Week 4

January 26–February 2, 2013

This week at Blue Spirit, you can immerse yourself in rejuvenating yoga or qigong, discover how to achieve peace and expand consciousness through shamanic journeys and shapeshifting, learn to free the writer within, explore a contemporary approach to the teachings and practices of Buddhism, or experience ecstatic dance as a spiritual practice.

Dive into our workshops and enjoy all that Blue Spirit has to offer!

Sample from any or all of the following workshops during Week 4.

Living Buddha
Exploring Compassion & Wisdom in the World Today
Joan Halifax Roshi
Join Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, and engaged Buddhism advocate, Joan Halifax Roshi, for a very contemporary approach to the teachings and practices of Buddhism. We receive basic instructions on various forms of meditation; learn special practices on compassion; explore teachings on the three-fold path of virtue, concentration, and wisdom; and look into engaged practice in our world today.

Achieving Peace Through Higher Consciousness
John Perkins
John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man and Shapeshifting, quit working for the World Bank and the United States government when he realized he was part of a system that creates an unsustainable world. His work with shamanic cultures around the world taught him that now, in this time prophesized by the Maya and many others, we have the opportunity to change. This week, he leads us on shamanic journeys to expand our consciousness and shapeshift our institutions.

Relax & Write™
Tapping Your Unconscious for Life & Art
Maia Danziger, CPCC
Are you a new or established writer struggling to tap into your creative well? The Relax & Write™ method proves that the blank page is nothing to fear. Created by Maia Danziger, the Relax & Write™ method unlocks the unconscious to develop your passion for writing and living. In a safe and nonjudgmental setting, you practice deep relaxation, guided meditation, sensory awareness, and tapping into the “observer self” to awaken the inner voice you’ve always wanted to hear, and put that voice to paper.

Vinyasa Yoga
Gina Norman
Join Gina Norman, director of Connecticut’s Kaia Yoga, for a week of unwinding and relaxing through the restorative practice of vinyasa yoga. With a focus on alignment, adjustments, and plenty of practice, we establish a strong foundation in postures, pranayama (breathing), and meditation. As we deepen our knowledge of our body and breath, we are left feeling rejuvenated and inspired. For beginners and experienced practitioners alike, this practice is a way to create stability and clarity of mind, both on and off the mat.

5Rhythms® Movement as Meditation
Amber Ryan
Created by Gabrielle Roth, the 5Rhythms®—flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and stillness—form a simple yet profound moving meditation designed to be a catalyst for your creative potential and deep healing of your body, mind, and soul. This week, certified 5Rhythms® teacher Amber Ryan is your guide to this ecstatic dance practice. You learn to move from your head toward your authentic self, awakening the human potential that lives within each of us.

Longevity & Beyond: Living Fully in This Moment
Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD
Physician and cofounder of Omega, Stephan Rechtschaffen, teaches holistic approaches to time, longevity, stress reduction, and well-being. Learn the fundamental basis for vitality and long life while finding fulfillment in the moment. Through lecture, visualization techniques, and mindfulness practices, the author of Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life and coauthor of Vitality and Wellness, shows you how to slow down and come into a more authentic and balanced rhythm of life that is the result of living fully in the present moment.

Waterfall Qigong
Free Fall of the Laughing Stream
Steven Michael Pague
Practicing qigong—using simple, yet profound systems of breathwork, mental focus, movement, and stillness—we learn to let go, allowing life force to flow. Experiencing the laughing free fall of the mystery of qi (chi), we increase general health and strengthen immune function, while also enhancing intuition, creativity, sexual vitality, and much more. Come away with a real sense of the promise of qi and a practical understanding of how to bring these restorative practices into daily life.

While You’re Here

Add an optional cleanse.

Strategies for a Healthy Lifestyle Cleanse
Shivanter Singh
Add this special weeklong cleanse and enjoy an abundant array of delicious, healthy foods combined with detoxifying Chinese and Western supplements, teas, and juices to restore and rejuvenate your life. There is an additional $200 charge for this program.