Archives: camp oasis

Camp Oasis co-counselors!

T.I.W.I.K.T.

Things I Wish I Knew Thursday:

When I was younger I wish I knew about Camp Oasis, the CCFA camp for kids with crohns and colitis. I would have loved to be a camp counselor in college. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to be a part of the community last year and I’m hopeful that I’ll get to be a part of it again this summer! The kids are un-like any other group that I’ve ever met . In dealing with their disease, they have been forced to grow up fast and because of that, they are caring, grateful and most importantly they just want to have fun! It makes for a fantastic week filled with laughter and a loving community. Can’t wait to go back to Oasis!

Oasis Co-Counselors!

New Counselor Friends! That’s Alice on the Left!

After just returning home from a week at IBD camp I’m feeling so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such incredible people. I volunteered to be a counselor to 14, 15 year olds as well as teach some yoga classes – it was intense but absolutely amazing all at the same time. I was able to share my yoga knowledge with my campers by teaching them poses to do when their belly hurts, how they can relax fuller by using lavender oil and sleep better by doing very simple poses in bed. I feel as though I’ve touched their lives in a really special way and I know I’ll never forget it.

My hope is for everyone with IBD to give yoga a try, learn meditation, try breathing exercises – it’s changed my life immensely and I’m here to tell you that it can and will change yours too. Even if you don’t have crohns or colitis, yoga can help with pretty much everything. Find the right teacher and give up the fact that yoga has to be about getting a workout – that’s not what it’s for. Getting a workout may be a plus, but the goal in my eyes is to listen to your body, hear your breath, tune in to you and walk out of class feeling like a new person.

Cheers to all of you camp counselors out there – you are truly angels for helping these children find their confidence, speak up and make incredible memories that they will never forget.

Bright Sunshine Flower

This week someone asked me what my yogic philosophy is. I absolutely loved this question because my answer rolled off my tongue and I didn’t even have to think twice about it. I know it’s because I live, eat and breathe this stuff, but anyway – here it is:

Listen to your body and everything else will eventually fall into place. When you stop, listen and are aware of the breath and how the body feels – that’s when the magic happens. Stress releases, anxiety falls to the wayside and the only important thing is you and your body. How magical.

I hope you can take some time this weekend to check in, listen to your breath and find peace in your body.

I’ll be at camp for a week! Yep, that’s right, I’m a camp counselor for 1 week at Camp Oasis which is a special camp for kids with crohns and colitis. I’ll be doing lots of breathing and team work too!

Enjoy the sunshine!