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!