Green Rock Retreat August 2023 Recap
“IN THIS TOGETHER” Girls Mindfulness Retreat —
We kicked off our first girls mindfulness retreat in August at Green Rock Retreat Center just outside of Bend, Oregon. My intent when planning and designing this one-day retreat was to build community, connection and set clear intentions before the school year began. I was overwhelmed with the 9 beautiful young women (age 12-15) who courageously showed up for this immersive experience to nurture their minds, bodies, and souls — many of them entering blind and unsure of what to expect..
It was a unique opportunity to connect and set intentions, build lasting friendships and explore the benefits of yoga and meditation for anxiety management and overall balance in life. My hope was that in sharing some of the mindfulness practices that helped me find peace and my inner voice during those adolescent years, that it may ease or invoke a sense of curiosity and provide a foundation of self awareness for them to explore as they continue to navigate what it means to be their most authentic self.
We opened the day by dropping into a guided meditation to ground and center the energy of the group. Introductions and partner activities followed, which allowed for deeper connections and new friendships to develop. For many of the girls, this was their first experience doing yoga or meditating — what an honor for me to witness and hold space <3
After yoga we immersed in journaling followed by a vision board project in the Art Barn. I watched many of the girls let their guards down a bit and open up to one another. Many shared that the art project was therapeutic and allowed them to “meditate” and be “fully present” while doing something that allowed them to express their intentions and future endeavors as they pertained to the upcoming school year.
We went over a few terms from the “mindfulness vocabulary” booklet I created for this retreat because often times I think we fail to forget that without context or understanding of these words, they can easily lose their value or meaning.
Hearing the girls’ interpretations of the words “grounding” “presence” and “ego” opened my mind and my heart in so many ways — they were so pure and matter-of-fact. This sparked and made way for a beautiful conversation around the idea that we have everything we need within ourselves if we are just willing to trust and guided by our own inner knowing; our intuition.
Lunchtime was spent outside around the table together; a delicious spread of Buddha bowels, fruit and gf banana bread! I loved watching the way bonds deepened naturally and how curious each girl was in learning about one another.
We wrapped up the day with a nature walk around Green Rock led by, Tory (the owner of Green Rock Retreats). She guided us while playing a drum that provided a beautiful pace and beat that also invited a sense of calm as we walked. We visited the labyrinth and prayer tree on the edge of the property before stopping at a viewpoint overlooking the river; it was there that we reflected on our time together and shared some thoughts about how to take what we experienced and apply it in our everyday routine.
Sarah shared that she in fact, “LOVES yoga!” — and “wants to do much more of it!”
Stella was pleasantly “surprised with the friendships she created” and “enjoyed how relaxing vision boarding was”for her.”
When the parents arrived to pick up the girls at 4 o’clock, it felt like we were just getting started.. 8 hours came and went too quickly — everyone was just finding their ‘groove’ and were really starting to mesh with one another.
There were many special moments and memories in between but, this day really revealed the power and potential to make shifts in this younger generation’s ability to trust themselves (and each other) through the power of meditation, intention and sisterhood.
I’m so grateful to the girls for their willingness to show up and be vulnerable — and for the opportunity to guide and hold space.
Though Green Rock is closing for the season however, this was just the beginning — the first of many girls retreats to come..
in light & love,
-Chelsea
To join the waitlist and be the first to hear about upcoming retreat dates, join the Teenage Mentorship Program WAITLIST here.
**A labyrinth is used for walking meditation. It is a single winding path from the outer edge in a circuitous way to the center. Labyrinths are used world-wide as a way to quiet the mind, calm anxieties, recover balance in life, enhance creativity and encourage meditation, insight, self-reflection and stress reduction.