24 responses so far ↓

• 1 Mari Jan 19, 2009

  NO! I don’t want it to stop! I want to enjoy today and then have time to just be with everything I’ve heard and learned . . . but life is beckoning and I have to jump back into it tomorrow.

  Sigh . . . it’s truly been a magical retreat Jen! Thank you so much!

• 2 Jennifer Jan 19, 2009

  Don’t stop yet! We have today – I hope you can join in for some retreat time today.

  And don’t forget the http://www.comfortretreats.com/cafe.html where we will retreat OFTEN.

• 3 Rachel Jan 19, 2009

  Jennifer, sending some of that gratitude you’re exhaling right back at you. I cannot remember feeling more centered, grounded, and calm in a long, long time. It’s just so amazing that something like this could make such a difference! I mean… wow. (I don’t usually use that word so much… the wow-factor has been very high the past few days!)

  Came by to share today’s retreat experiences:

  1. After homeschooling the kids this morning, I said, “I’m feeling really tired.” And my nine year old said, “Why don’t you go rest, and we will play a little?” And instead of making myself coffee and forcing myself to work with a foggy brain, or taking a “pretend” rest by clicking mindlessly online (and maybe accidently checked the news, which I am *still* avoid – wow, has THAT made me feel better), instead of all that – I did something so shocking. I went to my bedroom and lied down on my bed to rest. (Insert gasps here.)

  I decided to listen to one of the calls I missed, and listened to the money fears retreat. Loved the creativity approach, that made me excited about dealing with money, instead of anxious. Wow!

  2. When I sat down to figure out what work I needed to do today, I found myself asking, “What do I want to do right now?” And then I took a double take and thought, did I just say that?! Instead of “What do I need to do,” or “What should I do,” or “What must I do right now.” And then I went on to do what I wanted to do, which was the same stuff I *needed* to do, but how much nicer and less anxiety provoking to approach it from what I *want* to do. Very cool.

  3. My yoga teacher who has been in the US for the past three months came back to Israel, yeah! But I have to miss the first class this Tuesday, which bummed me out. So she sent me her practice plan that I would have missed! (Wow!) I didn’t tell myself I don’t have time, instead, I took that practice and did it — a lovely, yummy hour and a half, vinyasa, back-bending sequence. I lit some essential oils, put on some Ah Nee Mah, I sweated, I stretched, I sent out peaceful intentions all over the world – it was YUMMY and so perfect for my retreat-in-the-world.

  4. Right when I got up from shavasana, it was 5 PM, and time for Jennifer’s centering in the middle of anything call. Perfect ending to the yoga! I was giggling so hard with her, and amazed that you can actually make yourself laugh and it feel real and good. Then, the breathing into the body was again SO yummy, and made me cry, I think perhaps the release in combination with all that backbending I did. Wow, and yum.

  5. Still not checking the news. Loving that. Got my sticky notes on my laptop AND in the kitchen, reminding me to do what I *really* want. Stuck to my eating plan today without even thinking about it or struggling, BIG wow there, first time since the war started. Played more piano today and felt the vibrations of the music all through me. Yum. Spoke with my therapist, who said she could feel before we even started talking much that I wasn’t as frozen as I was last week. Wow, wow, wow.

  Just wow’ing again. Can’t wait for the comfort café to start, I’m all signed up and very excited about that. After tasting this weekend, I couldn’t imagine not being part of the café.

  You’ve created quite a powerful drug here, Jennifer! I’m addicted, so very addicted, and loving every second.

• 4 Jennifer Jan 19, 2009

  Rachel, you are such a wonderful writer, wonderful human, and you made doing this retreat so beneficial for me. Working virtually is nice in that we can all be in our pj’s and it is also lonely so thank you for making it less lonely for me

  All of you who have commented have helped me so very much to feel the love circulating and to do my best.

  More coming soon!

• 5 Mari Jan 19, 2009

  I am so blown away that I’ve learned something of incredible value from EVERY single session. I’ve gone to lots of conferences and workshops and I’ve never felt that before. I can’t even articulate very well how incredible this is for me. So kudos to you Jen for assembling such an incredible group of speakers, including yourself. I know this takes an incredible amount of time, physically and emotionally and you’ve truly created something incredible here.

• 6 Photopoppy Jan 19, 2009

  Jen, this is so wonderful. (she says as she pauses Healthy Comfort and Heartfelt Permission, having just realized that she can’t listen mindfully and type at the same time…)

  I’ve got an insight bubbling up about the yoga practice that I’ve slacked on…. realizing that how my body felt “on retreat” yesterday listening to Havi was “happy baby” pose (and boy, am I glad no-one was watching, between the happy baby rolling on the floor and the finger points exercise!). Today, how my body feels “on retreat” appears to be sun salutations while listening to your wisdom about permission.

  Maybe, just maybe…. I listen with my body. I can’t just sit and listen, I need to move around to hear. Like I’m really just made up of a pair of 5foot tall ears or something.

  Photopoppy’s last blog post..Women

• 7 Jennifer Jan 19, 2009

  Mari thank you for that, I accept that lovely compliment and take it in.

• 8 Jennifer Jan 19, 2009

  Poppy – YES you are a moving listener, me, too! YES to that insight!!!

• 9 Kara Jan 19, 2009

  Hi Jennifer and everyone,
  I am so grateful for this retreat. I know it isn’t over yet, but for me the “live” portion is over. I will, of course, continue to feel my heart with all of yours. And I have a new recognition that retreat is never ending in a way I find difficult to articulate here. Each retreat (oh, how many I plan to create!!!!) has an ending, but I think I see the gift is always available.

  This retreat in it’s form helped me integrate and understand how to use retreat in my life. I learned something about coming into retreat and more importantly coming back into my life with other people.
  I have a tendency to move my energy in sync with other people. Which can be really painful when you are feeling open and tender and slow in a retreat mode to suddenly be confronted with another energy that is fast and different and feel yourself begin to unconsciously shift. Susan Piver’s mention about rhythm and practicing with music is really a gift to me.

  Also this format of retreat was ideal for me because I can go into retreat mode if everyone is doing it – (it is that absorbing other peoples’ energy habit) This format allowed me to know others were in retreat without the influence others, so I could really listen to myself and my energy and create. Now I think I could go back to a retreat setting with other people and be able to do it in a new way. Now I have some new experience (translation – skills) to hear my deepest self amongst and around others. The last four days I am grateful for the opportunity to practice not abandoning myself.

  I took a bath on Friday and one of Jennifer’s suggestions in the “how to create” pdf was to take her conversation with Oriah Mountain Dreamer to the bath and listen. Well, I wasn’t able to take the conversation with me to the bath – but I took Oriah’s book What We Ache For and read the chapter 8 “A Neccesary Silence”. I recommend it. It says what all have been saying and feeling – retreat is necessary.

  I just baked a cake for my husband’s birthday. I’ll soon be off to do my weekly volunteer work. I wanted to come in and say thank you. Jennifer I know this was a lot of work to put together and offer to us these precious days-you’ve been so available to all of us and I just don’t think Thank YOU is enough – but Thank You (here is a piece of yummy virtual retreat cake!). And many thanks to all the people who left comments and to all the speakers and to all who are participating or will participate. For me, I have many many speakers yet to hear, so I will stretch out this retreat into mini’s. I am excited for the comfort retreat cafe in February. Many blessings and love to all.

• 10 Photopoppy Jan 19, 2009

  You know, the downside to being a moving listener is that it’s REALLY tough to journal while in down dog pose!!

  with laughter

  Photopoppy’s last blog post..Women

• 11 Connie Knapp Jan 19, 2009

  You really hit the “nail on the head” for me when you mentioned a “difficult conversation.”

  I’ve made the commitment, I’ve got an “accountability buddy,” I’ve arranged to practice-now all I have to do is find the courage to do it!

  Thanks so much for this, Jen-it’s great to be able to find calm, confidence *and* contentment.

  Connie Knapp’s last blog post..Reflections on MLK, Jr Day and Life in General

• 12 carolyn Jan 19, 2009

  Connie, and all,
  DITTO! …as far as finding courage, remember what Michael said, “Accept the Fear and the Anxiety that goes with it.” We’re moving into new – and for some of us, uncharted territory -we’re heading away from same old same old.

  I feel the excitement burbling inside at the same moment I am choking on the fear.

  I am going to be the first bird though, the one that flew towards the flame and into the warmth, openness, and freedom…remembering the second bird that must’ve let her fear stop her and she ended up stuck in the pipe.

  Opening my heart to send you all some of the blessings I have felt during these last four days – knowing that even that much is only a portion of what I have received.
  THANK YOU.

  carolyn’s last blog post..vision quest: bird in the basement

• 13 Diane Downey Jan 19, 2009

  The Virtual Retreat was/is a joy, a pleasure, a healing time, a strengthening time, a delicate bon-bon in the fast food stream of regular life
  It has given me a much-needed break and chance to re-assess my life and my business. It has put me back in touch with my need to really, really, truly, honestly nurture myself. Not that empty shell of nothingness like ‘retail therapy’, or ‘treating’ myself to coffee. This weekend I’ve spent time in my garden again – not working in it, just walking around it and breathing deeply. Noticing the life there and the joy that comes with seeing the new life. Walking on the beach with my husband, watching the most beautiful sunset painted just for us. We live so close and yet we rarely go. So we went. And it was outstanding: the power of the waves as they swell, crest and then break; the patterns and reflections in the sand as the water retreats; the pelicans as the swoop close to the water; the colors in the sky as the sun disappears behind the horizon. My need to be creative, to use color, draw, doodle, combine materials, journal. The pleasure in putting down big, bold blocks of color on smooth paper, then smudge that with water or my finger, waiting to see what emerges. I ordered warm, fluffy, caring, comforting slippers so I no longer have to put up with cold feet. I will use them as a metaphor for taking care of myself when life is busy and I start to forget.
  The speakers all gave me nuggets to take away.
  • ‘Don’t watch too much news’ – so that’s why I’ve been feeling so anxious since last September, my constant surfing of my top ten news web site or that one;
  • ‘It’s a sin not to use your gifts’ – if my gift is understanding people’s needs, wants, desires for their yard, let me spend more time doing that;
  • ‘I am so deserving’ – yes, I am;
  • ‘of everything you learned, what would be the fun thing to do?’ – contact the guy that wrote that cool book on rain water harvesting to show that even in an area where we get 10” to 12” per year its still worth doing;
  • ‘What do I want to Create?’ – a business that allows me to use my gifts and to be well paid for doing it and to be able to take regular and deeply relaxing time for myself and my family;
  • ‘magic is created by containment’ – so that’s why vast tracts of time with little that is being asked of me is so hard for me to deal with
  • giving voice to the negative messages is cathartic and healing when surrounded by a strong circle of people, in my mind or on the virtual retreat
  Thank you Jen for your books that turned me on to this concept when I was a busy working mother of two young children and I really need to be comforted. Thank you Jen now 9 years later when I really needed this virtual retreat. Thank you for making it real and possible, in what could have been seen as an impossible situation.
  Thank you to all the speakers. Wow! What a wonderful group of people. I want to share their work with everyone I know.
  Thank you to everyone else on the virtual retreat. I felt your energy and support, and I hope you were able to feel my blessings sent to you all.
  Diane, Carlsbad, CA
  http://www.YardFairy.com
  http://angelwithdirtyfingernails.blogspot.com/
  http://www.new.facebook.com/people/Diane_Downey/658219038

  Diane Downey’s last blog post..Frugal Holiday Gift Ideas

• 14 Ellen Jan 19, 2009

  This has been a most interesting and amazing 3.5 days.

  Fabulous speakers – thoughtful and thought -provoking content. Being part of a container of people all over the world all moving in a direction of exploration and curiosity – no matter how uncomfortable or wonderful is might feel in a given moment.

  I’ve been moving in and out of life through the sessions. I’ve purposefully chosen to not reflect too much on what’s been shared/transmitted. Chosen instead to experience it all and then go back to really do the exercise from Michael: choose what I really, really want to say “yes” to, then chose what will be set aside for now.

  Even so, the one piece of wisdom that seems to be percolating up through it all is how little I trust myself – on so many levels. In spite of all the evidence to the contrary. I’m going to pay attention to that little voice when it offers it advice and play with it. There’s a deep message in there for me just waiting to be brought in to the light – and a longing within me to trust myself as I trust others.

  May all beings be happy, beginning with you,

  Ellen

• 15 Jennifer Jan 19, 2009

  ah.. self-trust, so glad I choose that for the first month’s theme of the Comfort Cafe – it is a vast and tricky and actually very yummy issue. Can’t wait to delve into that with you all. I just asked Maureen Murdock who wrote The Heroine’s Journey to be the wisdom guide that month for the podcast portion… I’m think I will gather questions from you all after we wade in a bit and then have her expound!

• 16 Goddess Leonie I Creative Goddess Jan 19, 2009

  This sounds absolutely gorgeous Jen…
  HURRAH for you for creating this magic and comfort space~~~
  Love,
  Goddess Leonie

• 17 Sharon K. Moritz Jan 19, 2009

  Hi Jen and Fellow Retreaters,

  Today I had to go back to work and I was still in Retreat mode. Within 5 minutes of getting there two people were yelling at me. It really made me angry. In less than an hour things were going even more wrong. One of same the girls took it upon herself to keep bossing me around and being rude. She kept coming to me repeatedly.

  Under normal circumstances I just suck it up. Today I was fed up.

  I went into my boss and complained. I told my boss that I was tired of that girl bossing me around and told her the stuff she was saying to me.

  Normally I just want to keep the peace.

  Not today…I was feeling vunerable and I was feeling like I do not deserve to be treated this way, nor do the rest of the staff. This girl is always mean and nasty to most of the staff.

  I think this Retreat has just pushed me out of my comfort zone and into a new respect for myself.

  I came home and listed to you and then to Michael. Michael was saying the very things I needed to hear. Kind of like pick your poison. What part of your life do you really want to change? I really want my job to be more pleasant and to not feel bullied and made to feel small.

  I will find my courage and I will stand up to her every time from now on and I will help other staff to stand up to her too. If she chooses to be mean and nasty anymore she will have to pay the price.

  Evidentally our boss spoke to her because the rest of the day she was very polite and demure. I am sure she is not aware of my new resolve, but the next time she acts mean and nasty I will take action.

  I will take my power back.

  Sharon

• 18 Theresa Jan 19, 2009

  I only have a minute, but I wanted to say a quick-but-heartfelt THANK YOU for this retreat weekend! With kids and real life happening, I had to dart in and out of retreat space. I didn’t get to listen to many of the sessions (I’m looking forward to listening soon), but the ones I did hear were fabulous and gave me fresh ways to look at different aspects of my life. I cried during the Geneen Roth session– I have been a big fan of hers for many years, and what she said really touched my heart. But I also loved getting to hear other speakers who I’d never heard of before, but who I now want to hear more from!

  One thing I learned was that I CAN have mini-retreats during my day, even on a busy one. I can take time for myself, and it does make a difference.

  I’ll be visiting the retreat website over and over again… thanks so much!

• 19 Becky Jan 20, 2009

  Hi all.
  I’ve been lurking and reading every one’s comments through the retreat and am loving finding out about everyone’s experiences.
  I’ve been dropping in and out of the retreat around work. Being in the UK, I haven’t really been able to listen in live, but I’m enjoying having all the recordings to pick and choose between and listen to when I can.

  One thing I’ve found, which I wonder whether anyone else has experienced, is that when I remember to ask myself what I’d love to do, or what I really need, this big wonderful smile rises up inside me bceause I’m willing to listen to myself. And also, at the same time, no answer comes. It feels a little like, I’m glad that I’ve asked myself but I’m so used to not being heard that I’m afraid to speak up in case I ignore myself again (if that makes sense?).
  I’ve been trying to sit quietly with myself and just listen and let my inner voice bubble up when it’s ready, but I keep finding that I’m being hijacked by fears of lack, fear the I’m missing something by sitting here or that I’m not doing / being / achieving enough.
  I’m hoping that if I can acknowledge and accept, but not get sucked into, the fear, and then continue sitting with myself, I might start talking to myself again! But any advice or stories of anyone’s similar experiences would be greatly appreciated!

  Thank you!
  And many many heartfelt thanks to Jen for organising this and providing us all with so many valuable resources and connections.

• 20 Lynne Jan 20, 2009

  Hi Becky,

  I think I can completely relate to what you are saying. While I have really enjoyed listening to the different sessions, one of the things I have noticed is that when I ask myself, “What do I really want right now? What would feel good?” I am unable to come up with an answer.

  It’s been more than a little disconcerting! It’s as if I’ve forgotten how to really get in touch with myself… or perhaps I have never even really tried. Then I get really impatient with myself, because I start to think, “This should be so easy. Just think about what you want!” And nothing comes.

  A little blocked — okay, a lot blocked… but I am working on it — and as everyone keeps saying… it’s all a matter of baby steps. So good luck on your journey — and know that you are not alone.

  Lynne

  Lynne’s last blog post..Legend of the Sleeping Giants

• 21 Mari Jan 20, 2009

  Becky and Lynne – I understand completely and feel the same way. Perhaps it’s enough for now that we’re asking the question – and answers will come as we get more comfortable asking the question. It’s such a new thing for me

  Sweet blessings to you both!

• 22 Jennifer Jan 20, 2009

  Mari, Becky, Lynne – two things okay three! I want to hug you because I often don’t get an answer especially if I haven’t been asking in a while — and I KNOW the more you ask, the more you will trust yourself to hear what you need.

  But no matter what happens, asking or not, the move i wish for us all is to meet ourselves right where we are – if nothing feels right or nothing comes, be there, without imagining there is a better place or way to be… ah here i am, not wanting to check in with myself or here I am, checking in with myself, and not hearing anything… and feeling all blue and icky about that, ah, so I don’t want to feel this way but I do… let me just be here noticing all that is here then, instead of asking, instead of needing to know or do anything…

  We will explore this in the Comfort Cafe!

• 23 Vancouver Island Girl Jan 25, 2009

  Jen,

  Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love this retreat and I haven’t even heard all the speakers yet.

  Being able to download it all made this retreat possible for me. I play them at my leisure – sometimes morning, sometimes at night – whenever I can fully commit.

  I’ve gathered delicious bits and bites from each one so far and I know I’ll be listening to them repeatedly. Can’t wait to hear them all!

  thanks again,

  Shelley (BJ)

• 24 Shannon B Jan 25, 2009

  Love love love the retreat. Thank you so much! One question though, hopefully someone can help me. Is there anyway to download the sessions to an ipod or CD so that I could take them with me on my many long trips for work?