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The cliches, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven, the peace that passes all understanding, and, it blew my mind; all accurately expressed my recent personal spiritual retreat experience. I say “personal,” because it was designed just for me. It was aptly named, Rejuvenate Your Soul, with the masterful Denise Schaad.
It was a glorious day as I made the three-hour drive from my quaint home in the Silicon Valley to Denise’s secluded 240-acre ranch located somewhere between Sacramento and Tahoe and somewhere between heaven and earth – but closer to heaven. My expectations were as high as the mountains as I drove up the unpaved curvy driveway. I was enveloped by trees. As a child I had memorized Joyce Kilmer’s poem, “Trees,” and it came gushing out of me.
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
I had definitely arrived in God’s country! The views from inside the house were breathtaking. The home itself was soothing, peaceful, and comfortable. I intuitively knew these deeply personal three days would be truly transformative.
Lunch was healthy, scrumptious, and pretty. I felt like the food alone was worth the drive! Every meal was prepared with love and met my strict dietary requirements. The mealtime conversations were equally delicious!
After lunch is was time for meditation – in what I called, “the meditation doll house.” It was about the cutest little building ever. Inside, the sun streamed in to the sunshine yellow painted walls that were decorated with yogis and colorful chakra paintings. Denise has the voice of an angel, which made her guided meditations an ethereal encounter.
Nature provided the exquisite backdrop for hikes that served both to move the body and stimulate the mind. Denise is an expert listener and guided me through some monumental breakthroughs and aha moments as we conversed by the creek and trekked up the hills.
After renewing yoga, I had a raging fire to keep me warm as I journaled and reflected on the day’s blessings and lessons.
And what was it that I learned? Denise showed me a new deeper way to meditate utilizing my breath. I garnered a clearer understanding of the chakras or energy centers, including how to connect with my own energetic and higher self. I’m seeing myself through different eyes – possibly through the “third mystical eye.” She helped me to open up and see the destructive patterns in my life and helped me to forgive – even though I thought I already had. She showed me how to help myself and simultaneously be able to help others.
On my drive home I was listening to my all-time favorite song sung by my two favorite singers, Johnny Mathis and Jane Oliver, titled, “The Last Time I Felt Like This.” (It’s the theme song from the blockbuster movie, Same Time Next Year, starring Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn.) This time when I listened, I heard something different. It was as though I was being introduced to myself. Here are the lyrics:
Hello, I don’t even know your name, but I’m hopin’ all the same
This is more than just a simple hello.
Hello, do I smile and look away? No, I think I’ll smile and stay
To see where this might go.
This is more than just a simple hello.
Hello, do I smile and look away? No, I think I’ll smile and stay
To see where this might go.
Cause the last time I felt like this, I was falling in love,
Falling and feeling, I’d never fall in love again.
Yes, the last time I felt like this, was long before I knew
What I’m feeling now with you.
Falling and feeling, I’d never fall in love again.
Yes, the last time I felt like this, was long before I knew
What I’m feeling now with you.
And so, I said “hello” to myself. All of myself – higher and lower. Denise helped me to create a shift in my life. I arrived with a heavy heart and soul, and she intuitively knew the healing that I needed. She meets you where you are at on your spiritual path. If you are new on this journey or if you are a seasoned spiritual teacher that does retreats and needs a retreat of your own – Denise is for you! Her website is yourenergyawakening.com.
Her business card says she is a spiritual coach and intuitive energy healer, but she also becomes your friend and shows you how to be a friend to yourself.
Additionally, I am taking what I learned and incorporating it into my own spiritual grief coaching. I do individual or group Zoom (online) sessions as well as in person if you happen to be in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am helping people find the hidden gifts in their grief or loss while guiding them to flourish in their body, mind, and soul. Grief isn’t confined to the death of a loved one. It can be the loss of a pet, a marriage, a job, your health, or the loss of yourself. I use my five spiritual steps as a basis for the healing.
No blog of mine would be complete without me sharing about the book I listened to this week. I finished two this week. The first one was The Hot Young Widows Club by Nora McInerny. It was superb! And short!! And it was not spiritual or religious. I thought I wouldn’t be able to relate to it because I was not hot, young, or a widow – but I did! Nor did I think a grief book could be funny, but their were playful parts mixed in with the poignant ones. This is what Amazon has to say:
From the host of the popular podcast, Terrible, Thanks for Asking, comes a wise, humorous roadmap and caring resource for anyone going through the loss of a loved one—or even a difficult life moment. In the span of a few weeks, thirty-something Nora McInerny had a miscarriage, lost her father to cancer, and lost her husband due to a brain tumor. Her life fell apart.
The second book I completed was A Course in Miracles Made Easy by Alan Cohen, but I’ll wait until next blog next month (doing monthly instead of weekly in 2020) to rave about that one.
Watch for my monthly newsletter as well. I talk about rejuvenating the body, mind, and skin with my Arbonne products. I feel complete now that I have “rejuvenated” my soul.
I’m going to give you some homework. I want you to take time to gaze at the wonder of the stars. When I was at Denise’s, I noticed that the stars seemed brighter there than anywhere else in the world I had ever been (and I’ve been everywhere). And then…I want you to write a love letter to yourself.
Please share with anyone you think will benefit. Thank you!