Volume 3: Time to Reflect

Yippee...2002!

Welcome to WOMENS WEAVE, the bi-monthly MUSELETTER from the Women’s
Quest staff. We have created this newsletter is to keep in touch with the AMAZING
women we meet all around the world, and to provide you with tips and motivation to
continue on your quest. The Museletter provides practical suggestions and inspiration
for the body, mind and spirit. The theme for the first 2002 Women’s Weave is
REFLECTING.

“What is it that you are going to do with your one wild and precious life?”
This line of poetry, from Mary Oliver, invites us to consider what is meaningful in our
lives. While there are many things that we cannot control, we do have the POWER to
make CHOICES that support our bodies, minds and spirits. Are you willing to envision
what you TRULY desire in your life and to live a life that honors all the parts of yourself?
Women’s Quest camps help you to do just this. Consider this issue of the Museletter as
a reminder of the inner inspiration you may have felt at camp, leaping off the power-pole
at the ropes course or riding your steed (mountain bike) gracefully down a forest trail.

This Museletter is written for women, by women. It is sent to WQ campers, their friends,
and any woman on a quest to strengthen their body, mind and spirit. We hope you enjoy
our offerings, and that you will keep in touch. Pass the MUSELETTER on to other
women: spread the word!

WOMEN’S WEAVE: vol. 3 - REFLECT!

Contents
Intro) LET’S REFLECT by Colleen Cannon
1) Body: CREATING A BASE FOR TRAINING by Lorraine Moller
2) Mind: YOUR WILD AND PRECIOUS LIFE by Helen Attridge
3) Spirit: PLEASURE by Gretchen Spiro Shansby
4) Daily Practice: REFLECTING BEFORE EATING by Gretchen Spiro Shansby
5) Soul Spark: SPARKLING EYES by Jan Menzie
6) Featured Camp: WINTER WONDERFEST

LET’S REFLECT by Colleen Cannon

It’s the New Year and we all want to make a fresh start. I believe that rather than
starting the New Year with a long list of how to be better, thinner, smarter and just plain
outrageous...we should first congratulate ourselves and realize that we ARE special,
unique and wonderful just as we are. As we reflect on our past year we should
ultimately realize that we are complete and whole, which should offer our cells a big
sigh of relief (because they are scared to death of the new diet that might await them.)

Reflecting means “to throw or bend back” (light, for example) from a surface. Let’s
reflect and shed some wonderful light on our past year and learn from what worked for
us and what did not work.

As a professional athlete I was accustomed to keeping a training log. My log was a bit
different in many ways; I did not keep my mileage in my log but I did keep how I felt
each day. At the end of each day I was always sure to put in something positive so I
could end my day feeling good about myself. This method helped me build on what
was working. Even if that meant that the only thing I did well that day was, “Tie my
shoes really well in the morning.”

Complete 2001 on a positive note and feel good about yourself. Feeling that you
should have done “better” or “more” than you did isn’t the greatest way to start 2002.
Some self-compassion and appreciation will begin your year of feeling wonderful from
the inside out.

So take a moment to reflect, accentuate the positive, and dropkick the
negative. I hope to see you this year!

1) Body: CREATING A BASE FOR TRAINING by Lorraine
Winter- A Time for Base Building, by Lorraine Moller

Now that we are in the throes of winter, and our inclination is to curl up
in bed with a hot toddy and a good book rather than bundling up and braving the cold,
how do we keep our fitness routines intact?

First, do not fight the “hibernation” instinct. It is natural, and if you work with it, can
balance out your training to great advantage. This is the time to slow down and build a
base. Whether you are running, hiking, cycling or swimming, leave your summertime
aspirations for intense activity behind and concentrate on long, slow, steady aerobic
activity. Remember the term aerobic? It means “with oxygen” as opposed to working
yourself so hard that you are out of breath. The acid test – you should be able to carry a
conversation while you are working out aerobically. An entire season of aerobic
workouts will set you up nicely for your summertime season of competition for the
following reasons:

- Since aerobic activity burns fatty acids, you will become efficient at burning fats. The
longer you work out aerobically, the more fat you will burn and the greater your
endurance. You will keep chugging along way past the time when your speedy
buddies have bit the dust, and will be able to handle the faster workouts when spring
comes.

- You will build a fantastic vascular network, supplying blood to your peripheral tissues and vital oxygen to your entire body. Healthy! Healthy!!

- Tendons, ligaments and muscles have a chance to catch up to their faster- developing counterparts, the heart and lungs. Come summer, you will be less apt to pull a muscle or develop a nagging Achilles tendon when you speed up.

Long, slow distance activity puts you into an elevated mental state and promotes
endorphin production. No wonder it is popularly referred to as LSD.
With both sides of your brain activated, you will be more creative while working out, and
maintain that wonderful feeling of well-being for hours afterwards. Just the prescription
for the wintertime blues!

2) Mind: YOUR WILD AND PRECIOUS LIFE by Helen

Do you desire more balance, wholeness and fulfillment in your life in the upcoming
year? In order to honor all aspects of you (body, mind, and spirit) - take some time to
ask yourself the following questions:

BODY
Are you physically healthy and active? Do you like and feel comfortable in your body?
Do you enjoy your sexuality?
What steps will you take in the upcoming year to deepen your relationship with your
body?

MIND
Can you think and express yourself clearly? Do you have a belief system that supports
and works for you?
Are you satisfied with your intellect?
What steps will you take to nourish and enhance your intellectual self this year?

EMOTIONS
Are you in touch with your feelings and able to express them appropriately? Do you
allow yourself to feel all of your emotions or do certain emotions make you feel
uncomfortable?
What steps will you take towards healing and balancing the emotional aspect of your
life?

SPIRIT
Do you feel a sense of connection to your spiritual source? Are you able to spend time
just 'being”? Do you trust your own intuitive guidance, your inner wisdom?
What steps will you take to connect more fully with your inner wisdom and with spirit?

As you reflect on your answers, allow yourself to think about how you would feel at the
end of this year if you took the action steps to honor all parts of you this year.......
HAPPY NEW YEAR QUESTERS...MAY IT BE THE BEST YET!!

Article by Helen Attridge Green, Personal Life Coach. For more information on Life-
coaching contact helen@innerwisdomcoaching.org

3) Spirit: PLEASURE by Gretchen

Reflect on PLEASURE. Right now, sitting there, what parts of your body are
COMFORTABLE? What parts of your life are going well? Is there a special person in
your life that you have not hugged (or written) lately?

Oftentimes we forget to NOTICE and celebrate our GRATEFULNESS. We don’t often
even notice our miraculous bodies when they aren’t sick, or injured. Can you name 3
parts of your body now that feel GOOD? So frequently we forget to reflect upon the
multitudes of BLESSINGS that appear, unbidden, every day.

There is a story about a cow that ate grass all day, then at night grew thin as a hair
worrying that there would not be any grass the next day. Each day the sun rose and
there was plenty to eat. Blessings, unbidden. Why do we worry so much? What will it
take to stir a deep sense of gratitude (for the simple things)? We can reflect on the
wonder of our bodies – they do so many cool things! Your body carries you around all
day, for free!

Another line from Mary Oliver: “There is no end, believe me, to the happiness your body
is willing to bear.”

4) Daily Practice: REFLECTING BEFORE EATING by Gretchen

In the yogic tradition, it is said that one should only eat when the mouth “waters”
before a meal. Try taking a minute to reflect upon your food before you eat. Smell your
meal. Notice saliva forming in your mouth. Reflect upon the blessing of strength and
energy that the food will give you. Reflect with gratefulness upon the many efforts that
went into growing, transporting, preparing the food. A moment of reflection on the
goodness of food might be a good daily practice – give it a try.

5) SOUL SPARK: SPARKLING EYES by Jan Menzie

What’s in a face? The simple and honest answer is everything. Scientists,
according to an excellent BBC special called “Faces”, looked at a number of female
senior pictures taken in 1968. They could predict with some accuracy by using certain
facial features which women might have a difficult future, and which ones would be
happy. The film also showed how the intelligence (CIA) community uses facial
expressions to determine who is telling the truth and who is lying. As we age, our faces
become signposts for what we have been. Mother Teresa was one whose small face
and eyes beamed love and compassion.

Women tend to do everything to hide what is on the face. Alpha- hydroxyl creams, moisturizers, make-up, and even plastic surgery are used. No matter how hard
we try, we cannot hide the magic sparkle that appears in our eyes. This sparkle tells
others that despite all the conflict in our lives, there is always joy and love there. It
draws others to us, and invites them to be part of our lives.

What has added sparkle to my tired eyes is my experiences at Women’s Quest
camps. I have attended four (I am a slow learner). Colleen, the esteemed leader, has
infected me with her sparkle (very contagious); I hope to infect others. This sparkle
reflects that one has found a joyous, challenging, and rewarding way to live. You may
find you like people, new things; you look for bright and fun ideas to share with others.
You find yourself playing soccer, hanging upside down from a kayak, or just taking a
long hike with your granddaughter strapped your back. The Women’s Quest web sight
asks, “What are you doing with your one precious life?” Without even trying, or
speaking, we let others know through our face and eyes that we have become. What
will they see there? Laugh lines and sparkle I hope. These are the features that invite
others into our lives and truly make us the Extraordinary Woman.

6) JUMP START YOUR BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT!
If you have not yet attended a Women’s Quest adventure...you have something to look
forward to! Check out http://www.womensquest.com/for an explanation of how our
programs inspire women of all ages to manifest vitality and balance in their lives. Each
program is unique and empowering. We vary the theme and activities of each camp to
inspire and challenge the women who are “alumni.” Consider a 2002 camp for a re-
infusion of “SOUL SPARKS” and the rejuvenation and transformation at the heart of
every Women’s Quest program.

Featured Camp: WINTER WONDERFEST: 1/30-2/3
Click on this link to find out more information
http://www.womensquest.com/winter.htm. This could be a gift you give yourself!
See the website for details of this camp, and schedule of other 2002 adventures.

We welcome comments and suggestions for WOMENS WEAVE MUSELETTER!
Contact gretchen@womensquest.com.