2 Keys to Relieving Stress, Having Fun and Being Healthy
(aka I can't believe I wrote a blog post that wasn't about herbs )
What is the stress level of a 4 year old playing in the mud?If you have kids in your life, it's easy to think of them wet and covered in mud wearing a huge smile of contentment.Let me ask you this, can you remember playing in the mud as a child? Can you connect to the joy of playing and the ease of being that you had?It may take a moment, if you haven't recalled these memories in a while.Did you just sigh? It's a good sign if you did, it means that you were able to relax a bit, by just connecting to the memory of ease and play in your life.If you didn't sigh, then take a moment and try to feel what it felt like to play with abandon. Or it may be easier to imagine how your children feel when they're really in the joy and freedom of play.Remembering how you felt before you had a stress-filled lie is important if you're going to be able to relax and be well now.
And there are two tools that I find to be key in remembering how to relax.1. Nature Connection - Spend time in green places! The more outdoor time, the better. Not only does it provide instant stress-relief when you're around plants and trees (look for those sighs), but it sparks curiosity, creativity and play.2. Play - You need to have time (even a little) that's entirely free of worry, anxiety and stress. And playing gets you there quickly. Whether it's dancing or playing music or playing in the mud, when you're playing and having fun you're fully present and free of stress.I suppose that I could offer some statistics or studies to highlight why play and nature connection are good for your health. Frankly, I'm just not that complicated :)Let me show you my reasoning...
Play & Fun > Stress
Nature Connection = Coming Home
These two pieces are so important, that I teamed up with two friends to put together the Rewild & Recharge Retreat - June 5-7. I want to make it easy for busy city-folk to have a weekend of exploration, play, relaxation.During this weekend you'll experience the spirit nourishing practices of connecting directly with plant spirits that Garliq has been teaching in Vancouver and Nelson, BC for the last 6 years AND the body and soul replenishing work of the Elemental Earth Spa that Dante has been spreading around Vancouver Island since 2010.So, you will get to play in the mud! You'll cover your body in clay and then lay around in the warm sunshine (see, something for the inner adult too!).Did I mention the incredible food? Yes, the weekend is fully catered. It will be a fantastic mix of locally grown and locally wild, prepared by the Nature's Chef.This weekend is designed to ...
Rewild your spirit,
Recharge your energy,
Relax your body.
Of course, for your inner child, this weekend is an easy, YES! A weekend of exploring the woods and playing on the beach with wet clay and warm sun is a no-brainer, right?But for your inner adult, you need a bit more. "Playing in the mud sounds fun, but I've got a lot going on."So, to your inner detail oriented adult, I offer ...
Here are the pertinent details:
- It's in just a few weeks - June 5-7 - in Sooke, BC
- It's only a ferry ride away: on the Wild Coast of Vancouver Island in Sooke
- Arrive any time after 4pm on Friday June 5th and depart around 4pm on Sunday June 7th
- You'll spend 1 day Rewilding and Recharging your mind and spirit with deep nature connection exercises and play (with me, Garliq)
- And 1 day Relaxing and Replenishing your body and soul in the Elemental Earth Spa (with Dante)
- You'll be sleeping under the stars, so bring a tent or a friend with a tent. (1 indoor bed is available)
- And the food will be amazing! The weekend will be catered by Nature's Chef, Tom Krai, a wild food chef who walked away from his conventional restaurant to explore foraging and fermentation
- There is a group rate if you book with 3 friends
- Registration deadline is Fri. May 29
So if you want some help connecting with the stress-free you, join us for the Retreat. You'll be glad that you did!To read more or to sign up, check out the Rewild & Recharge Retreat webpage.In support of your inner child and your health, I encourage you to find some time for play and nature connection in your life.Whether you organize something with family/friends or you decide to come to this amazingly fun, relaxing and restorative weekend, please get out to the woods, the garden or some other green space that makes you feel good.strength & wisdom.garliqPS. If you’ve been feeling increasingly stressed out or anxious recently, please check out the Burnout Barometer. You have a couple of options and both are free! I've put a few questions onto the site that I think will most help you assess your stress and risk/level of burnout.So, you can either use it as a personal journalling exercise, or you can fill out the form and book a free 30 minute assessment with me so you can find where you are on the stress-to-burnout spectrum and make a plan to get you out of stress.Read more here: http://livingmedicineproject.com/healing-services/burnout-barometer-stress-assessment/