Sedona's Healing Arts For Women: Yoga, Qi Gong, Ayurveda and More

Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration 4:30 – 5:15 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the conference room to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation. 5:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. All classes will be led by a local expert and take place in the hotel conference room, unless otherwise specified. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: In our resort conference room, we’ll enjoy a buffet meal featuring two entrees, salad, sides and the chef's dessert of the day, plus coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Activity note: Gentle exercises and stretching during nomadics and yoga classes; cumulative duration of about 3.5 hours.

Breakfast: In our hotel conference room.

Morning: We’ll begin our morning with a "nomadics" exercise class, which blends yoga and stretching, to put you in touch with your body and help sharpen your focus for the week’s activities. Following our nomadics class, we will have a session focused on getting us "in the moment" by sharing individual stories and help the group to coalesce for the week ahead. As we get to know one another, we’ll also discuss ideas of how one can live more in the present by adopting simple everyday practices.

Lunch: In our resort conference room.

Afternoon: Resuming in the hotel conference room, we will settle in for a presentation on art therapy given by a local expert with over 30 years of experience focusing on women’s spirituality, and facilitating sacred rituals and ceremonies. During this interactive class we will participate in creative hands-on activities to help us identify and cultivate our “inner voice” to make healthier and happier life choices. After a short break, our second class of the afternoon will be a soft yoga and meditation class. Through some practical exercises led by a local expert, we’ll start to explore how meditation is used to bring peace, clarity, and focus to our lives.

Dinner: at hotel.

Evening: We’ll then regroup in our meeting room for another alternative health-related presentation led by a local expert.

Activity note: Afternoon hike of approx. 2 miles roundtrip; about 2.5 hours; mostly flat dirt trails. Driving approx. 21 miles; about 1/2 hour one way. Slow movement, stretching, and breathing exercises during qi gong and Jin Shin Jyutsu; hands-on classes run between 1 and 1.5 hours each.

Breakfast: at hotel.

Morning: In the conference room, we’ll learn about the healing benefits and belief structure of acupuncture through a presentation given by a local expert. Thought to have originated in China a few hundred years before the Common Era, acupuncture is now most often used as a form of pain relief in conjunction with other methods. Traditionally, however, acupuncture is also linked to qi (“life energy”) and the belief that its practice can have a positive influence on stimulating vital qi flows, which we discussed in one of our earlier lessons. The second half of the morning will be an introductory class on qi gong, a traditional Chinese practice that promotes health and wellness through slow flowing movement between a variety of postures accompanied by meditative focus on breathing. All of this functions in conjunction with a philosophical and spiritual understanding of qi (or “chi”), which is essentially “life energy.” The aim is to employ physical and meditative movements with focus to dislodge any internal blockages that may be preventing the free flow of qi through one’s body. In traditional belief, blockages of qi can result in sickness or emotional distress, while working to maintain the free flow of qi is a preventative measure to help one feel more relaxed, balanced, and healthy Setting out from the hotel, we’ll drive to a nearby trailhead to prepare for our next field trip.

Lunch: At the trailhead, we will have boxed lunches featuring a sandwich, snacks and a beverage.

Afternoon: From the trailhead, we’ll go on a pleasant hike into Sedona's beautiful surroundings led by a local expert who will address the myth and reality of Sedona's famed vortex energy spots that are located throughout the red rock region. Along the way, we’ll also make stops to discuss the flora surrounding us and to soak up the scenery.

Dinner: Restaurant nearby to hotel.

Evening: Free time following our dinner out.

Activity note: 1.5 hour active class of yoga with gentle stretching and breathing exercises.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We start our morning with a class on Jin Shin Jyutsu taught by our Group Leader. Jin Shin Jyutsu is a form of acupressure that focuses on the healing benefits that can be achieved through the manipulation of our hands and fingers in coordination with breathing exercises. The practice dates back to early 20th century Japan. Next, we’ll follow up our discussion with a yoga class with our full-time certified instructor who also leads a yoga teacher training and certification course at the Arizona School of Integrative Studies.

Lunch: At restaurant nearby to hotel.

Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll gather with a local expert for a discussion on Nutrition and LifeStyle. We will discuss herbs, foods and lifestyle approaches that enhance vitality, build our immune systems, and help us to create...and maintain...a healthy lifestyle. Upon regrouping with our local expert after a short break, our next class will explore the medicinal and healing benefits of Essential Oils.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Gentle movement and breathing exercises during active morning qi gong class; less than 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: at hotel.

Morning: Our first morning session will be another class of Qi Gong. Expand on what we learned from our first session. For the second half of the morning we will meet with a local expert for a discussion on Ayurveda, which is an ancient system of holistic medicine that originated in India. Translated from Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “life” (ayur) “science” (veda). Today it is viewed by the western world as a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), but for thousands of years Ayurveda functioned as a methodology for balanced health practice that included the individualized use of herbs, diet, exercise, meditation and spiritual practice

Lunch: at restaurant nearby hotel.

Afternoon: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You might like to explore some of Sedona's many red rock hiking trails, fascinating art galleries, backcountry and archaeological sites, or simply enjoy the amenities of the hotel.

Dinner: At nearby restaurant.

Evening: We’ll then return to the hotel’s conference room to enjoy a musical performance. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Activity note: Gentle exercises and stretching during 1 hour morning nomadics class. Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: at hotel.

Morning: Gathering together, we’ll engage in another nomadics session exercising its healing arts. After a short break, we’ll have a wrap-up session to reflect on what we’ve learned during the program, and to share some of our favorite experiences from throughout the week together. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!