A dear friend of mine recently invited me to join her at Koko Lane's Mini-Mama Retreat. I was super excited for a relaxing day of fun with other mamas. I was especially excited to see Koko again because the first time I met her, I learned that not only is she an awesome homeschooling mom, she was UNSCHOOLED herself! There is nothing I love more than to see examples of powerful homeschooled people doing their craft professionally. So, I prepped the kids for the day with Dad and headed out to meet the moms.
Now, I consider myself somewhat advanced in self-care practices as a mom that advocates big time for "putting on your mask first". But I was still not prepared for the wonderfully romantic and peaceful setting Koko set up for us. She lead us all into a cozy candle-lit room decorated with flower petals, pillows and blankets. We chose our mats to find she also had Shiatsu massage machines for each one of us. We got settled easily and quickly because we are moms and are always excited to lie down and relax-- uninterrupted! Koko was an amazing host and gently lead us through setting an intention, understanding some background of hypnotherapy (YES! HYPNOTHERAPY!) and meditation. Initially, when I heard of the "Mama Retreat" I thought of a mani/pedi girl talk sesh with a mini-massage. So this whole experience was even better than I imagined and we had just started.
Once we all settled in, Koko lead us through a relaxation exercise that helped us prolong the "in between" stage of sleep and consciousness. Her singing bowl paired with the Shiatsu massage immersed us deeper into relaxation while simultaneously playing to our audio and physical senses. Some of us listened to her soothing voice with anticipation of finding answers in our hypnotic state while others took the time to fall deep into our own little worlds. We all took the same journey together and were lead through the same exercise; yet we all had completely different stories to share when we regrouped. To add to our experience, Koko passed out delicious snacks and tea while we chatted about how each of us felt so much more at peace and connected with ourselves and each other.
I cannot explain just how powerful and amazing this Mama Retreat was for me. I am excited to book a private session for my husband and myself this summer. I am also interested in organizing a group event with some of my closest friends. This is a must-do experience for everyone. Koko was just lovely and I am looking forward to working with her again soon. If you'd like to try this out for yourself, Koko is offering a few Retreat experiences for FREE on her website. Click here to book a Mini-Mama Retreat with your closest friends today!