This Friday we host our second Women's Wellness Weekend! The group is open to eight women. Here is the agenda for the Wellness Weekend this Friday and Saturday.

Agenda:
The theme of the weekend is self-care. We will be doing various self-care activities. As you participate in the activities, we invite you to go within and discover your own personal recipe for re-energizing and nourishing yourself.

Friday:
9-12 - equine-assisted learning exercises
12-1:30 - lunch
1:30-2:30 - art
3-4 - yoga
5 - dinner and music and singing

Saturday:
9-12 - equine-assisted learning exercises
12-1:30 - lunch
1:30-3 - nature meditation walk
3:15-4 - closing meditation

Our second Women's Wellness Weekend is coming up on Friday & Saturday, September 24 -25, 2010. It will be a relaxing and nurturing two days. The weeekend offers 10-12 women a self-care experience. Sitting in nature, we will be doing equine-assisted exercises, art, yoga, meditation, singing, and we will of course enjoy some good food. I am offering participants a 25% discount when they refer another woman, who registers and partakes in the weekend. To register you can email me at welrick@uniserve.com.

I just finished a lovely book: Women, Food & God by Geneen Roth. Roth reiterates what I have learned from the horses, that the way to living a meaningful life is staying in the present. So how do you do that exactly?! Roth shares her own experiences of listening to her body to determine how she feels, and what she needs. She describes how our bodies are constantly talking to us, and we need to learn how to listen. Equine-assisted learning is a lovely way to learn how to pay attention to our body sensations and discover what our belief systems are.

Another important point Roth makes is the need for us adults to allow ourselves to re-define who we are based on our conversations with our bodies. Most of us live our lives based on the identity we were sold as children. She argues that that identity is not necessarily what we were born with. Definitely food for thought. I highly recommend the book.

Being with the horses is an exercise of being in the moment, with self, and with horse. Reflective and being reflected... I cannot imagine that this would not be a growing and inspiring experience. It certainly invites understanding and expansion.
Pippa Dean-Veerman

As you have probably noticed, the property has been given a new name: The Equine Connection. The name change marks the start of a new service I now offer, namely team-building sessions for businesses, and other groups. Equine-assisted learning offers a unique way to help teams increase their effectiveness. Individuals will experience a heightened self-awareness. Teams will improve their communication skills, and problem-solving abilities. Leaders will improve their assertiveness skills. Working with the horses promotes creativity and role-models the important connection between one's body and living a meaningful life. Equine-assisted learning can also be a lot of fun!

As a counsellor, I have referred many women to Wendy's equine-assisted therapy groups. I was amazed at how quickly these women were able to move through their trauma. It was because of this that I was drawn to the wellness weekend, where I was able to experience first-hand the healing nature of "just being" with the horses.
Deon Soukeroff