Dragonfly Healing Retreat

Rustic Cabin & Mongolian Yurt ~ Open for guests

dragonflycentre — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:20:15 +0000

Dragonfly Healing Retreat Mongolian Yurt and Cozy Rustic Cabin are available from Thursday through Sunday. The accommodations are non-modern, which means there is not modern plumbing, but plenty of fresh water is supplied for cooking and hygiene needs. The outdoor privy is clean and pleasant and the outdoor shower provides privacy and hot water. Coffee, tea and continental breakfasts are provided. Guests can prepare simple meals or visit one of the several small restaurants in the neighbouring community for dining out. Although electricity is supplied to the accommodations, this is a time to make use of the stillness and healing powers of nature, relax and unplug.

The Main Cottage – Outback
$45 per night
Yurt
$35 per night

There is also a sliding scale or “pay what you may” option, and as always guests may choose a Karma Yoga exchange.

Please contact dragonflycentre@hotmail.com for more information

Update ~ May 21st

dragonflycentre — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:10:45 +0000

Well, having patience has paid off and I am able to retrieve the yurt today. With a little hard work we will have the platform completed by the end of the month and the yurt installed & ready for guests by July 1st.

Watch for that notice I have been promising posted at my favorite bookshop in Regina the Awarehouse on 13th avenue and a few other places as well.

Spring ~ new day ~ bright beginning

dragonflycentre — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:43:46 +0000

The snow is melting, slowly. The first new grasses are coming up. The sun seems just a little bit brighter than before. Water running is cleaning away the dust and grime from the long cold winter. Spring always brings new possibility and an optimistic feeling!

We have so many projects underway at the moment. After the snow completely melts, I can finish the work on the labyrinth and start work on the sculpture trail and landscaping around the cabins. We are not planning any major changes to the site, as I want to leave it as natural as possible, but we did have to change the drainage in one area last year so now it is a muddy mess. I will plant natural grass and clover here as well as a few wildflowers to naturalize this area.

There was a heron on the roof of the Outback yesterday. At least that is what I think it was. So many birds stop here on their migration route, for a few days and then move on. It is a bird lovers paradise!

Dragonfly will be open in a few weeks, welcoming our first guest soon after that. I will be hanging a poster at the Awarehouse book store in Regina later this month.

I hope you are experiencing feelings of joy and possibility with the spring weather we have been having! It is a great time to make changes in your life, to evaluate those things you no longer need, either physical or emotional and to start a gentle body cleanse. Clear out the cobwebs that accumulated over winter and embrace your new day!
~*namaste*~

“The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps – we must step up the stairs.” ~ Vance Havner

dragonflycentre — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:43:15 +0000

Through difficult experiences, life sometimes becomes more meaningful. 14th Dalai Lama

dragonflycentre — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:21:54 +0000

Holding the Space ~ Sharing this Place

dragonflycentre — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:16:06 +0000

I am in the process of drafting the poster to advertise the retreat. But, I am stuck at the question of “price”. How much should it cost for a woman to have a retreat experience?

When I first decided to create this space, my motivation was to share the beauty, the natural stillness and the restorative solitude that exists here. I have been so fortunate to ‘own’ this little piece of property, and so, so many women will never have that opportunity. It feels like my duty to offer it to guests. The actual ‘work’ of creating this retreat however has not been without financial input.

Anyone who knows me knows that financial gain is not my first priority. That being said, I would like to cover my costs. There is the coffee, tea, and breakfasts to be purchased, not to mention all of the bedding, kitchen supplies and the actual cost of the building the structures.

I have searched the internet to get an idea of the rate other retreats charge. It ranges from very little to very, very expensive. So this is what I have decided.

The Main Cottage – Outback
$45 per night
Yurt
$35 per night
Faerie Cottage (not yet finished)
$35 per night

I think these rates are reasonable. But, I will also provide a sliding scale or “pay what you may” option, and as always guests may choose a Karma Yoga exchange.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. ~ Marianne Williamson

dragonflycentre — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:52:42 +0000

Cultivate Creativity

dragonflycentre — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:07:19 +0000

Everyone, at some time feels that they have come to a road block; that creativity and spark are not flowing. The key to overcoming this is not through dwelling on the negative, but by challenging ourselves to get those creative juices flowing again.

Maybe it is a career, of a hobby, or relationship that needs inspiration. Usually it is self-imposed barriers that keep us from realizing our potential. Working though these barriers will empower you to fulfill your creative potential.

Some solutions:

Don’t feel that you have to re-invent the wheel. Worrying that our ideas are not ‘original’, believing that we lack talent, or fretting about what others will say are really good was of avoiding that first step into a project. Forget that others are ever going to see or critique your work. You may find it helpful to write your doubts down. The physical act of acknowledging your obstacles can relieve to stress of creative roadblocks. What is important is that YOU take pleasure in what you create.

Sit down and have a ‘brain storming session’ with yourself. Write down all possible ideas and angles. If it is a work related project, do your research, see what has been done by others (the internet is a great tool!), search for as much information about the subject as you can find. It may help to build a ’story board’ pinning up your ideas on a wall or writing them on a white board so that you can see everything al once.

If you are working on a hobby, craft or art project, make yourself a ‘project box’. When ever you find interesting images or items related to your project, keep them in the box or a binder to refer to later. Don’t try to re-create the images you collect, but rather look to them for emotive themes. It is amazing how ideas can spring forth from a swatch of colour or a photograph of a flower, person or animal or even words cut from a magazine. The act of collecting these materials and filling the box is a creative process in itself!

When it comes time to get down to the ‘work’ of creating, make yourself a ritual, play a piece of music that reflects what you are trying to achieve, signal to yourself (and your co-workers) that you are focused and nothing can interfere.

Take time for yourself. Sometimes it may be necessary to remove yourself from distractions. Go on a retreat, take a walk, or simply take time away from tv, internet, shopping etc to clear your mind and renew your creative process.

But most importantly, don’t get hung up on it. Everyone is a creative being. Developing your creative skills will help you to realize your true potential.

Map Making

dragonflycentre — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:28:08 +0000

It is still very cold and snowy outside and there is not much construction work that can be done at the moment. So today I drew out a rough map of the retreat space. It is part of our overall strategic plan of the farm and the businesses that exist on this property.

So much of what exists here already evolved without much of a plan. Buildings have been placed where there was space, roads just came to be where staff drive. A plan is not always a bad thing! As much as I want the retreat and the farm to grow and expand in an organic manner we do need to be mindful of the use of the space and the sometimes conflicting needs of work areas and quiet zones.

The site plan will serve as a guide as we construct new dwellings and cottages on the retreat property and it will be useful to guests to have a map of the facilities. The space allocation of some future buildings is going to need readdressing according to the new site plan, but it looks like things will fit in nicely with some adjustments here and there.

I found out today that it is difficult to draw an arial view of a very complex site from memory alone, but with the help of Google Earth I was somewhat successful! I also found that there is much more space between the river bank and the walking trail than I thought. Good news for the yoga and meditation platforms. Also good news if we want to put a tipi near the yurt!

Walking the Labyrinth

dragonflycentre — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:11:48 +0000

At the far reach of the retreat property is a grassy meadow, the site of the labyrinth. This stone, sand and pebble labyrinth is based on an ancient 6 circuit design which was found around the Baltic Sea. It is a double spiral labyrinth that can be used as an effective meditation tool and has multiple ways through which it can be walked so that each visit to the labyrinth may be unique.

When researching the labyrinth and looking for a design that suited our space and needs I came across so many beautiful types of labyrinths. It was difficult to decide on which one to build. I loved the rounded spiral form of this labyrinth. As opposed to the Roman or some Medieval labyrinths which have a more geometric angular form, the baltic labyrinth is round and curvy. It is sometimes called the “Baltic Wheel” and the exit from the centre is direct so that the walker does not have to retrace their steps out if they choose not to. Also, the entrance/exit looks a bit like a goddess!

go here to have a look at an example http://www.labyrinthos.net/typology_l.htm

Two books that I have found very useful are “The Complete Guide to Labyrinths” by Cassandra Eason and “The Way of the Labyrinth” by Helen Curry.

I will be posting photos of the Labyrinth soon.