Invitation: the opportunity to try something new, an offering, a chance to explore, space to make a decision for your self. Sounds empowering doesn't it? It should. Invitations are optional, meaning they aren't required. So when you decide to go for it - you feel better about it. It was your idea to do whatever it is you are invited to do - you get to take ownership for it. And that is the empowering part.
The invitation Hike and Heal Wellness is offering you is purposefully convenient. You don't need an overnight babysitter, you don't have to figure out lodging, you don't need to bring food, you don't have to be able to do crazy awesome yoga poses or be super fit and you don't need a wad of cash to make it happen. We created this opportunity for local people living near Madison who just need a day to settle. To be still. To let everything else go and pay attention to YOU. Not the kids, not work, not the pets, not the news, not anyone or anything else - just you. Give your mental, emotional, spiritual and physical needs a lift. Stay at home parents? Are you out there? Busy bodies - can we press pause? On June 2nd, 2018 - yes, two weekends from now - you are invited to open up your senses... all EIGHT (stay tuned!), and walk in the woods with us. You will be guided through at least four different forms of mindfulness and meditation in just five hours. We will bath in the forest, eat a light lunch, practice Hatha Yoga and head right into sound healing from Savasana. During the sound healing, you will receive hands on Reiki. Afterwards we will have a conversation about how we can bring more peace and compassion into the communities we serve. You may have already tried several of these practices before, but have you experienced them back-to-back? The best part of all of these forms of mindfulness and meditation, is that they should be practiced regularly. So let's learn how to make it regular. You are invited to let us guide you. Hike, Heal & Hum | A Summer Wellness Series![]() Regularly guided Forest Therapy walks are coming to Madison, WI very soon. June 9th starts the first of a three part series called "Hike, Heal & Hum." The idea - experience a morning of sensory friendly awareness that provides space to drop into a Saturday slow, mindfully and compassionately. Experience something brand new with a group of like-minded humans who seek deep nature connection and restorative healing. The entire two-hour event will be done outdoors, rain or shine. Yoga in the rain? Sound healing in the rain? Well... we do have a very large tent, soothing to the eyes and a place to stay dry. We also have an indoor space secured if it's needed. But... we're envisioning sunshine, soft greenery, animal sightings, smells of conifers, sounds of baseline bird chirps and tuts, feelings of childlike wonder, total relaxation, tastes of a fresh pot of herbal tea, and a rewarding conversation amongst new-found friends. We'll meet at Common Ground in Middleton, hit the Pheasant Branch Conservancy Trail and walk up to Parisi Park for the rest. June 9, July 14 & August 4 from 10am - 12pm. $45/class or $120 for the series. Couples receive a $20 discount as well. This will be a brief introduction to Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, a form of Japanese preventative medicine. The reason it is brief is because a true forest bath is 2-4 hours long. Hike, Heal & Hum is a snippet of three different modalities of holistic wellness guided by three different individuals who have become great friends through their Sound Healing & Reiki events. Moira, Krista & Niomi come together on this summer series to play, find joy, ground into Mother Earth and provide the Madison area with something completely unique. It is also a path to spread the good news about their own, individual, work in the broad field of wellness. In Fall of 2018, Moira will be a trained Forest Therapy Guide through AFNT and will be offering regular guided walks in Dane County and other parts of Wisconsin on retreats. Krista is a Reiki Master and energy worker that owns her own business called Luna Frequency. She does attunements, individual Reiki sessions combined with acupressure, as well as standalone energy sessions and psychic readings. She is a gifted lightworker who seeks opportunities to connect with people looking for new ways to be well. Niomi is a massage therapist, fellow energy healer, nature lover and certified yoga instructor. She recently launched a business called Be Mind with Holly Likos that provides on-site stress reduction programming to businesses of all kinds. Their mission to bring the benefits of mindfulness into the corporate culture. All three women bring different experiences and expertise while finding common ground in the need to take care of the earth (hence our meeting place!).
So join in on the fun this summer and register today. A mini forest bath, restorative yoga, sound healing and Reiki... all in two hours. Imagine how the rest of your day would go. Our guess: delightful, grateful and present. Come play with us! June 9, July 14, August 4th, 2018 | Middleton, WI | 10-12pm @ Common Ground ![]() There are days I remember and days I forget. The ones I remember most involve doing something fun, something out of the ordinary, and where I also learned about myself through the connection to others. Tandem Skydiving in Door County, zip lining in Mexico, rappelling, black water rafting and bungee jumping in New Zealand, and kayaking in 4 foot swells on Lake Michigan are days that stick out for me as memorable moments. The anxious stomach before it all, the present moment awareness for each adventure, the gratitude I felt afterwards, the relationships built between me and the ones I was with, the connections made to new places and new people along for the ride. These are great memories of movement and fun in nature's beautiful playground that I wouldn't trade for the world. They taught me about who I am and who I want to strive to become. These experiences have inspired me to spend my time this summer introducing Madison's teens to exciting opportunities that will surely push the boundary of what they think they are capable of. They will gain confidence, build friendships and most of all, they will make lasting memories of joy. Along the way, they will learn healthy ways to take care of themselves, successful strategies to positively lead and influence a group of peers, as well as ways to positively affect the environment in which we live. Our Beginnings in Leadership week will test camper's physical, mental, emotional and social well-being. All participants will explore the teachings of mindfulness and yoga to enhance their understanding of what it truly means to be strong inside and outside of the body. They'll have to problem-solve, cooperate and take healthy risks with like-minded peers. They'll explore Madison through hiking, tree climbing, kayaking, slack-lining, nature connection and prepare for an overnight adventure at Devil's Lake State Park where the opportunities get a little more intense. Here, youth will learn intermediate kayaking skills, knot-tying, belaying techniques, rock climbing on real rock face and go through a fire rite of passage ceremony. This is an awesome opportunity for youth already practicing leadership (oldest child, team sports, orchestra, band, choir, etc) in their life. It is also a beneficial experience for teens who need a boost in self-esteem and/or need to learn skills to build healthy relationships. These young leaders will walk away with more confidence and tools to use in everyday life, while having a BLAST doing it! Teens identifying as LGBTQ+ are highly encouraged to attend and would really benefit from the curriculum taught. For questions, email me (Moira) at [email protected]. Space is limited to 20 campers so register today!
Happy hormones increase, so while we feel calm, we also feel peaceful and often even blissful after sound healing. It felt spiritual to me and I connected to my higher sense of self. What are people saying about it? People leave feeling deeply relaxed, rejuvenated, grounded and open. A Madison woman left the experience saying, "It felt spiritual to me and I connected to my higher sense of self."
Interested in attending? Reservations are required as space is limited to about 12 people per session. Registration is free, unless you'd like to pay online with a card. If you pay in person, it's cash only. Need the details? Location: These vary based on the dates! Duration: 1 hour for sound and Reiki concerts. Check out our new Hike, Heal & Hum summer series! Cost: $20/person. Couples receive a $10 discount referring to coupon "soundcouple" or pre-paying online. Items to Bring: Yoga mat, water bottle, pillow/blanket ![]() Jedi Training is underway at Midvale Elementary during the school day, and since the beginning of October, after it. Kindergarteners at Midvale receive an extra 30 minutes of REACH class every week taught by yours truly. The focus is learning the Jedi Way. We sit like Yoda, we practice the "Jedi sun breath" and "Jedi sequence," learn how to be peaceful warriors and tap into the force for our strength, focus and community connection. After school, Jedi Training turns into full on fun! In these Kids Yoga classes we laugh and connect through movement. We learn all different kinds of yoga poses. We even make some up! We play hard and laugh hard. We end with a bit of quiet time to get back into our front brains. We affirm how awesome we are. If you are looking for Kids Yoga in Madison, fill out the form at the bottom of the page to get on our mailing list for updates. Weekend Kids Yoga is just around the corner. Learn about birthday party yoga below. Meanwhile, carve out time to drop off your 5-10 year old for an after school class and see if we are a fit for your family! Madison Kids Yoga Classes | Thursday Evenings @ Midvale Elementary |
For all of the camp families that said - please offer something during the school year - here you go! Your support and encouragement nudged us to take the leap. Camp Begin's inaugural year was nothing short of incredible. Each and every one of the 140 campers impacted our instructor's lives in great ways. The healthy edges they pushed through, the insightful responses to great questions, and the life skills they all learned was a joy to be a part of. Such a joy, that we wanted to continue the work this fall. | |
A highlight of the experience is going to be the overnight leadership retreat at Devil's Lake State Park and rock climbing with certified professionals from Devil's Lake Climbing Guides. Parents are welcome to attend any of the after school care sessions and the retreat so the whole family benefits!
Click here to get more information on registration.
Madison's Mindful Youth Camp | Family Meet & Greet | Tuesday May 30th!
| Whether you're registered or not, park on Gilmore Avenue off of Monroe Street across from Wingra School between 6:30pm and 8pm Tuesday, May 30 to learn more about what Camp Begin is! Enjoy time spent in active play and hands-on learning with your family outside engaged and present in nature. Events: We will have a a few live group art projects that families can help participate in, which will double as decorations for camp. Families can play on the playground, in the outdoor learning area, use chalk to decorate with, blow bubbles, laugh and dance to music! |
**Event is weather dependent. Right now, intermittent rain is the forecast for the day, but should cease before the event begins. If it looks like heavy rain, we'll cancel via our Facebook event page. If it's a light drizzle or sprinkle, we'll come together for a cleanse and play in the weather.
Check out this incredible LGBTQ opportunity near you!
Trip dates are June 17th-23rd, 2017. The trip leaves from Tower, MN, which is just outside of Ely, MN and the cost of the trip is $1250. Scholarships are available. All camping and canoeing gear (tents, sleeping bags, etc.) and outdoor clothing (rain jackets, paddling shoes, etc.) will be provided.
Please spread the word and share this information with anyone you think might be interested. Also, feel free to hand out or post this flier about the trip. For additional information, please contact Elyse Rylander at [email protected].
This retreat embraces adult women of all ages who want to explore their their talents and gifts, spend time adventuring and laughing with a fabulous group of girls! Truly, this weekend will be a getaway to celebrate YOU. Relax, unwind and enjoy some much needed "me time" in the beautiful outdoors during the peak fall colors. There will be an introductory kayaking workshop, a scenic day paddling trip, three different styles of yoga, mindfulness exercises to awaken all five senses, games, art projects, aromatherapy, and if that wasn't enough to convince you - organic meals and cabin lodging. This is a 3-day, 2-night retreat designed for the active woman who |
What is Included: Introductory Kayak Workshop & Scenic Paddle, Introductory Mindfulness Workshop, Meditation, Hatha Yoga (3 classes), Five senses Nature Immersion, Community Building, Sound Healing Concert with Reiki, Organic Meals (2 Dinners/2 Lunches/2 Breakfasts), Solo Time, Fall Foliage, History of the Eagle River Chain-of-Lakes, Luxurious Cabin Lodging
Women's Wellness Kayaking RetreatFor more information on the Women's Wellness Kayaking Retreat, click here.
Join Music Therapist Beth Kiser and Well Rounded Guru's Jourdan Hines this Sunday, April 23 from 12 - 1:30pm at the Madison Music Foundry for a unique wellness workshop specifically gear towards musician health. Description Being a musician is physically demanding in unique ways. This workshop offers helpful tips on musician self-care in order to avoid injury and make better music. Join Jourdan and Beth to learn about musician wellness practices as they address the importance of maintaining good technique habits and how to condition the mind and body through musician's yoga. Topics to be discussed Healthy postural alignment, yoga poses to relieve tension and build strength, breathing exercises to improve focus for practice and performance, as well as an introduction to acupressure / pressure points to release tension and areas keen to repetitive stress injuries |
Author
Hi, Moira here. When I'm not playing with my dogs, listening to music, enjoying nature or being with my friends/family, I'm probably writing. Read these blogs for wellness opportunities we offer at Hike & Heal, ones I know that are awesome or just some tidbits about living a healthier life.
Archives
December 2023
April 2023
September 2021
June 2020
November 2019
January 2019
December 2018
August 2018
May 2018
February 2018
December 2017
October 2017
August 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
June 2016
March 2016
January 2016
July 2015
June 2015
April 2015