up. I'm not sure of the correct wording, but there is a genuine thought of love in this feeling.

The retreat was 90 minutes away -- a town away from where Ashley is in college. It is a long way to drive on a Saturday morning, especially since the only person I knew in the group was Pastor Becki.

I was drawn to the belly dancing aspect of the day. I never thought of belly dancing as something akin to meditation. To mindfulness. In truth, I knew very little about belly dancing despite trying it out at restaurant recently as part of the entertainment during our meal.

Much of belly dancing is isolating a body part and focusing on that part to make it move, while telling the rest of your body to stay put. Move your shoulder up and to the front -- but not the whole arm. Raise the left part your chest (but not by taking a deep breath), the the right part, but don't move the shoulders, too. Keep your head up and smile. 

It is a lot to keep track of! 

I was surprised by how great a work out it is. One I am looking into finding a place close to home where I can take lessons.

In the middle of the session, though, I was hit with a wave of grief. I remembered Carin used to belly dance. I miss her all the time, though I will admit days pass where I do not think of her. When I do think of her, I am impressed by how much she squeezed into her life. I wonder how her children and husband are carrying on without her. I miss being able to share my little life's updates with her.

Back to the session ... I was late to mirror meditation, but based on people's reactions at the end, it was intense. The session culminated in created a mantra for yourself to break the cycle of self-hate. 

I wrote the following mantras:

Trust myself

Believe in myself

I am enough

I have good instincts

I will try

I will do

The session ended with writing what we want to do away with, and burning the
slip of paper in a burning ceremony. In between a therapy dog visited, meditative yoga took place, and we could walk the labyrinth. As a bonus, we could color.

There was a session on Intuitive Eating and another on How Chiropractic Benefits our Bodies and Minds. I think the day would have been fine without those sessions, and adding in more time to reflect and relax.

Lunch was a salad bar -- something many noted we have not done since the pandemic. Due to our small size, it felt safe, but still an observation.

They are hoping to do this retreat again next year.