A Retreat: movement, connection and self-reflection
A day of retreat: to move, connect and reflect.
Birch Cove Collective member, LIVING DANCE, led by Christina Wallis, hosted a retreat this past weekend.
It was absolutely superb!
Bringing together a group in-person, the first since the pandemic, was magical.
True connections were made with mind, body, and spirit.
The day consisted of a barre session, cardio class, meditative stretch time, journaling, with a very special treat of Kate Balch-O’Neill singing, followed by a performance by Christina bringing our personal reflections to a whole new level, not to mention a Q&A session with Christina and Kate about how to create discipline in well-being, and what well-being really is, particularly when you really don’t want to get up in the morning to exercise, or choose the healthy food option. How do mindset and emotion play a part? We discovered more.
We then shared a delicious lunch thanks to Ana Food and Wine from Hudson Yards - highly recommend for taste, freshness, and wonderful service.
It’s important in the formula of well-being balance to nourish your body with foods that fuel it rather than push it to its limits to process and digest. Finding a food partner for occasions like this is an important part of curation design.
Another really important dimension of well-being is environment, the place you are immersed in makes a difference to your well-being. What’s around you, what it looks like, feels like, even smells like. These are all important elements that contribute towards your overall well-being. The retreat did not fall short; it was held at the stunning Culture Center in New York City which did not disappoint. With an extraordinarily beautiful iron gate to walk through at the entrance leading down long stairs to an exposed brick (classic NYC) space, with a well equipped kitchen, lovely bathroom, and a space that was clean, well appointed, and almost made us feel that we’d been transported across the pond to somewhere in Spain or Italy! (minus the jet lag).
Alignment in choices personally and in business can be felt in experience by everyone present.
What did we experience?
When we create space for ourselves, in the form of movement combined with reflection, something very special happens.
This powerful combination moves stuck energy, releases frustrations, reconnects us to our body and paints a picture of clarity for the future - without even trying - well ok there was a lot of effort during the movement, but in terms of problem solving life or work stuff, the movement and reflection time really works a treat.
You come back to yourself, release judgements, the should haves, could haves, and you become present in your body. Something not many of us are able to do easily, or regularly.
To become present we need support and expertise around us to remind us how, and to give us space to practice and achieve it. The more you practice the easier it becomes. Something Christina Wallis is very good at guiding you through.
Nourishing your mind, body, and spirit creates healing as well as opportunities you never thought were possible. The effects of a retreat are not isolated to the occasion, the ripple effect goes on past the day.
If you’ve not participated in a retreat before begin getting curious about them, and if you’re responsible for well-being in your business begin exploring what a retreat would look like and how it would work for your employees, partners and client groups.
If you want to learn more about this past weekend retreat, keep an eye out on these social media accounts for more posts and insights:
If you are ready to create a curated retreat for your business, please get in touch! We have an assortment of styles and approaches.
Be well, live intentionally
Birch Cove is not a medical or therapy based business, we do not offer guarantees of any kind. We are not responsible for the well-being of businesses or individuals that read, watch, or hear our content, or take part in sessions, or use our services or the services we highlight. Individuals are responsible and accountable for their own well-being. Birch Cove and our Collective members are not responsible for the physical and mental health and well-being of individuals we interact with directly or indirectly. We work to share best practices that inspire healthy living and revitalize a quality of life.