Renewal at Omega

It has been a busy spring and summer — with lots of travel and lots of personal ups and downs. Frankly, it left me feeling a little numb and burnt out. Quite some time ago, a friend suggested I read a book by Elizabeth Lesser called “Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow”. She also mentioned that the author was a co-founder of the Omega Institute in New York and I should check out their programs.

Time passed and I did nothing about either. As I was getting ready to head to Virginia for a month, I finally got around to ordering the book. The book arrived a week before I was to leave and I didn’t even crack it open, but I did look into the Omega Institute. With a focus on wellness and personal growth, Omega hosts thousands of people each summer who attend a variety of workshops and programs. As I looked at the offerings on their website, I was almost overwhelmed by the choices — so many sounded interesting, how would I choose?

I settled on the Women’s Wellness Retreat. It featured a variety of activities — including yoga, meditation, nutritional and health information, as well as stress reduction techniques. Spread over 5 days, the purpose of the retreat was to help women find balance in their life — emotionally, spiritually and physically.

The drive down was stressful, thanks in part to a long delay at the border, so I arrived anxious to be there in time for dinner and worried about what I had signed up for. As it turned out, the friendliness of the people and the serene atmosphere of the place quickly dissipated my anxiety.

After a wonderful vegetarian dinner and a good night’s sleep, I felt much better. I was up early, before breakfast, so I put on my running shoes and went for a tour of the 200-acre property. Up the hill and into the woods was the meditation center, complete with a pond full of koi, frogs and water lilies; down the hill and across the street was a sandy beach on a small lake and the yoga studio. I made this walking tour part of my daily routine — a great way to get the blood flowing in the morning.

The week was full of interesting people, great information and useful techniques. I came away feeling refreshed and refocused, ready to take on life again with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

For all that I did during the week, one of my favorite memories took place on that first day. As I headed to breakfast, I came across a young groundhog on one of the paved paths. He was acting rather erratic, looking up then side to side. I watched him for a while trying to figure out what was going on. Then I saw what it was: this groundhog was chasing a butterfly — how perfectly zen and what an appropriate reflection of the atmosphere at Omega!



Just a 3-hour tour

My cousin Jim lives across the bay from our cottage. Waterskiing runs deep in his family — he was a great skier and his daughters have taken up the sport. Both skied competitively but are now off at university. Not having a motor boat, I don’t get very far when I go out on the lake. I’ve been fishing for a boat ride for ages.

Finally, I get an invite! I head over thinking we’re going out in the ski boat. Turns out I’m wrong. Jim has a new pontoon boat, but it’s like no pontoon boat I’ve ever seen. Most of the pontoon boats on this lake are pretty basic. This is the yacht of pontoon boats. There are built-in lounge chairs (plenty big enough for 4 adults), a fridge to keep our beverages cool, a table to serve food and a fish finder so we know how deep the water is. There are even moveable cup holders for the seats. Pure luxury!

We head out to tour the lake. We cruise around checking out all the houses and cottages and keeping an eye out for famous landmarks. About half-way down the lake, we stop for a swim. The water is warm (about 72 F) despite the fact that we are in the deepest part of the lake — about 270 feet deep. The fish finder says there are fish down there, but my cousin says it could be anything. The lake is deep but murky at the bottom — like Loch Ness. Rumour has it that there’s a monster but nobody has seen it in decades. I feel much better knowing that as I jump into the deep water for a refreshing swim.

The lake is about 10 miles long and it takes more than 3 hours for our leisurely cruise. Not much in the way of exercise, but what a great way to spend an afternoon — fresh air, good food and great company on a lovely summer day.