A Wellness in West Virginia weekend event to promote mindful living, set for Sept. 20 – Oct. 1, will be held at the stunning new student center building at the heart of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) campus in Lewisburg.
The first ever three-day workshop is for all who desire to achieve more with their health, reset their mindset, or simply switch to a healthy path. Staying attuned and understanding how your body works is the point of Wellness in West Virginia.
We may think mindful living is easier said than done, but to Wellness leader and organizer Erica Bell, it’s as simple as paying attention to what you’re feeling at any given time. “Your choices matter and are okay,” she said. “Just notice and pay attention to how you feel.”
The Wellness event is designed to encourage participants to “imagine creating a world in which the vast majority of us live with wellness,” said Bell. “Learning mindfulness is the first step in a process of gradual awareness of your habits, good and bad, throughout your daily life.”
The event schedule is mindfully crafted, as well. “Nothing is rushed,” said Bell. Participants will learn what’s right for them individually, and explore how to reset their health holistically. There will also be many opportunities for engaging in networking, learning sessions and constructive conversations.
The schedule begins with an opening reception on Friday afternoon, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m., following a 4 p.m. check-in. At the reception, participants can sample healthy appetizers and a smoothie bar. A keynote speaker, to be announced, will raise the energy for what participants are about to experience throughout the weekend, and introduce the presenters – or future mentors – who will prepare participants for what is yet to come. Lastly, the amazing Adam DeGraff and Morgan Weidinger will delight, energize and inspire all with a musical performance.
The next two days will begin early with a choice of movement activities to suit everyone’s taste for exercise – yoga, Pilates or an open air jog or run. A generous time allotment is built into the schedule to allow participants to enjoy their meals at any of the many downtown Lewisburg restaurants. “There will be plenty of time to do all the things you came to do,” said Bell.
Throughout the next two days, participants can choose sessions to attend, offered by a wide field of wellness leaders who will inspire and guide each participant to create wellness in their own life. Each session promises to be an environment for exchanging knowledge, mutual support and synergistic collaboration.
Speakers and sessions leaders include Bell, P90X Live instructor; Gina Rieg, nutritional therapy practitioner; Kacie Argabright, licensed aesthetician; Gus Saldana, Eastern Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture; Quincy Gray McMichael, owner @Vernal Vibe Rise; Erika Laurenson, professional counselor; Tim Pence, chiropractor; Adam DeGraff, sustainable living musician; Cari Cohen, spiritual healer and massage therapist; and Andrea Karrs, Barre and Pilates instructor.
Bell is an energetic and intense person who takes on creative endeavors with fervor. These days, her primary commitment is to help others learn how to activate their own individual mindfulness. She is passionate about spreading “wellness” across the community, the state, and, for that matter, across the globe. “If we commit to working together, each doing our part to help spread wellness, we can build the world we imagine,” she said.
For more information about the Wellness in West Virginia workshop, visit www.wellnessinwv.com.
