It’s already been two weeks since I was in Collingwood, Ontario for the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association’s Great Ideas 2017 conference! Just sitting down to write about it now…
Being able to take some time away from work was a luxury. It was hard to let go initially, as I had a few patients and their families who needed some follow-up via email. However, I was mindful that I had to take care of myself too, in order to take care of them. I tried to hold onto that idea as I stayed at the stunning Blue Mountain Resort.
The cool part is that the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) encouraged relaxation with learning, by including wellness in the program schedule. A full day lecture series by Beverly Beuermann-King focused on recognizing stress and tools for building resiliency. A fun run through the Blue Mountain paths on Thursday, with Darren Osborne. The next day was scheduled for a morning yoga class on the terrace, amongst the fresh air and sunshine.
Although it rained and had to be held indoors on the mezzaine/foyer, I was glad to teach the yoga class for the second year in a row. I centered the cues on body awareness, to bring more mindfulness overall. Connecting mind to body is hard to do when your brain wants to keep the hamster wheel spinning. Beautiful surroundings were the inspiration for being present, as we moved through the class.
Yoga is part of the toolkit for skillful living. Sharing a practice with my veterinary colleagues created comraderie and was a fantastic way to start the day.
