The Inspiration Award from Canyon Ranch Experience

And so it goes “. . . Who inspires you? I am willing to bet that you can think of someone. Perhaps that person has made a selfless sacrifice, motivated others, overcome adversity, or made a difference in the community. . . how about showing them how much they have done so by nominating them for an Inspiration Award? . . . there’s not just one winner in this contest either. There are 70.“  

I was nominated by my beautiful twin-sister, and because of her nomination, a recipient of this generous award! 

I was told by the Canyon Ranch that they are not going to do anything with the nominations that people submitted. So if you are interested in reading mine, please click here and go to the bottom of the page.

Power of Intuition Week

I decided to redeem my award during the Power of Intuition event week at the Lenox MA location, solo. If you are contemplating on going to the Canyon Ranch or scheduled to go for your first time, I hope the following review will help you in your planning! 

In preparation for my stay, I downloaded the This Week at Canyon Ranch guide as soon as it was posted (they will give you a copy when you check in, but I am a planner!).  In order to make the best of your stay and for me - to gain as much knowledge as possible, my thought was to read all of the lectures, classes, etc. descriptions that are offered and schedule each day. I did not have to stick to my schedule, but it was extremely helpful once I got there to keep my focus. (I know, this was a vacation, but I needed to make this a learning experience too!)

When I arrived, I could not believe that I was there as a guest, let alone winning this opportunity! I usually worked and/or planned special events or corporate off-sites! This was definitely a treat!  

Canyon Ranch Fitness Classes

I had 3.5 days to attend as many fitness classes as possible. As most of the readers know, I have an extensive background in the fitness industry (over 35 years) as a fitness presenter, Trainer, and Director. So, I automatically watch for safety, cueing, transition, etc. when attending a class. I am happy to say that most of the instructors were friendly, had a professional appearance, and knowledgeable. I was impressed with how they were in harmony with each other and stayed on schedule. However, I would like to have seen more cueing on safety, variations for different levels (and smiles), especially since several of the attendees were obviously new to a class setting. I appreciated the instructors who taught facing the students. These days, more instructors are teaching away from the students that results in not paying attention to alignment, etc. But that pet-peeve was in a different blog! :-) 

Each Workout Room Was Impressive!

Classes that I attended: Boxers Workout, ZEN-GA Flow, Fit Walk, Muscle Conditioning, Long & Lean Barre, Zumba, Sun Salutations, Lo-Impact Aerobics, Chi Energy, Mid-Morning Stretch, Power of Breath, YIN Yoga, and West African Drumming.

On my last day, I gave the Outdoors Manager our Z-Box Fitness DVD in hopes that they will consider offering Z-Box to their guests. I was told by a few of the guests and instructors that they have not changed their fitness programs in several years. So Z-Box would be a nice addition!

Canyon Ranch Complimentary Lectures

• Biofeedback for Health & Well-Being
  Dr. Jeff Rossman provided information on an innovative approach to stress and health enhancement with Heart Rhythm Biofeedback. This is definitely something that I will continue to research and possibly offer our clients at Proactive Wellness Center in the near future!
• Stress, Healing & Spiritual Awakening
  Sarah Vulgamore is an awesome presenter and worth going to if you have the opportunity! This lecture taught us how our spiritual journey can help us to the next step in transforming our lives. A few take-aways: how you feel is how you think – how you think is usually from habit. Remove the obstacles . . . a handout would have been appreciated in this lecture!
• How to Make This Year Your Best Year
  Oh man! Another awesome presenter, Jerry Posner! I love the little cards he gave to us, and I plan to do his “15 for 2015 – Daily Reminders for a Stellar Year” practice. You can find helpful information on Jerry's blog.
• The Yin Within
  I never realized that the Yin Yang symbol actually means something. Regina Serkin did a nice job explaining the Chinese character for Yin that literally means, “Shady side of the hill” and how our bodies are affected if we are not balanced.
• The Heart of Healing Energy
  A healing energy practitioner provided a guided meditation and hands-on healing. This seemed similar to Reiki. It was a little confusing at first; most of the participants felt warmth in their bodies with the hands-on practice. 
• Developing Intuitive Abilities
  This was the top lecture that I wanted to attend during my stay. Patricia King-Davies did a wonderful job in teaching us how to develop and cultivate our inherent intuitive abilities. I knew my intuitive abilities was pretty strong and it was confirmed during a telepathic exercise Patricia did. I was the only one in the room who knew what she was thinking! Patricia gave us a wonderful take-away on how to de-clog ourselves from the past that I plan to do soon! A handout would have been appreciated in this lecture.
• Tarot Card Demonstration
  I was curious and decided to attend for fun. I volunteered to have a short reading and she was way off. I am not a typical guest that would attend a resort such as the Canyon Ranch and her reading was going off of that. Again, it was for fun and not taken seriously.
• Beauty Secrets
  Jamie did a makeover on me and it turned out nice. She talked about the brands that they offer at the Canyon Ranch salon. 

Spa Services

• Anti-Aging Treatment
  What a treat this was! Renee was excellent! I felt like I was in heaven! If you are at all modest, this may not be your service of choice. I am very modest and did not know this going in. But, I just dealt with my body being exposed to enjoy the treatment!
• Ashiatsu Massage
  Oh my gosh! You MUST try this massage if you like deep pressure! As soon as the presenter of the Heart of Healing Energy Lecture (I forgot her name, darn it!) told us that she was a massage therapist, I knew she would be my therapist that evening! This was my first Ashiatsu massage and I am hooked! I felt like jello and was totally relaxed afterwards!
• Shiatsu Massage
  If you like a pressure point massage, this one is it for you! Ben’s breathing technique was steady and relaxing during the duration of my massage. I felt like a pincushion and did my best to put up with the poking, as he found every little sore spot on my body!  Still a great, first-time experience!
• Anti-Aging Facial
  During my research of the Canyon Ranch, I read a nice review on LaToya. So, I decided she would be my Esthetician and glad that she was! LaToya educated me on my skin's condition and took the time to recommend a variety of products. Okay, I know she makes a commission on the products, but she did give me options for a woman on a budget!

Creative Arts Studio Classes

Silk Scarf That I Made

If you can attend a craft class, do it! The instructor, Elizabeth Kick was fun and encouraging!

• Sunset Silk Scarves
  I really enjoyed this class and look forward to wearing my scarf! In fact, I plan to make more with the help of the instructions that was given to us.
• Bead Well: Fun Key Fobs
  In the Spa Complex they have a display with the crafts you can make during your stay. I was disappointed that the cool beads they had displayed was not offered in the class.
• The Mandala Experience
  Oh my! The idea I had in my head was nothing of what I actually drew! I guess I am not as artistic as my twin sister! She is extremely talented!!! It was fun though learning about the mandala history.

A Few Things To Note

Spirit Trail

During your stay, be sure to walk the beautiful Labyrinth – it is a peaceful, meditative experience and the ideal way to begin or end an active day at the Ranch. I found peace within during my walk. A tranquil experience.

Food

You will have access to all the food you need during your stay! The portions are perfect, healthy and delicious! I absolutely enjoyed all of the meals and snacks! 

Complimentary Body Composition Assessment
I was pleasantly surprised that my Percent Body Fat is still at the Performance Level of 18%. I really needed this boost! 

Summary

I am extremely grateful to my twin sister who nominated me and to Canyon Ranch for having me! 

I feel very lucky to be healthy and fit. We all need to embrace our bodies regardless of what size we are or how old we are. Attending the fitness classes helped me see how fit I actually am, so all the hard work paid off! Of course, my body is changing and it does get depressing seeing everything go south and my muscle tone disappearing, especially when my life is fitness. However, at almost 54 years old, it is time to let go of the poor body image and appreciate the present - the moment right now. Canyon Ranch helped me in many ways and I hope that if you stay there, you will get the same positive experience! It would be another dream come true to one day return, but this time with my twin-sister and daughter!

The Landscape is Absolutely Beautiful!

All Sweaty After A Few Classes!

Room 101. Upon Check-In, You Will Get A T-Shirt, Water Bottle, and Logo Tote Bag