Rejuvenation Lounge

By Carole Fogarty

Editor of  Rejuvenation Lounge and facilitator of Women’s Rejuvenation Retreats:

 

Rejuvenate Your Soul:

“We’re in the Mountains not over the hill” - Susan Alcorn - Tales and tips from seasoned women backpackers.

Entering a new decade is significant and a rite of passage - be it 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 or 80 plus. It deserves your grateful attention and the gift of a conscious celebration. One that is devoid of fear for the future, anxiety and regrets. It is a time to celebrate the arrival of the new and let go of any stagnancy from the past.

 

Fresco Tours:

 

Embrace Change:

A new decade is nothing more than an opportunity to embrace change with the welcome support of your body, mind, soul and universe.

Idle complacency by accepting more of the same, sprinkled with diminishing expectations, only shrinks your very existence and reduces your experiences and greatness in this world.

 

1. Physical Challenge:

Break into your next decade with a physical challenge to demonstrate to yourself and the universe that you are ready to move forward with gusto and great inner strength. A physical challenge symbolically represents your willingness to let go of the past and move through the unknown and into the realm of new possibilities.

 

Climb Mount Kilimanjaro:
The highest mountain in Africa. Takes between 3 - 5 days climbing time.

 

Camino de Santiago trail:
In Spanish, Camino de Santiago, means Royal Road. Start in Pampelona, Spain and finish in Camino de Santiago, 500 miles in total. A sacred and spiritual trail. There are two fabulous books written about this spiritual track. One by Shirley MacLaine - Camino Trail and the other by Paulo Coelho - The Pilgrimage (both are linked to at the end of this article).

 

The Inca trail to Michu Picchu:
I have always, always been in awe of Machu Picchu in Peru. There are many different walks which take between 2 - 7 days. Shamanic legends say that when sensitive persons touch their foreheads to the stone, the Intihuatana opens one’s vision to the spirit world. Machu Picchu is 9,060 feet elevation, close indeed to their gods.

 

Great Wall of China:
Olivia Newton-John is currently walking 228 kms of the Great Wall of China in 23 days. You can follow her journey here or donate to their cause:
Walk the oldest part of the great wall where Silk Road splits Persia, India and Europe. Experience the vastness of the Gobi dessert, the camels and the sand dunes.

 

Kokoda Trail:
The gorgeous Ange Recchia is walking the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea, June 2008 . Whilst this trek is not really on my list I want to acknowledge the awesome Ange publicly for such a huge commitment. It’s 96 kilometers in single file. You go girl.

 

More treks:
I discovered this site only recently and although its aimed at women the site is nevertheless information rich.

Backpack 45 for women 40 - 80 plus walking amazing trails around the world.

 

2. Visit a Spiritual Site:

Never once have I been disappointed when visiting a spiritual site around the world. There is something very overwhelming and most definitely life changing when you allow yourself to spend time in silence, whilst absorbing the vibes from the sacred ground below you. Shifts happen and insights occur.

Vist here for a list of Spiritual sites around the world. I have been following anthropologist Martin Gray for over 10 years now as he has been documenting these spiritual sites, he is authentic and the real deal.

 

3. Escape to a Retreat:

Taking time out from our busy world is a good move. The longer the retreat the better. Think of a retreat as long service leave from your partner, the kids and your world.

There are many types of retreats you can do from yoga retreats, silence retreats, detox retreats to pampering and nurturing retreats. Of course there’s always my annual Womens Rejuvenation Retreat in Bali, July 2008.

Vipassana (is a sankskrit word meaning insight) There are many places around the world that offer the 10 day silent retreat called Vipassana. It is truly an opportunity for you to just be with yourself and no-one else. To read first hand the experience of real people doing vipassana from all different walks of life click here:

This is my personal preference at the moment. The thought of not speaking for 10 days would indeed be a miracle if I achieved it.

 

Ashram in India
Wake a 4.30 each morning for meditation and prayer, eat vegetarian food, practice yoga, do lots of chanting and perform your daily tasks around the ashram. Here’s a list of ashrams in india

 

4. Follow in the footsteps of an inspirational writer:

I recently read a fabulous booked called change your life through travel by Jillian Robinson. Jillian who followed in the footsteps of famous writers such as Karen Blixen, Ernst Hemingway, DH Lawrence, spent one month living as Isak Dineson did in Africa, DH Lawrence did in Italy and Ernst Hemingway did in Cuba. Her life was change forever.

I love this idea. My next question is, which writer would I like to follow in the footsteps of.

You can visit Jillian Robinson web site - Footstep adventures - A journey of self inspiration or find a link to her book below.

 

5. Add a new personal quality to your life:

Choose a quality you feel you are lacking, such as, patience, gratefulness, courage, daring, spontaneity or flexibility just to name a few.

Perhaps its patience, then definitely vipsanna would be a perfect option for you. Nothing to do but be with your own thoughts.

If compassion is your calling then volunteer overseas.

If bravery is lacking in your personal qualities then dare yourself to bungy jump or face one of your personal fears. It can be as simple as stepping into the unknown (even in your own town) by doing something you have never done before. Small or big steps it doesn’t matter, as its all in the doing.

 

6. Explore you, from the comfort of your own home:

A girlfriend of mine recently turned 40, and from the comfort of her own home, drew positive messages all over body, journaled free style which revealed hidden secrets and had the most massive clearing out of clutter ever in her entire life. She felt a shift, and knows she was a changed person from that moment on.

You may also wish to get a body cast which are becoming very popular. It is another ritual to symbolically honor your body and your life through its physical form.

My practical favourite at the moment is a 10 day vipasanna retreat. My dream celebration would be to spend a month walking the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain, alas spending one month away from my younger boys is not possible.

 

 

Thanks for reading my article, Carole.

I’d also love you to join me on Twitter, it rocks.

 

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