FOR MOMS ONLY RETREAT BY TRUE LIFE COACH VICTORIA FITTSMILGRIM

HEY MOTHERS! HOW ARE YOU NOURISHING YOURSELF? WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR MOTHERS DAY TO CELEBRATE YOU?!

This past weekend I was honored to lead an amazing group of Moms in a self-care retreat in Southwest Colorado. Held in a beautiful home of a friend, we gathered on Saturday morning in a sacred circle to share about our children and about ourselves.

The day was a mixture of time together, listening and being heard, and time on the special land we have here in the southwest corner of the state - ancient land that holds a unique history of native people. It was a warm day and we hiked through fresh new sagebrush up a trail to a slick rock cliff where we took time alone to consider our lives as women and mothers.

One thing that stood out to me was how many Moms can get isolated and believe that their struggles are only their own. Being with others, in a safe circle, opens the door to sharing that may not otherwise take place. One hears another talk about perceived guilt around not doing enough (as if that were true!) and the woman eye's next to her widen as she recognizes herself and her own troubled thoughts. And then the support flows into this opening and the realization that giving is always there and the learning comes around receiving.

I hope that as Mother's Day approaches, you will see yourself and the love you give mirrored in those you give it to. Take time this Sunday to honor and celebrate how good you are at the world's most challenging and necessary job - raising our children.

And what about your own Self-Care? What will you commit to for the nurturing of yourself? Forget selfish!! When you take care of you, then you have the energy needed to care for others. And you are teaching them the value of themselves. Without self-worth, life is struggle. When we can honor everyone - and not leave ourselves out - we are modeling a sustainable way of life.

Here are the Moms with their newly planted flowers of self-care! Are they gorgeous or what?!!

My next retreat is called Quest for Your Authentic Leader and will be July 13-18 in the mountains of New Mexico. Oh Yes - You are All Leaders! So what is your vision of Leadership and how do you express and embody it? If you're being called on retreat, give me a call (970)259-9040 or email me victoria@truelifecoach.net and let's make it happen for you!

More info available at www.truelifecoach.net

"Womyn On The Land" Celebrate, Sing and Dance with Coach Margie!

Last Sunday I spent a beautiful Arizona desert spring day retreating on the land with six women ready to step outside of their normal lives, to get still and allow themselves to hear that which is asking to be called forth at this time. Our intention was to "honor our emerging spirits in the flush of spring and reconnect to the healing energy of Mother Earth" while taking time to connect our inner and outer ecology's. The retreat took place in the "The Heart Wash". Running through the center of a property stewarded by 2 incredible womyn, in the midst of the Mule Mountains, The Heart Wash is named such because of the huge abundance of heart shaped rocks that can be found there.

In our opening circle we were blessed with the presence of a gentle beautiful snake that found her way to us, gifting us with the spirit of transformation and the power of creation. During the day we sang a lot, letting our voices rise up into the wind, to be carried across the valley. There was solo time, staying present to the messages there for us to receive; as well as group processes done to enhance our understanding of what was needing to blossom forth in each of us at this time. There were tears and a lot of laughter. There was bonding and connection. There was reflection and introspection. There was celebration and understanding. As the sun sank down behind the canyon wall of the wash, we gathered up our things, leaving behind an altar honoring the land. A craggy old tree, roots exposed and twisted with sticks and other debris from last years very powerful monsoon floods, it was filled with heart rocks found about, from the smallest to ones hardly able to be carried.

A bit later we gathered again, this time for a sweatlodge, under the rising full moon and balmy night air. Here, in this ancient ceremony of cleansing and purification, we called up prayers and song for the world, each other, our loved ones, and our selves, and connected to the Divine Spirit as we each defined it. Between rounds, as the door was opened to let in the night air and a moment of relief, the full moon would blast her way in, dead center in the doorway. The magic was tangible and delicious.

Having the opportunity to share sacred time with powerful womyn, is a blessing, and a gift of being a retreat leader. I value this gift immensely and it fills my heart with joy and appreciation each time. These womyn came to the retreat ready to reveal themselves, to listen to each other, and to hear the voice of their own divine presence. They came away with new friends, a reconnection to the natural world around them, new perspectives and understandings, and an awareness of their own power and creativity. It was truly a rich day for all .

I run quarterly Wise Womyn Mini Retreats, here in South East AZ, basing out of a little art community called Bisbee. My next retreat will be July 1st. "The Summer of Our Dreams" will be about realizing our fullest potential and stepping into action, and will support womyn to start living life on their own terms, doing what they love.

At ARTrageous Camps (www.artrageouscamp.com) participants hone leadership skills, reconnect to their creative muse, explore their intuitive voice and have a lot of fun doing it! Join us at our next event in Michigan near Ann Arbor, June 8-10th.

I hope your enjoying the blossoming of spring, wherever you are (I know some areas are more able to believe it is actually spring right now!). I invite you to take some time to retreat, either with a group or alone, and discover what wants to blossom inside of you.

Blessings,
Coach Margie Scott

"... Retreat is about stepping out of your ordinary existence to listen and attune to your truest, most authentic self. It is about being self-referenced to become self-restored. It is setting apart time to tend the hearth of your inner life, feed your muse, reclaim your dreams." - Jennifer Louden