An AWESOME experience!

Warning: Long post (as usual for me)

Two weekends ago I was privileged to be invited to go to the Wind River Cancer Wellness Retreat out in the foothills of NC. In a single hyphenated word... life-changing! You could also use words like 'amazing' and 'relaxing' and 'therapeutic' and 'needed' if you would like as well.

What is Wind River? After Shannon survived breast cancer in 2003, she and Dave chose to dedicate their lives to helping others with cancer. So she left her job as a Wachovia lawyer, he left his job as a nuclear engineer with Duke Energy and they moved out to the foothills of the NC mountains. This is now their "job", their life. They open up their home to survivors and help facilitate healing – FOR FREE! They rely on corporate and private donations to pay the bills. They try to host paying corporate retreats and when they run out of money, they work odd jobs. But it’s mainly about the 5-6 cancer wellness retreats they do in the Spring and Fall. This is THEIR home that they open up and not some second vacation property. How kind, loving and gracious is that?!

So the 3 days included: a relaxing setting to think, group discussions, one-on-one talks, nature, Eastern and 'alternative' healing techniques and all organic, natural, healthy foods. They invite friends who are trained and certified in various holistic healing arts and they volunteer their time to come out for the retreats.

Friday included some light morning yoga, Healing Touch, journal writing time and a private talk with Shannon. Then in the afternoon some watercolor painting by the water, Tai Chi, Reiki and a bon fire in the evening. I slept with the windows open so I could hear the water and bundled up against the cold with a couple of blankets, and for the first time in WEEKS... I slept through the night and didn't wake up with any coughing fits or nausea!

Saturday morning we did some Tai Chi, some more journal time and group discussions and then a hike down river. In the afternoon we did 'vibration therapy' with Tibetan singing bowls and some more yoga. The evening was a little more light-hearted with s'mores on the bon fire.

On Sunday we did meditation and group discussion before lunch and heading on home.

Ironically for me, the retreat had very little to do with cancer. It was about mostly about me, my stress and finding the happiness (finding "the simple") in my life that I have and don't really wish to change. Because to be honest - I have a really great life to begin with! The timing of my cancer diagnosis and treatment was very interesting. The stress of work, life and where in my mind I thought I "should be" or what I "should have in order to be happy" was really weighing on me hard. And then in an instant with those four magic words, "your biopsy was positive" - BLAM! Your priorities change and as one of Shannon's plaques reads, "cancer is instant enlightenment". So everything I focused on was elements of my own happiness and how to find it from within. The cancer was just a catalyst. The retreat really helped me to gain clarity about myself and what I need to do.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to Shannon and Dave and how important this retreat was for me. What an amazing experience it was. I am very lucky.