FBA Team Retreat
by Jennifer Wilson
Our FBA Team's tenth retreat saw us returning to The Haven, “a centre for transformative learning” on Gabriola Island. The Haven offers comfortable accommodation for groups and healthy meals, all in a relaxing and restorative forest setting by the ocean.
In previous years, we have blended a bit of facilitation, an outdoor activity, and a lot of unwinding (fun!) on our retreats. This year we decided to try something a little different, and made the facilitation the focus of the event. Inspired by one of our members’ presentations last fall, we chose mindfulness as our topic. Luckily, one of the core faculty at The Haven specializes in mindfulness training, and she was happy to develop a customized session for our group.
We arrived at various times throughout the day on Friday. Some took the day off work and arrived early to run/hike the beautiful trails. Shelagh and I got there in time to have a cup of tea by the ocean as the sun was setting, seated in the bright Adirondack chairs and wrapped in a cozy blanket. After dinner, we had our first session with Carole Ames followed by some serious relaxing by the fireplace in the main lodge.
Saturday started relatively early; we had a full day ahead of us. Carole started us off at 9:00 am, and despite the steady rainfall we ventured outside for one of our mindfulness exercises. We had an extended break after lunch. Individually and in smaller groups, some of us rested and reflected, others went for a trail run, and four of us enjoyed a semi-private Yin yoga class. Our last session with Carole that afternoon gave us a chance to try some more mindfulness practice techniques, learn more about each other, and have fun in the process. We ended the day with dinner at the fabulous Woodfire Restaurant.
The weekend was a wonderful opportunity for us to relax and learn about ourselves and each other. I think we all came away with some new tricks and techniques for being present, responding rather than reacting, and rediscovering our authentic selves. For some of us, the workshop was a refresher and reminder. For others, it was an introduction to new concepts and ways of thinking. For all of us, it was a chance to bond, reflect, and rejuvenate. On the heels of this successful weekend, we are already starting to plan for next year!