Thank you to all the beautiful women who joined us this summer at Dance of Joy: A women's holistic journey to transformation! Registration for next year's retreat will open January 2012. 

Dance of Joy 2012 will take place July 27, 2012 to Aug. 3, 2012. Weekend, 4-day and 1 week retreats available. 

A retreat that provides the tools to create the best life for yourself emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually

Do you want...

...to understand  what it truly means to live alive and well?

...to let go of limiting beliefs that hold you back from creating the life you deserve?

...to explore your true authentic self?

...to immerse yourself in healthy, active living?

...to transform your eating habits?

...to feel the power of a woman and find the Goddess within?

Join us in July at the Killarney-Shebanoning Outdoor Environmental Education Centre for Dance of Joy 2012! Registration opens January 2012! Watch for details!

Dance of Joy 2011 at a Glance

Gently, she awakens to the Dance of Joy....

Dance of Joy: a personal perspective

 Full 2011 retreat details available below:

Click on logo for a schedule of events

Retreat Workshop details

Totem Animal Hike
Open your heart and mind to the wisdom of the animal world. Meet and work with your animal totem by learning the language of their behaviors.

Yoga Nidra is an age old method of guided meditation used to take a person deep into their subconscious mind where the opportunity to rewrite the programming of their core beliefs exists.  In this place, the fundamental hurdles that seem impassable begin to fall away. 
This practice can be used to enhance healing in every area of life:
- stress reduction
- health & wellbeing
- relationships
- self confidence
- abundance
- vitality
- life changes
- learning
- joy & acceptance

Embracing Change can be one of the most daunting tasks a person may choose or be required to do.  At the same time, it has the potential to be the most rewarding and exhilarating experience life has to offer.  From an objective point of view, embracing change becomes a process of identifying the issue, creating a plan, navigating with baby steps, evaluating progress and maintaining focus.  This is a muscle that can be exercised and developed over time, eventually becoming a dear old friend.  Change is constant and dynamic, it is the flow of life and as we deny this flow we experience discomfort.  This discomfort is our built in barometer, our teacher and guide.  We must meet this teacher with reverence and gratitude.  The joy and satisfaction we experience on the other end of this spectrum are also built in teachers.  In conjunction, the two systems of discomfort and joy work together to guide us to our life's purpose, our sense of belonging and the fulfillment of our greatest dreams and desires.

The Power of Affirmations

Discover the power of affirmations and how to use that knowledge in order to change your life.

Early Morning Yoga and Meditation

Yoga affects body mind and spirit; the power of the spirit by awakening your feminine energy working with the kundalini envoking a sense of wellbeing and rejuvenating the body and mind.  We’ll learn how to feel imbalances, in our energy systems through your fingertips. We will work with poses, breathe and mantras to move those imbalances through. Each day we will work with each chakra individually. Yoga in the morning sun for breakfast is the absolute best time for yoga and discovery.

Healing Through Music
Stella Joly takes you through a journey of sound and relaxation therapy to calm the mind, body and soul through music. Learn effective tools and techniques to relax the mind, body and spirit through music, release emotions and limiting beliefs and release anxiety. Explore the use of toning vowels to help balance your chakras, guided meditation through music and sound, chanting and the Mozart effect; exercises that will enhance your ability to summon up the confidence for performing a skill.

Nature Hike and Herb Walk

Discover mother earth’s medicine. Dandelion, red clover, mullen and plantain are just a few of these herbs. Learn how to identify, harvest and prepare these into medicines once used by our fore mothers. Together, we will make a sun tea and a tincture.

Chakra balancing
This workshop explores the energy centres we call chakras. You will learn to discover energy as it flows within yourself and others, and discover a simple way of reading the energy of your chakras and balancing your chakras for emotional and spiritual health. This will create ease through the "spiritual journey" we call life. You will also learn how to use a pendulum for chakra balancing.

Aromatherapy
This is a great opportunity to understand and effectively use essential oils on their own or in your exciting practice. This is very informative and a great learning experience for the massage therapist, energy worker, or the average Joe wanting to use more natural ingredients. You will learn the ancient wisdom and history surrounding essential oils, understand about essential oil safety and effective use, selection of quality oils, why and how essential oils affect body and mind, therapeutic application of selected oils, and essential oils for starting you own personal aroma apothecary. You will learn to blend selected oils to make bath salts, compresses, cleaning products, and skin care products.

Early Morning Exercise
In the busyness of life, it is often challenging to squeeze in an hour at the gym. What if you knew how to fit-it-in into your daily activities? Our early morning exercise routines are designed to inspire you to look at fitness and exercise in a new way so that it becomes a natural part of your daily routine. Our society believes that our bodies are supposed to fall apart as we age. Challenge this perception and become part of a movement that believes we grow better and stronger with age!

Crystal Healing
A form of vibrational medicine, crystal therapy involves the application of crystals or gemstones to facilitate healing. Rocks and gemstones house spiritual and healing properties that can be tapped into a variety of ways. Crystals can be carried or worn on the person, or they can be placed in a location where their healing vibrations can be felt by whoever is nearby. Learn what amazing healing properties these crystals have and how you can use them.

Natural Spa Party
Celebrate the Goddess in you, and rekindle your sense of youthfulness at the natural spa party. Many modern women are concerned with the level of toxic chemicals that form the basis of most beauty products. We turn to natural, organic brands instead. These can be very costly and you may question exactly how "natural" they are... Let's replace these over-the-counter personal care products with a few basic ingredients using some old fashioned recipes. Learn how you can smooth away wrinkles, and soften damaged skin. Not only do these pure, unadulterated organic oils smell better, they work on a healing level that synthetic compounds cannot.

Communicate with your Angels
Learn how to tap into your own inherent ‘gifts’ as you are led through an intensive workshop lead by Angel therapist ® Angela Talarico.  Discover basic techniques for connecting with your angels and expand your own spiritual growth and understanding.

Finding Balance in your Life
It is in our nature as women to be nurturers and the ones who are responsible for child-rearing and keeping the house in order, so much so that even when we are fatigued and weary, what do we do? We put some laundry on. Finding balance in our lives means honouring ourselves and our bodies and putting ourselves first. A woman who nurtures herself, becomes a better nurturer for her family. This session explores ways of creating a more balanced life, and introduces practical tips for recharging your batteries when you’re running on empty.

Sweat Lodge
A traditional Native ceremonial sweat lodge detoxifies the body through heat and is a purifying ritual that stimulates vision and insight through intense heat and ceremony led by a Native elder.

Exploring Archetypes
Archetypal patterns influence our daily lives on a subconscious level until we recognize them and understand the power they have over us. These emotional and psychological patterns affect our bodies and emotions, and our ability to recognize our own needs and connect with our deepest selves.
If you were conscious of the archetypal roles you play, how would it change the way you go about your daily life? This workshop explores the various archetypal roles we may have, and how to recognize them so they no longer hold our power.

Using Creative Visualization to Create Wellness from Within
This practical workshop explores the use of creative visualization to manifest what it is you really want to bring into your life. If what we think about expands, then we must take a closer look at what it is we are attracting into our lives at a deeper, subconscious level and learn to shift our thoughts and truly understand what it means to be the co-creator of your life. You will discover how to use your imagination to create your best life.

Belly Dancing
Explore the natural movement of the body through belly dancing and discover how you can use belly dancing daily as a meditation to balance your chakras. Using veils for colour therapy and moving meditation, Murielle Jacques inspires you to experience the beauty and joy of your own body and its movements.

Nia
Nia is a sensory-based movement practice that leads to health, wellness and fitness. It empowers people of all shapes and sizes by connecting the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Classes are taken barefoot to soul-stirring music allowing for guided honest free spirited movement.  Every experience can be adapted to individual needs and abilities. Step into your own joyful journey with Nia, and positively shape the way you feel, look, think, heal and live. To learn more, visit www.nianow.com.

Unearthing the Wisdom of the Menstrual Cycle
“How might it have been different for you if, on your first menstrual day, your mother had given you a bouquet of flowers and taken you to lunch, and then the two of you had gone to meet your father at the jeweler, where your ears were pierced, and your father bought you your first pair of earrings, and then you went with a few of your friends and your mother’s friends to get your first lip colouring, and then you went, for the very first time, to the Women’s lodge, to learn the wisdom of women?
How might your life be different?”
Judith Duerk, Circle of Stones
This session inspires women to develop a deeper understanding of their menstrual cycle and to see the wisdom that is held within it, and to hold that wisdom and its nature as a source of power. 

Stella Joly discovered her love for music at the age of six. When entering high school she became more active in music, performing at different venues, then went on to study at the Royal Conservatory of Music at age 19. Her studies and research led her to the study of healing through music. She is a Shambala practitioner who uses sound healing to help people find peace within themselves.

Lilo (Light & Love) Garich is an Inspirational Speaker, Life Coach, Reiki Master, Energy Healer, Channel. When sharing her experiences and knowledge, Lilo is an inspiring speaker. Her abilities as an Energy Healer range from Laying on of Hands, to releasing old patterns and blockages, shifting energies, and balancing and restoring frequencies to their optimum vibrations. Her abilities include the energy cleansing and balancing of living spaces, houses and properties as well as the earth. She has helped many souls (lost and otherwise) to finally make their transition in peace.
Many years dedicated to her own spiritual journey form the basis of her ability to channel the energies of Ascended Masters both in the form of healing energies as well as messages. Lilo shares her abilities and knowledge with as many people as possible, through speaking engagements as well as healing sessions (group or private) and seminars. She travels extensively both at home as well as overseas. Her energies often act as a catalyst for those around her; spending time in her presence can therefore make a real difference in your life.

Her quest for answers started more than 30 years ago. Now, being consciously aware she delights in sharing her "tools" on how to apply Spiritual Laws in everyday life.

Sari Huhtala is a Can-Fit-Pro certified personal trainer and fitness instructor specialist, a reiki practitioner and a certified laughter yoga teacher. In 2005 she left her position as managing editor of a business publication to create a fitness and wellness company, then in 2007 she created Alive+Fit magazine as a means of reaching out to the masses to spread the message of what it truly means to live alive and well. She has delivered countless laughter yoga workshops to audiences of up to 400, inspiring and encouraging others to embrace the art of joyful living.

Charmaine Kennedy is a Reiki Master/Teacher and the co-owner of Tree of Life North in Sudbury. She promotes traditional and complimentary medicines and practices used by practitioners throughout our community. Taking responsibility for our health is the first step on the journey to wellness.

Joanne Stamp is a Reiki Practitioner and the co-owner of Tree of Life North in Sudbury. She is a wilderness enthusiast who uses the principles of nature in her practice.

Kimberly Carey is a Natural Health Consultant, Reiki Practitioner and Crystal Therapist. She is passionate about natural, healthy living and making information and research available to those looking to improve and enrich their body, mind and soul. She currently utilizes the subtle energy of crystals to harmonize and align the body’s energy fields.

Jennifer Dodd is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner, Body Worker, and Natural Lifestyle Coach.  She has studied at the highly acclaimed “Institute of Holistic Nutrition” in Toronto, Ontario.  Her practices include Healing with Food, Herbal Health, Vitamin and Mineral Therapy, Body Detoxification,  Ayurvedic Medicine, Psychology of Disease, Massage, Aromatherapy, Meditation, and several Spiritual Healing techniques.  Jennifer has great knowledge within the field of healing the “Whole Body, Mind and Spirit”

Darlene Tindall has had a life long passion for contemplation and spiritual exploration.  During her teen years, many truths about health and healing were revealed to her and by her late teens she discovered she had a natural ability to help others work through their emotional and physical discomfort.  She longed to express herself more fully in this way and looked to Reiki as an outlet to further discovery and skill development.
For the last 15 years, Darlene has continued to study, practice and thrive in her insatiable appetite for spiritual discovery and personal transformation. 
Darlene is now a practicing Reiki Master, Yoga Teacher and EFT Practitioner and student of Eden Energy Medicine. Her work is a synthesis of energy medicine, metaphysics and body awareness and her tool kits extends from sound and crystal therapy to yogic practices and hands on healing.  Darlene’s focus is on personal transformation through the supreme healing energy of Love which she sees as the basis for all that is.  It is her sincere desire to meet you where you are and provide a customized program that will help you identify your core beliefs that cause illness and unhappiness and modify them to create health, joy and abundance.
In addition to teaching yoga classes and seeing clients for healing sessions, Darlene performs Rites of Passage Ceremonies for all occasions including; First Moon Celebrations, Baby Welcoming and Naming, Mother Blessings, Sacred Union and Personal Transitions.  Her Kids Can Heal program is in high demand from parents and her informative, yet informal, study groups draw students and expanding minds week after week.

Marie-Claire Thauvette is a  lifelong learner, teacher, principal and entrepreneur. Marie-Claire (M-C) is a dynamic, empathetic speaker. A degree in Education, followed by 23 years teaching adults and children has provided her with extensive experience in teaching methodologies. She has supplemented that by lifelong learning including a sports coach, Yoga instructor, stress management & conflict resolutions teacher, Tai chi instructor, teaching Stress management, Qigong for stress relief and balancing hormones including menopause with Radiant Lotus Qigong.

As a sports coach, M-C has taught gymnastics, figure skating, judo, and university women’s soccer. She is also an Olympic Distance Triathlete (swim/bike/run).

Since 1993, M-C has taken various stress management classes including at the University of Ottawa, John Cabot-Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Graduate program, online stress management courses. Marie-Claire was also trained in and taught conflict resolution.

M-C went to Hawaii in 2010 for 3 weeks for a Stress Relief training course with Master Daisy Lee, followed by a 50 hour Women’s Health Radiant Lotus Qigong course in Toronto in January 2011.

Chinese massage and acupressure courses have also greatly helped M-C to teach health prevention classes. She has taken Swedish, sports, and Chinese massage, and she is a certified Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) Practitioner. She is also a certified Level 1 Hatha Yoga teacher.M-C founded and is co-Director of a French language school, with over 20 teachers. She also enthusiastically/passionately teaches detox, stress relief and joy through her LemonChi seminars. She has taught these classes to all types of audiences including seniors, youth support workers, councilors, government employees, athletic coaches, and office managers. M-C also started a new group activity, Vélochi, combining her love of cycling and chi. She leads a group of recreational cyclists along the Ottawa River, then shares the energy of tai chi and qigong. M-C always strives to make a difference, especially with those that have life challenges including anxiety disorders, sleep issues, fibromyalgia, digestion challenges, arthritis, stress and more. Her stress management workshops are very popular and effective, as stress is cited as the cause of over 70% of illnesses. 

M-C’s motto is “Enjoy. Relax. Breathe chi…”

 

Adele Fawcett, BA hon, DHN, is a registered nutritional consulting practitioner and registered orthomolecular health practioner who works at the Valley and New Sudbury Nutrition Centres in Greater Sudbury. She provides nutritional assessments and educational seminars to clients interested in participating in the creation of better health. She also offers an individualized healthy body healthy weight program for clients wanting to lose weight permanently, in a healthy way.

Linda Papineau, born in North Bay, Ontario, has been certified in NIA (neuromuscular integrative action) since March of 1999 and is committed to sharing this life-giving art with those who are searching for a feel-good way to fitness. Along with earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature, six years experience working with special needs children, and eight years experience as a preschool teacher, Linda is also a busy mother and wife. She currently teaches NIA at Ohana Wellness Studio in North Bay.

Murielle Jacques began dancing at the age of 50 - in the art of Raq Sharki. Ten years later she now performs professionally, teaches this beautiful art form to her students at M's Joy of Dance and gives classes to the seniors at the Older Adult Centre in Sudbury. She weaves the natural movements of belly dance with colour chakra therapy to enhance the dance experience and encourages people to embrace belly dancing as a form of meditation. Her love for belly dancing will always remain with her, and she vows that she will continue to dance for as long as she is able to.

Joey-Lynn Wabie is Algonquin from Wolf Lake First Nation. She holds a diploma in Social Service Worker-Native Program, a Bachelor of Social Work undergraduate degree, a Master of Social work degree, and will be starting in the PhD program at Laurentian University in the School of Rural and Northern Health this fall. She has a passion for ethical community based research and believes in accessible data for all. She has worked at the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre, Laurentian University, and YWCA Sudbury.  She is active in the volunteer community connecting Elders/Grandmothers to young urban Aboriginal youth through the Aboriginal Women's Sharing Committee, co-founder of the Niwapeten, N'peten Youth Mentorship Circle, and also the Wabikijik Cultural Circle Fund. She lives with her husband and three children on the outskirts of Sudbury, Ontario.

Angela Talarico is a certified Angel Therapist ®. She traveled to Hawaii to study angel therapy with Doreen Virtue and introduced the Sudbury community to Angel Therapy in 2010. She currently holds workshops and one-on-one therapy sessions to help people work with their angels to bring balance and healing into their lives.

Faye Healey, born in Sudbury, Ontario, is a Pranic Healer in Ottawa. She organizes Pranic Healing courses and events, and support groups where students can practice under the guidance of experienced practitioners. She offers individual Pranic Healing sessions across Ontario.

Food to Nourish the Body, Mind and Spirit

A successful healthy diet is about preparation and fun, just as much as it is about food choices. During your retreat, you will be completely immersed in healthy, nutritious and delicious whole foods. In order to immerse you completely in nutritious eating, you, as the participant will be required to participate in hands-on meal preparation for three meals, guided by our nutritionist, and assist in clean up for these meals.
During each meal, our nutritionist will introduce the food you are eating and its nutritional value and explain why the food you are eating for that meal is the best choice. Our nutritionist will also provide a nutrition pep talk at each meal to support you on your journey to healthier eating.
Each participant will receive a resource book complete with all the recipes for a week’s worth of meals, snacks and desserts, and healthy beverage ideas. You will also experience the health benefits of daily juicing for optimum health and nutrition, and receive countless recipes for juicing at home. Your resource book will also include all the details outlined in the nutrition pep talks so that you have support and information at your fingertips long after the retreat.

Optimal Health through Nutrition
This workshop will help you understand how your food choices impact your health and how you can navigate through the countless choices available to you in order to create better health for you and your family.

Nutrition Pep Talks
Conscious Eating
Dispelling Myths
Food Swapping
Ways to Integrate Everyday Detox through Food
Food Labels: Navigating through Deceptive Marketing

One-on-one practitioner sessions

Please note there is a flat-fee rate of $20 per session with a practitioner for individual healing sessions.

The following sessions will be available during the retreat:
 

Pranic Healing

Pranic Healing is an ancient science and art that uses prana or life energy to heal ailments in the body, be they physical, emotional, or psychological. Pranic Healing has been systematically and scientifically developed, and taught globally by Master Choa Kok Sui.

Prana or ki is the life energy that keeps the body alive and healthy. The natural condition of the body’s energy is balanced. When the body has too much or too little prana or ki, it becomes unhealthy. The result is that the body cannot function properly, and it eventually presents symptoms of illness. In Pranic Healing, ailments are treated using prana and thereby assisting and accelerating the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation. It is a gentle process of inner body massage that provides nurturing for the body, mind and spirit.

Cedar Foot Soaks
Cedar foot soaks are a Native Traditional detox. This gentle soak and foot massage encourages us to release what is no longer needed, back to “Mother Earth” with gratitude for the lessons learned from our experiences.

Aromatherapy Swedish Massage
Along with oils the therapist uses lots of gliding, kneading and rubbing strokes. This type of massage promotes a relaxing, calming, and de-stressing feeling. Many people experience a renewed sense of peace and well-being after this stye of massage, feeling more balanced, centered and grounded

Tarot readings and runes by Diviana

Angel Card Readings
Angel Therapy® is a form of healing that utilizes ones angels & archangels to restore, balance and harmonize all aspects of life. By connecting with your angels Angela Talarico is able to deliver their healing messages to you. She can also help you to strengthen your own connection with your angels. Whether you are looking for guidance in health, relationships, career, finances or simply meeting your own guardian angels, Angel Therapy® can help for all areas of life. Their messages are always life affirming and empowering. Learn how to remove blocks of fear and move forward in confidence. The angels want us to achieve our goal of inner peace, and by listening to their guidance we can learn to live that beautiful reality.

Indian Head Massage

Indian Head Massage is a wonderfully relaxing message that works to release tension and stress accumulated in the tissues, muscles and joints in the head, neck, face and shoulders. It's particularly beneficial for relieving tension, increasing joint mobility, fatigue, insomnia, headaches, migraines and sinusitis.

Bio Feedback

By utilizing the Indigo Quantum Bio Feedback system we can energetically communicate with the cells of the body by completing a (EDR) or scan in less then 4 minutes. It safely and non-invasively scans over 11,000 reactions to common stressors in the body, so that we can quickly see where your body requires additional support.

Bio Feedback will benefit you if: You want to take control of your own health; You want to feel good; look good and get or stay healthy; You want to achieve your personal fitness and health goals; You have stress and anxiety in your life that is starting to effect your health, personal relationships and your productivity at work; You want to change the way you think about things so that you have greater clarity, insight and problem solving abilities. Your thoughts and emotions are energy and they attract more of what you focus your attention on. Stress in the body and mind commonly shows up as health issues. Reduce your stress and you can start to feel better.

Intuitive massage
This ritual is luxuriously relaxing, and so blissfully comforting.  This is an intuitive medley of techniques designed to suit you and your needs.  It has an amazing way of diminishing accumulated stress and toxins, acting as a powerful recharger and rejuvenator. This warm oil massage revs up your body, mind, and spirit gearing them up for peak performance!

Sound therapy
Sound therapy helps the individual to return to a state of harmony and balance through the use of sound frequencies.

Crystal healing
Crystal healing combined with reiki facilitates healing through the vibrational energy of crystals.


BodyTalk
This energy therapy works to relieve stress, strengthen the natural healing process and promote wellness by unraveling the accumulative effects of your life story.

Pranic Healing

Pranic Healing is an ancient science and art that uses prana or life energy to heal ailments in the body, be they physical, emotional, or psychological. Pranic Healing has been systematically and scientifically developed, and taught globally by Master Choa Kok Sui.

Prana or ki is the life energy that keeps the body alive and healthy. The natural condition of the body’s energy is balanced. When the body has too much or too little prana or ki, it becomes unhealthy. The result is that the body cannot function properly, and it eventually presents symptoms of illness. In Pranic Healing, ailments are treated using prana and thereby assisting and accelerating the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Accommodations

Full accommodations, meals and workshops/sessions are included in the registration fee and will be provided at the Shebanoning Outdoor Education Centre. Accommodations are Ashram-like, dorm-style sleeping quarters with bunk beds and single beds. You will be required to bring your own linens and blanket/sleeping bag and pillow.  Upon registration you will also receive a checklist of items you should bring to the retreat.

Retreat Location

Killarney-Shebanoning Outdoor Environmental Education Centre
8 Saint Paul St.
Killarney, ON
P0M 2A0
Call 705-969-5000 for more details or e-mail info@aliveandfit.ca

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Retreat fees

Weekend retreat (July 22-24, 2011): $269 (plus HST)
4-day retreat (July 22-26, 2011): $499 (plus HST)
7-day retreat (July 22-29, 2011): $699 (plus HST)

Click on logo to view full registration details.