Do you have any of these 5 troubles or issues?

1. Can’t turn off your ‘thinking’
2. Tense & Sweaty 24/7
3. Your free time consists of taking care of others
4. You only see the “outdoors” when someone posts a nature photo on Facebook
5. No direct access to a window at your job

Simple prompts to reconnect with nature in just 7 – 15 minutes each day.

Learn to relax and recharge through the healing power of nature.

To participate:

►  Go to Awaken Into Life with Trisha Rockwell
►  ‘Like’ the page
►  Check in on Facebook each morning for your nature prompt

It’s as simple as that and it’s FREE!  Join us!  Begins May 10th.

*  We will only be posting prompts via Facebook.  You will not receive the prompts via email from Trisha.

* A Spring Equinox Mini Retreat *

Date:
    Saturday, March 16th 2013, 10:00am – 1:00pm
Location:
    Two Sisters Healing Arts & Wellness Center
    146 Fairpoint Rd., Mill Hall Pa  17751
Facilitator:
    Trisha Rockwell, Seasons of Change Certified Coach
Cost:  $32.00

“The first sign of Spring is newfound energy.  This is readily apparent in nature, as wildlife scurries about eating, romping, mating, preparing nests, and feeding and tending their young.  Plants burst forth with new growth and showy colors.  Suddenly, with the longer days, it seems nearly impossible to stay inside.”  – Carol McClelland Ph.D.

This 3 hour mini retreat is all about learning to rest and remember the power that resides within.  

• Access your intuitive navigation skills.
• Consciously reconnect with your feminine essence.
• Work in concert with the natural birthing process.

This retreat will include:

- Relaxation Exercises
- Self-exploration
- Connecting with Nature
- Ritual
- Prayer Form
- Luscious Snack & Beverage

Please register in advance as space is limited.  You may register via our ‘Contact Form’ or send an email to trisha(at)awakenintolife(dot)com.

“The retreat felt safe, accepting, and real. I felt a connectedness with the new people I met, my ancestors from the past, and the universe. I felt the power of my loving energy grow and flow out into the world.” – T.B.

Questions?  Please contact Trisha Rockwell at 570-974-8227 or trisha(at)awakenintolife(dot)com.

1. Meditate.  Five minutes in the morning to yourself.  You may want to try lighting a candle and connecting to www.calm.com as you begin your day.
2. Take a morning Thanksgiving Walk.  Go solo or take someone with you.  Bask in the beauty of our surroundings this time of year.  I may even take my shoes off and dip my feet in a nearby stream.
3. Make a Gratitude List.  Begin with at least 10 things you love about yourself.  (This could be done during the walk.)
4. Create a Letting Go Ritual.  Pay attention to any negativity that may be coming up for you about the day.  Release it by acknowledging it, writing it down, and then burning, flushing, or ripping it up into little pieces.
5. Call someone you Love.  Remind them of how much you appreciate them.

Sending each of you love and appreciation today.

Happy Thanksgiving! ♥

Date:
    Saturday, Dec. 15th 2012, 10:00am – 1:00pm
Location:
    Two Sisters Healing Arts & Wellness Center
    146 Fairpoint Rd., Mill Hall Pa  17751
Facilitator:
    Trisha Rockwell, Seasons of Change Certified Coach
Cost:  $32.00

“In nature, darkness is the rich, fertile soil that enables seeds to sprout and grow into the plants that will ultimately provide a harvest.  The same is true for you.”  – Carol McClelland Ph.D.

This 3 hour mini retreat is all about learning to rest, be still, and remember the power that resides within.  

• Take part in activities to strengthen & awaken personal power.
• Conquer struggle & learn ways to release overwhelm.
• Create the conditions to allow for a solstice insight or “turning point”.

This retreat will include:

- Relaxation Exercises
- Self-exploration
- Connecting with Nature
- Ritual
- Prayer Form
- Luscious Snack & Beverage

Please register in advance as space is limited.  You may register via our ‘Contact Form’ or send an email to trisha(at)awakenintolife(dot)com.

“The warm, inviting atmosphere is so relaxing and knowing that you can open up to women whom you don’t know as well as learn from them is exhilarating. Finding yourself may seem impossible to do alone, but with the strength and companionship gained from the retreat it makes even the most impossible obstacle possible to overcome. There are so many positives in life which we often take for granted. This retreat, as well as others I have attended, allow for that time to ‘dig deep’ and realize the beauty and importance of everything and everybody in my life.” – A.R.

Questions?  Please contact Trisha Rockwell at 570-974-8227 or trisha(at)awakenintolife(dot)com.

I typically write in my journal to process sadness or heartbreak or difficult situations.  A  deep feeling of contentment and peace has been with me the last few weeks.  A feeling that all is as it’s supposed to be.  I have relaxed into the moment.  I am trusting what is.  My season of grief is over.  I have grown.  I have evolved.  This transition process was often dark.  I could always see a pinpoint of light in the distance but sometimes wondered when or how I would emerge fully into the light again.

Earlier this year, I became a Seasons of Change Certified Coach.  This program was a guide for me into some powerful lessons.  I learned there is a time for stillness and quiet and also a time for action.  There is not always a quick fix.  Like the earth, I needed to go within and rest before I was ready to bloom with the next season.  When I realized what personal season of growth I was in, I understood what steps were ahead.  We all go through cycles and season in our lives.  When we consciously watch nature and learn its lessons, we eventually emerge renewed and strengthened as we move into new times of growth.

This Fall I will lead the first in a series of Seasons of Change mini retreats.  I invite you to join me on this journey through this cycle of transformation.  Join me Saturday, Oct. 13th and immerse yourself in the wisdom of nature.

Date:  Saturday, Oct. 13, 10:00am – 1:00pm
Location:  Two Sisters Healing Arts & Wellness Center
146 Fairpoint Rd., Mill Hall Pa  17751
Facilitator:  Trisha Rockwell, SOC Certified Coach

Change is inevitable.  It may come to us intentionally or it may be unexpected.  Whether we realize it or not, we are always in a cycle of transformation.  How we progress through change can affect our level of contentment.

This is the first in the Seasons of Change Retreat Series that will take you on a personal journey of growth that follows the lessons of nature.

Each three hour retreat will offer:

- Relaxation Exercises
- Self-exploration
- Connecting with Nature
- Ritual
- Prayer Form

Be inspired to move through transitions with grace!  Join us and find support and inspiration through the seasons. 

Cost:  $32.00 for each Seasonal Retreat session.  (Watch for the next SOC event this winter!)

Nutritious snack and beverage included. 

Please register in advance as space is limited.  You may register via the ‘Buy Now’ button below or by email.  Hope you will join us!

Any questions?  Please contact Trisha Rockwell at 570-974-8227 or trisha(at)awakenintolife(dot)com.

It was my first time planning a ceremony like this so I kept it simple and drew inspiration from a wonderful guide:  Mother Rising by Cortlund, Lucke & Watelet.  I took into consideration the values and beliefs of the mother-to-be while putting it together.  The ceremony took about 4 hours.  This is how we did it:

• Smudging.  Cleared the space in preparation for the day.  (Music – Earth Chants)
• Salt Water Purification.  As guests arrived, they were offered a salt water purification and blessing.  They were then invited to walk into the forest and collect something from nature that personified for them something about the upcoming birth or the guest of honor.
• Circle Time.  As women returned from their walk, the circle came together in sacred space.
• Reading.  (On Children from The Prophet)
• Prayer.
• Purpose of the Circle.
• Guided Meditation/Imagery.
• Releasing Fear Exercise.  We each wrote any fears we had and went around the circle and shared our fear aloud.  We then burned it in a bowl to release it.
• Pamper Time.  We made a crown for the guest of honor/mother-to-be from flowers picked from outside.  She soaked her feet and then I massaged and used reiki on her feet and ankles.  All the while, the women shared their birth stories and anything they wanted to share.  We also each brought a special piece of fabric that was to be made into a blessing quilt for the baby.  Each piece had special meaning and a story with it.  The baby’s grandmother pieced it together soon after.
• Gifts from Nature.  After pampering, we got out the nature gifts we collected at arrival and reflected on what it meant to us and how it related to how we would welcome and embrace this new child and mother.
• Birthing Bracelet.  Each guest brought a bead to make a bracelet that the mother-to-be would wear during the birth.  We each blessed our bead and gave it to her.  Initially it was put onto a simple stretchy band but later was made into a fabulous silver charm bracelet by her sister.  This was then worn during the birth. 
• Belly Blessing.  Played Minnie O’Shirva’s Cradle Song as each guest chose a card from Angel Cards: New Edition.  We then read our cards as we laid our hands on the baby belly. 
• Weaving a Web.  Each woman circled her wrist with a ball of yarn and tossed it to another woman to wrap around her wrist until each woman was “connected” with the pregnant mama.  Then the yarn was cut and tied off on each wrist as a bracelet to be worn until after the baby was born.
• Closing Ritual.  We closed the ceremony by going around the circle and each person reading a blessing over the mother-to-be.
• Feast!  We enjoyed a simple healthy meal together.
  

There is no right or wrong way to facilitate a blessingway.  All that matters is that the intention has been set to support and honor the mother-to-be and that she feels safe, supported, and loved.  This ceremony can be adapted to honor a mother regardless of how motherhood comes to her.

The Birthing Bracelet.

 

The Blessing Quilt. I wish you could see the details and the love that went into each piece. Wonderful, touching stories came with it.

 

I sometimes find myself hanging back in developing close friendships with women because, well because… sometimes friendships hurt.  I have learned too that there is nothing like knowing you have friends who are there for you unconditionally.  So I started making a list of what I appreciate most about my closest friends and soul sister.

(Written with humor and love.  After all, isn’t laughter one of the best parts of real friendship?)

True Friendship is…

1. Knowing you don’t have to shave your legs before you see them.
2. Knowing you don’t have to wax your lip before you see them.
3. Knowing you don’t have to shave your armpits or even bathe previous to a visit with them.  (I’m picking up on a theme here.)
4. When you don’t have to clean the bathroom before they visit because you know they know to “hold it” while they’re there.
5. When you invite them for dinner and when they arrive ready to eat, you know it’s okay if you haven’t started cooking yet cause they’ll pitch in and help.
6. Knowing it’s okay if you forget to put on your deodorant.
7. Knowing they won’t gossip about you to your mutual friends when you have a disagreement.
8. When your phone rings mysteriously in the middle of the night and you call them back and wake them up at 3am when it wasn’t even them who called you in the first place and they aren’t mad.
9. Knowing that if they’re your boss and they fire you (even if it is a volunteer position) that they’ll hire you back.
10. They’re a witness to your anger, joy, grief, and they don’t try to talk you out of it.
11. You can call them crying because you just discovered your husband is having a surprise party for you in a half hour and they’ll come help you clean.
12. You plan to dress as matching sumo wrestlers for Halloween.
13. When you tell them you are closing your healing arts center they burst into tears because they know you put your heart and soul into it.
14. They know they can show up at your door and sleep on the couch if they’ve had a rough day.
15. On your birthday, they ignore your protests, come and pick you up for a nature walk and take you out for dessert.  And they give you gifts too.
16. They respect who you are and are kind to your dreams.
17. When you look at the clock and realize you’ve just had a 3 hour conversation that felt like 30 minutes.
18. They know that if you don’t return their phone call right away, that you might just need time to yourself and it’s nothing personal.
19. They celebrate with you when good things happen.
20. They’ve got your back.  Period.

Can we keep this going?  I’d love to read your comments of what true friendship means to you!

In the past, my least favorite way to retreat was when I attempted to “retreat” with my family.  After returning from a “relaxing” family vacation, I would feel like a I needed to go on another vacation by myself just to de-stress.  Something changed recently though when we decided we’d make an impromptu road trip and do some tent camping.  I’ve been traveling to Watkins Glen for almost 20 years with my husband Tom.  It has always felt like such a sacred place to me.  There is an incredible energy in walking the path of the gorge, through this crevice in the mountain that used to be connected.  There are gentle waterfalls that spill over your head as you climb the steps.

Even driving into the town of Watkins Glen and catching glimpses of Seneca Lake in the distance makes me feel all tingly inside.  My mom says my experience could be summed up as a “gorge-gasm”.  And she might be right.

We entered the state park late on a Monday afternoon and chose a beautiful spot not too far from the restrooms and set up camp.  I didn’t have time to plan much so the fixin’s were simple.  I had done a “things to do” search online for the area and had a short list of activities we could do that included hikes, swimming in the waterfalls, a farm sanctuary tour, and even a walk to the old time renovated movie theater to watch the latest Ice Age movie.

It was bliss, every moment.  I woke with the birds and the sun and journaled my way into oblivion before the family even found their way out of the tent.  I was also reading a great book that reminded me to be immune to the kids’ arguments in the background about who had cooler hair.

So here are a few things I learned that might help you make your own blissful family retreat:

1. Don’t over think it.  Keep it simple.
2. Go somewhere you are already familiar with and enjoy being.  We went during the week and avoided the heavy crowds.
3. Leave any turmoil or stressful thoughts behind.  Be in the moment.
4. Take a good book.
5. Remember to breathe.
6. Look for some of the local hidden “gems” of the area to enjoy.
7. Trust your instincts.  Is there a place that’s been calling to you?

Do you have a special way that you retreat with your family?

 From my journal a few weeks ago:
 “I have been in incredible pain for the last 2 weeks.  Something heavy, rocklike, something deep that has settled into my upper back & neck area.  The pain feels like labor pains or a migraine in my shoulder area.  I can’t sleep, I don’t want to eat, and pills don’t touch it.  It’s deep.  How did it get there?  I’ve been telling people that it was brought on by my dancing antics at my brother’s recent wedding but I know it’s deeper than that, that this sort of pain does not come on overnight.”

One of my best friends is a massage therapist who does deep tissue massage.  This usually will loosen me up but the pain was so deep, so sensitive, so painful that it hurt too much.  She was overwhelmed by the energy I was giving off around the shoulder area.  She could feel that it was just too much for me.  She said to me, “Honey, there is a deep emotion stuck in this area… what is it?”  As holistic practitioners, we both know that pain and disease may be manifestations of emotional issues that are calling for attention, that need to be acknowledged in order to move on and heal.  I witness this ‘letting go’ during coaching sessions, reiki sessions, and guided imagery sessions.

Just by her acknowledgement that she could see there was something deeper going on helped me a lot.  She noticed that something wasn’t right and reminded me to listen to what my body was trying to tell me.  I didn’t know in the moment what issue was calling to me but my body did.  The brain doesn’t always acknowledge what the body is trying to tell it. It takes a conscious effort to listen to the body and understand what the subconscious is trying to say.  It takes time to listen. It takes strength and courage to hear what needs to be heard.

My friend simply put her hands on my shoulders and gently reassured me in the moment.  This began the process and my journey to understanding the issue that was calling to me.