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 |
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Summer Programming Becomes After School Programming | Madison WI
| 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.
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Starting in October, 8-12 year olds will meet twice per week for 16 weeks of training in leadership and yoga through mindful play. One day per week will be dedicated specifically to building interpersonal skills to help kids become more aware of their physical, mental and emotional bodies through yoga and mindfulness. Classes will be playful, engaging and community based! Kids will learn poses to help with life's common struggles and ailments, as well as breathing & meditation techniques to take into the home.The second day per week will be focused on learning skills in leadership and fostering a deeper connection with nature to enhance the health and well-being of each participant. Leadership is not currently a benchmark or standard in Wisconsin, and thus isn't a focus in the schools. With our current technology-driven society, there is a huge need for kids to be learning skills in leadership and character education.
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.
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! |
Parents and children will be able to meet some of our camp instructors, ask questions, take home FAQs sheets, pick up t-shirts, buy t-shirts, register if you haven't yet and drop off paperwork if you have!
**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.
**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!
OUT There Adventures (OTA) is an adventure education organization committed to fostering positive identity development, individual empowerment, and improved quality of life for queer young people through professionally facilitated experiential education activities. This summer, we are offering a 5 day canoeing trip in the Boundary Waters for queer youth aged 14-22 years old.
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 info@outthereadventures.org.
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 info@outthereadventures.org.
| 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 |
wants to reconnect to her 'self,' and be empowered by a strong group of like-minded women. Bring the flow back into your life by learning how to use yogic breathwork on the water to enhance your paddle stroke. Paddling experience is preferred, but not required. The introductory workshop will give you the confidence and skills needed to be successful on Sunday's day trip. Register before April to save $25 on your retreat price! Price will increase to $475 April 1.
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
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 |
Looking for the Camp Begin website? Click here. Wondering how students & teachers benefit from the curriculum? Continue reading!
What makes Camp Begin special? Our Teachers.
2017 is our inaugural year at Camp Begin, Madison's newest mindful youth camp. We are thrilled to be able to provide this holistic educational opportunity in Madison from qualified instructors. Our camp teachers are certified in schools or clinical settings, and some are master music teachers from colleges and universities around the area. What does that mean for you? It means that the people who are going to be spending a full week or more with your kids are 1) experts in their field and 2) just as excited about what they'll be teaching as you are.
Where does the passion and excitement come from? Need.
As a teacher myself, I understand why 50% of us quit after the first five years in the profession. It is a highly stressful job that requires incredible patience, foresight and compassion. I teach Physical Education, a "speciality" in schools, and I myself cannot imagine being a classroom teacher. Seeing what classroom teachers endure on a daily basis is alarming. Some experience large amounts of discrimination, get yelled at, hit, scratched, spit on, or have objects thrown at them. All of them are required to make quick decisions that have the capability of affecting a child on a large scale, have benchmarks to meet, meetings to attend during their "planning" and/or lunch time, are required to abide by far too many rules to meet a child's needs and above all don't receive enough support for what they do. Teachers are totally stressed out and often struggle taking care of themselves because such a big focus in their life is keeping their students from falling a part... not to mention having the energy to attend to their own families needs if they are moms (these are the true superhero's of society).
Reading Mindful.org's article on "When Teachers Get Mindfulness Training, Student's Win," puts this all into perspective. We need more professional workshops on mindfulness to de-stress and understand why the breath is such an integral part of our body's wellness. When teachers get a taste of this, we crave it, and because we are educators at our core, we pass it on to our students.
That is where I think the beauty lives in Camp Begin. The people on board to provide this education for your kids don't just believe in it, we live and breathe it every day because research shows WE NEED IT. The fun part for us is that we don't have adequate time to teach mindfulness, yoga, art and play all day at school. There are guidelines and standards to adhere to. Teaching at Camp Begin will be play for our instructor team, and let us all live out our passion. Hooray!
2017 is our inaugural year at Camp Begin, Madison's newest mindful youth camp. We are thrilled to be able to provide this holistic educational opportunity in Madison from qualified instructors. Our camp teachers are certified in schools or clinical settings, and some are master music teachers from colleges and universities around the area. What does that mean for you? It means that the people who are going to be spending a full week or more with your kids are 1) experts in their field and 2) just as excited about what they'll be teaching as you are.
Where does the passion and excitement come from? Need.
As a teacher myself, I understand why 50% of us quit after the first five years in the profession. It is a highly stressful job that requires incredible patience, foresight and compassion. I teach Physical Education, a "speciality" in schools, and I myself cannot imagine being a classroom teacher. Seeing what classroom teachers endure on a daily basis is alarming. Some experience large amounts of discrimination, get yelled at, hit, scratched, spit on, or have objects thrown at them. All of them are required to make quick decisions that have the capability of affecting a child on a large scale, have benchmarks to meet, meetings to attend during their "planning" and/or lunch time, are required to abide by far too many rules to meet a child's needs and above all don't receive enough support for what they do. Teachers are totally stressed out and often struggle taking care of themselves because such a big focus in their life is keeping their students from falling a part... not to mention having the energy to attend to their own families needs if they are moms (these are the true superhero's of society).
Reading Mindful.org's article on "When Teachers Get Mindfulness Training, Student's Win," puts this all into perspective. We need more professional workshops on mindfulness to de-stress and understand why the breath is such an integral part of our body's wellness. When teachers get a taste of this, we crave it, and because we are educators at our core, we pass it on to our students.
That is where I think the beauty lives in Camp Begin. The people on board to provide this education for your kids don't just believe in it, we live and breathe it every day because research shows WE NEED IT. The fun part for us is that we don't have adequate time to teach mindfulness, yoga, art and play all day at school. There are guidelines and standards to adhere to. Teaching at Camp Begin will be play for our instructor team, and let us all live out our passion. Hooray!
Open Enrollment is Live at CampBegin.com
Are you interested in registering your child or children for Camp Begin? Please visit www.campbegin.com for additional information. Currently we are at 1/2 capacity for camper enrollment. Prices will be increasing April 1 so please take advantage of our March Madness special to save! Register by March 31 to benefit from our lowest price of the year. Questions? Email info@hikeandheal.com
Leash in hand, gate closed, feet forward, heart ready.
Inhale, belly ribs chest. Exhale out. Inhale, belly ribs chest. Exhale out.
One last time.
Inhale, belly ribs chest. Ahhhhh.
The breath, prana, life force surrounds tranquil spaces of green.
It transcends time, supporting moments of turbulence and wraps around chests of anxiety.
Gratitude fills lungs longing for more.
These moments of natural beauty pass too quickly so I stop. I stop. I pause. I stop again.
Curiosity creeps into every new vision. Every new Sound. The Smells. The Feelings. Ears perk, head cocks. I'm not alone. Hawks & cranes are back. Solo today they send messages of independence. "Stand strong on your own two feet."
Inhale, belly ribs chest. Exhale out. Inhale, belly ribs chest. Exhale out.
One last time.
Inhale, belly ribs chest. Ahhhhh.
The breath, prana, life force surrounds tranquil spaces of green.
It transcends time, supporting moments of turbulence and wraps around chests of anxiety.
Gratitude fills lungs longing for more.
These moments of natural beauty pass too quickly so I stop. I stop. I pause. I stop again.
Curiosity creeps into every new vision. Every new Sound. The Smells. The Feelings. Ears perk, head cocks. I'm not alone. Hawks & cranes are back. Solo today they send messages of independence. "Stand strong on your own two feet."
I come to an overlook, ready with person made platforms. Supine, I look up ready to day dream. When did I last cloud search?
Breathing deeply again, gracious of the stillness, I feel a friend lay beside me looking out at the world.
Beauty in everything. Rows of questions stagger before me, passing slowly like a memory wheel.
Layers upon layers move over one another building bridges of light for attentive gazers.
La Luna to the left, migrating geese to the right. the universe & the earth seamlessly flying together.
Reluctantly I bring my knees to my chest & rock up. A few sun salutations later it's time to move on.
Breathing deeply again, gracious of the stillness, I feel a friend lay beside me looking out at the world.
Beauty in everything. Rows of questions stagger before me, passing slowly like a memory wheel.
Layers upon layers move over one another building bridges of light for attentive gazers.
La Luna to the left, migrating geese to the right. the universe & the earth seamlessly flying together.
Reluctantly I bring my knees to my chest & rock up. A few sun salutations later it's time to move on.
Saeku & I find fallen oaks to walk across, thick strong trunks sturdy for climbing.
As exposed root systems collide, I notice synapses of wisdom once passing through loquacious fungi hanging like a broken spider web.
Habitats for organisms we can't see. Messengers spanning centuries, I bow in respect. I lay my hands to feel their support.
Broken oaks with roots & vines enveloping from the midline. Barkless some stand barely living, sprouting new tiny buds.
This place is where I thrive. Where I feel needed. Where everything serves a purpose. Describing something so superb feels like I'm discounting its authentic voice. Yet most walk fast. Some barely notice an 1/8 of what I did here. So I stop again. I listen to Cooper & Crane. I stand strong on my own two feet. Facing forward. Leash in hand, heart heavy & ready. I turn around often to see where I came from. Smile & turn back again.
Breathing in, belly ribs chest, breathing out sighing heavy. Slow down. Being here. Right now.
As exposed root systems collide, I notice synapses of wisdom once passing through loquacious fungi hanging like a broken spider web.
Habitats for organisms we can't see. Messengers spanning centuries, I bow in respect. I lay my hands to feel their support.
Broken oaks with roots & vines enveloping from the midline. Barkless some stand barely living, sprouting new tiny buds.
This place is where I thrive. Where I feel needed. Where everything serves a purpose. Describing something so superb feels like I'm discounting its authentic voice. Yet most walk fast. Some barely notice an 1/8 of what I did here. So I stop again. I listen to Cooper & Crane. I stand strong on my own two feet. Facing forward. Leash in hand, heart heavy & ready. I turn around often to see where I came from. Smile & turn back again.
Breathing in, belly ribs chest, breathing out sighing heavy. Slow down. Being here. Right now.
An hour later walking through Walmart, a kind worker asks, "are you really as happy as you look?"
"Yes, I just went for a nice hike."
"Huh?" He smiles back puzzled & pleased. "Well, you smile from within. That's a great quality."
"Thank you." For making my day I should have said.
Nature speaks to our soul and invigorates a sense of warmth & compassion that creates a stammering sense of kindness. It carries through. I have yet to experience a day outside that I don't feel a sense of gratitude. Whether it's for the sun, moon, stars, wind, snow, sights, sounds, smells or people playing a game. This earth is here. We are here. For me, there needn't be much more than that. In my most authentic voice, this is why I hike & heal. As much as I can. Every single day. When I don't, I am not me. I am a spiritual being living a physical existence. I am the universe & earth seamlessly flying together as one. I hike to become whole.
-Moira
"Yes, I just went for a nice hike."
"Huh?" He smiles back puzzled & pleased. "Well, you smile from within. That's a great quality."
"Thank you." For making my day I should have said.
Nature speaks to our soul and invigorates a sense of warmth & compassion that creates a stammering sense of kindness. It carries through. I have yet to experience a day outside that I don't feel a sense of gratitude. Whether it's for the sun, moon, stars, wind, snow, sights, sounds, smells or people playing a game. This earth is here. We are here. For me, there needn't be much more than that. In my most authentic voice, this is why I hike & heal. As much as I can. Every single day. When I don't, I am not me. I am a spiritual being living a physical existence. I am the universe & earth seamlessly flying together as one. I hike to become whole.
-Moira
Gong Meditations w/ Absolute Hypnosis & Luna Frequency Reiki @ Absolute Hypnosis in Stoughton, WIDates: March 24, April 21, May 19 2017 Time: 6 - 7:15pm *Arrive early to peruse the space, ask questions and hear more about wellness events at Absolute Hypnosis Learn about the science of the gong, benefit from tuning forks and a guided centering activity before 45 minutes of gong playing followed by a Q & A. | Yoga & Gong Workshop w/ Karma Flow Fitness @ The Fit on Monroe Street in Madison, WIDate: March 4, 2017 Time: 2 - 4:30pm *Yoga from 2-3pm directly followed by gong performance. Read detailed description here. Trouble with the registration link? If the link takes you to the general Mind-Body site, you need to search for The Fit. Then click "continue without logging in." See "Events" on 3.4.17 |
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.
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