Friday, March 19, 2010

One More Week!!

just one week from today, i will be driving on these winding mountain roads, heading to my first ever “space between” retreat. i still cannot believe that this is actually becoming a reality! if you had told me a year ago that i would be planning and organizing this event, i would have seriously argued with you. i mean i had never even been to a retreat, much less put one together! who knew that this would be something that resonated so deeply with me??
as many of you know, i was so inspired by attending the be present retreat in manzanita, oregon that i found myself longing to replicate the experience on a small scale. i started jotting down little notes of ideas that i had long before i took the leap of trying to actually make it happen.

i sent out the first email to those that i thought might be interested with “fear and trembling” and was totally blown away each time i got a positive response.

there are really a million details and i have put a great deal of time into this little endeavor, but i would be reluctant to call it “work” because i’ve actually loved every minute of it! well, ok, not the minutes when several previously interested people dropped out and i thought the whole thing was going to fall apart. those weren’t that much fun. i tried very hard to keep a positive attitude throughout, but it was a stretch.

so what are we going to do up there, you ask? we’ll hike, journal, photograph, do SOUL COLLAGE (one of the girls will teach us), yoga, and share. not to mention eat, drink, star-gaze, hang out in the hot tub and maybe have a bonfire. plus i’ve put together some photographic powerpoints that i’ll share. there will also be some time built in for personal choice/reflection. i’ve given the girls a couple of (optional) homework assignments to get them thinking and we’ll do a “book-share” as well. and all in a fabulous mountain lodge.

i do think it’s going to be awesome, but i would be lying if i told you that i’m not a teeny bit anxious. i feel so responsible, but at the same time i really, really want to be able to stay very present and enjoy everything as it unfolds. i’m hoping that if everything goes well, it will be the first of many!

(all photos taken in the area of the retreat)

7 comments:

  1. okay....this retreat is going to simply be AAAAAAA-MAAAAAAAA-ZING!

    the setting alone would be enough...but with you putting it together...these ladies are going to be blown away!

    i am so proud of you patty for venturing out and doing this...so brave and what a gift you will be giving to each of the lovely souls that are attending this!!

    i CANNOT wait to hear ALL about it!!

    sending you lots and lots of love!

    ooooh....aren't you just loving the weather we have been having?!?!

    xoxoxo
    k

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is incredible, Patty! Talk about growth. You are taking quantum leaps. Can't wait to hear all about it. All my support, love and light go with you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. wow patty. this is an incredibly brave step forward and i am so very hot diggity proud of you for putting yourself out there. looks indeed like a beautiful site and i have so much faith in you. i know it will be life changing! please share every moment! have fun

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am so incredibly proud of you. I am smiling from ear to ear. I wish I could be there with you. It is going to be an incredible event. I can feel it. I cannot wait to hear about it. Sending you so much love! You are so courageous to be doing this.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I cannot even begin to tell you what all of your words mean to me - I can feel their power, yes I can! I will feel them every step of the way, I just know it. What would I ever do without you??

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, Patty, you are so brave and inspiring. How wonderful that you took your inspiration and ideas and actually made it happen! I know the retreat will be amazing - and I cannot wait to hear about it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. wow Patty. This is so cool. I had no idea that you had this up your sleeve. So inspiring and BOLD. like the others have said, I'm so proud of you. Love to see dreams come to fruition and will anxiously await the photos and stories to come. Way to go. Awesome.
    I need to come visit your blog more often. your images are beautiful and your words uplifting, real and inviting.
    Thank you for leaving comments on my itsy bitsy blog. One of my goals is to refine it, redesign it and be more consistent.
    Be well Patty and GOOD LUCk. it's going to be amazing.

    Where is that anyway? looks beautiful. wish i could be there too.

    ReplyDelete

I would love to hear from you!!