The Alchemy
of Play
September 12-15, 2019
Avalanche Ranch,
Colorado
Do you play enough?
Not just thinking about playing – actually playing. We’re talking about the kind of play we used to enjoy as children. Where we would lose all sense of time and place, fully immersed and fully delighted.
Do you regularly enjoy activities that transport you back to those carefree play-filled days?
How often do you let your mind wander, daydream, or simply rest in stillness?
Do you feel joy in what you do and who you are?
When is the last time you broke free of your routine and completely disconnected for a few days?
If these questions almost sound nonsensical to you,
we get it.
Modern life is noisy and jam-packed, telling us we have no time. As adults, it’s easy to completely forget the idea of playing in the midst of all-consuming responsibilities and commitments. We forget or set aside our own needs, prioritizing the demands of others. We give and give until we have nothing left. We are all too familiar with the feeling of burn-out.
The truth is that burning ourselves out results in the exact opposite of what we really want. When we are depleted, we aren’t able to care for those we love. When we make ourselves a priority, giving ourselves time to play and rejuvenate, everyone feels better.
By putting your needs first and rediscovering joyful play, you can reach new levels of wellness, energy, and enjoyment in your life. Escape that relentless pressure and find a more peaceful, joyful, playful existence.
The several months leading up to The Alchemy of Play Retreat had been extremely stressful for me. I felt like I’d been in a spiritual and physical fight for one of my family member’s lives, and I was depleted in every way. I needed to completely disconnect for a couple of days and process all the fear, anger, and grief I’d been burying for so long. Arriving at the retreat, I immediately felt a sense of calm. I completely let go, left my phone in my room all day and followed Lauri and Jen’s lead. It was the perfect blend of moving our bodies, practicing stillness and meditation, playing with play, connecting with one another, deep internal work, and laughter. It was the hard reset I desperately needed, and since I’ve been home, the tools they taught us to use have helped me return to that sense of calm when I find myself adrift again.
Yes, play is possible!
We each were coming face-to-face with our own burnout 30+ years ago. We’d poured ourselves into pursuing our dreams, only to realize they weren’t what we really wanted AND we were completely emptied out. It was like having a blindfold removed.
What were we doing? How had we gotten here? Lauri chose to find her inner joy by relearning to play, scheduling rest, and practicing yoga and meditation, while Jen began studying, practicing, and integrating eastern and western approaches to wellness. We have done the work, and we our lives are transformed by what we’ve learned.
In 2018, we joined forces to create an innovative blend of mindfulness, movement, play, and joy we call “The Alchemy of Play”.
Our mission is to provide tools, skills, techniques, and experiences to mindfully bring the spirit of joyful play into every aspect of our lives creating ease, grace, and flow.
This September, you have the opportunity to hit “reset” on your life, step away from the busyness, and practice with us. We invite you to join 13 others in Redstone, Colorado in a small, intimate “The Alchemy of Play retreat”. Your time here will immerse you deeply in the intersection of mindfulness and joyful play.
Leave the text alerts and the demands of life behind just for a few days.
Take time to be and be transformed.
Each participant experiences many powerful moments and breakthroughs throughout the weekend. It is exciting to see the many strange and wonderful ways the magic of transformation shows up.
We will conclude the retreat with fire ritual as each participant releases what’s been holding them back. You will leave this experience feeling revitalized. You will better understand yourself, what joyful play is for you, and what tools you can use to bring more play and joy into your life back home.
“THANK YOU!
I got your card and I have been sitting on writing without the proper time to do it.
I love everything you created. From the meditations (so powerful and deep) to the human design and call to guides, to the movement and ceremonies, and the altar! Also, the alone time to dance in the wild. And NATURE!! My heart and joy. Just perfect with all our animal friends. I feel so profoundly shifted from that weekend. The idea to burn the box really hit home as I have been saying I need to get out of the box… so the weekend was the perfect timing for me.”
What To Expect
You can expect a nice rhythmic pace with free time to rest, walk, write, or do anything else that allows your mind and soul time to breathe. We encourage each person to disconnect completely. Doing a hard reset of your life requires that you disconnect from the noise and chatter of regular life.
New skills require practice, and cellular transformation doesn’t happen without getting into the sticky messy places hiding inside each one of us. We will guide you as you seek the things that are preventing you from bringing a spirit of play to your everyday life. Working through those messy places is essential to form new perspectives and ways to frame your experiences. Learning new thought patterns takes practice, and we will give you tools to help you keep up the work when you return home.
You can expect to enjoy a lightness of spirit and playfulness for weeks and months to come.
The Details
Three days in breathtaking Redstone, Colorado.
Small group size
Lodging
Meals
All-inclusive
The Alchemy
of Play
September 12-15, 2019
Avalanche Ranch, Colorado
→ IMPORTANT! If you register by July 26, you qualify for the early-bird rate of $1,195.
About Your Guides
Jennifer Kartiganer
Jennifer Kartiganer is the founder of OMpower. Originally a fitness, yoga, and wellness space, today OMpower is a lifestyle brand focused on global consciousness through self-awareness and acceptance. She believes in “finding the OM in every mOMent”. During her 30+ years as an integrative rehabilitation therapist, she has worked with athletes, corporate executives, and those living with acute, chronic, or terminal illness to design lifestyles for their optimal health and well-being.
Today, Jennifer serves as a consultant and “modern elder” to several start-up companies and non-profit organizations who are innovating and playing in the realm of consciousness, movement, and health. As an active member of OMNI-athlete, she presents at their annual Sports Festival and has joined their core administrative team. Jennifer was a competitive triathlete for 10+ years and has been practicing yoga and meditation for over 20 years.
Lauri Rubinstein is a business coach with a background in accounting and 30+ years of experience in communication, studying human nature, sales, overcoming limiting beliefs and patterns, spirituality, and business. She has earned the second highest coaching certification (PCC – Professional Certified Coach) available through the International Coaching Federation.
Lauri can see the masks, patterns, and blind spots her clients can’t see in themselves. She helps them see their gifts and what they are truly capable of. Lauri is married with two beautiful children, ages 11 and 14, two dogs, and two cats. She and her family make their home in the breathtaking Colorado mountains.