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ReFIREment: A Spa Approach to Life By Joan Wangler, MCC
President of EDIN Associates

    A spa is a place to unwind, let loose, and have fun. It's an inspiring, supportive experience that empowers people to live a healthy lifestyle. If we can't afford to go away to a spa, why not bring the spa home to where we live and work?

    That's exactly what we decided to do. On December 17, 1999, a group of serendipitous friends in the Washington, DC area participated in EDIN’s First ReFIREment Spa: Ignite Your Own Star Qualities. They took time-out to soak in the moment and discuss what is truly important to them for the coming years. They shared their talents and dreams with each other and committed to helping make each other’s dreams come true. The energy and excitement of that experience spread to places like the World Bank and Goddard Space Flight Center and ultimately gave birth to the Fitness Workout Series.

    What is ReFIREment? Frankly it's about passion and possibilities. It's the process of getting in touch with what fuels you, an inner combustion that occurs when you are living a life that taps your creativity, intuition, and values. ReFIREment involves developing the capacity to be mindful and appreciate the gift of each day, to do work that fulfills longing at a deeper level than material security, and to connect to what is vital in yourself.

              After the Spa, I wrote my vision for the work that I am meant to do:

            "The Legend of Talalay"
            By Joan Wangler

         Long ago and far away
      I lived in a spa called Talalay*
    Where all the stars came out to play
  And soak in the joy of each new day.

 The playground was safe
We had a ball
Our spirits soared high
 We All Walked Tall.

  We created a circus,
    A theater, a store,
      A space camp, a kingdom,
        A rodeo and more.

It was a merry go round
  Of daily delights
    That buoyancy lasted
      Long into the night.

Then I closed my eyes
  And it all went away
    Those kaleidoscope stars
      Grew tired and gray.

I look for the playground
  Where is the sun
    Where are the stars
      Where did they run?

      They're on their computers
       Or on their cell phones
       Behind a desk
      Or all alone.

      Racing to meeting after meeting
    Passing others without greeting.
  Bottom line people on the run
Too busy now to have fun.

      It's dark in those places
    Where many stars work
  They made a wrong turn
Where suffering lurks.

      They call 911-Genie
    To get out of their pain
  Cancer, strokes, heart attacks
And sudden weight gain.

      "We're sick and tired
    Of this busy pace
  We need a real life
A better space."

 "I don't want to hear
What makes you sick
I want to know
 What makes you tick?

What's in your belly
  What lights your fire
    What drives you
      To soar higher and higher?

You're invited
  To the Spa
    The Dress Code's simple
      Come as you are.

Soak in the moment
  Once again
    Safe in the playground
      With your friends.

Share your talents
  Dream your dreams
    Discuss what matters
      Create and scheme.

      Laugh out loud
    Enjoy life now
  Strut your stuff
Remember how?

      Look for stars
    Ready to play
  We're going home
To Talalay.

      Put love and be well
    On your to do
  A brilliant life is
Up to you.

© Joan Wangler, 2000

.

* "Talalay" is Joan's maternal grandfather's last name. It means "morning dew."

ReFIREment Spa: 12/17/99
    Hosts: Joan Wangler, Maggie Bedrosian, Ann Hibbard, Ellen Kelly, and Dani Little

Joan Wangler, ReFiring: Getting In Touch with What Fuels You
    We invite you to soak “in the moment” for your overall health and well being. Take a developmental time-out to consider what really matters to you.

Dr. Michael Apter, Learning to Be Unstable
    There are many different fuels, or ways of being, which we can use to fire up and we need to use them all. Apply the “reversal theory” to different opportunities that arise.

Maggie Bedrosian, Rich & Thin By Tuesday: Fresh Fantasies for Your Future
    If you can’t be Bill Gates or Calista Flockhart by early next week, free yourself up for warmer, wealthier and wiser fantasies available to you beyond the next smile.

Barbara Flaherty, The Creative You in the New Millennium
    Appreciate the poetry of life and recognize your creative talents. Enjoy “Memory and Metaphor-New and Collected Poems, 1993-99.”

Ann Hibbard, Serendipitous Friends
    Miracles can happen when you open yourself to friendship-as you are honest about your intentions, as you ask others for help, and as you give generously from your heart.

Ellen Kelly, “Little Star”
    Listen to the message of this Fairy Tale about Belonging and apply the thoughts to real life and the truth of the tale as it applies to you.

Peg Long, Bringing Your Whole Self to Your Life and Your Work
    Be the heroine/hero of your own life story. Rediscover your many sources of wisdom using archetypes. Pay attention to the wisdom of your heart, body, and intuition.

Sandra Mobley, Increasing Your Change-ability
    Changes are more possible than you may imagine. We can find support for our changes by going on what Joseph Campbell calls the “hero’s journey.”

Judy Pollock, Finding the Red Thread
    Borrowing from the theater world, how can we find the “red thread” that connects the choices we’ve made and follow it as we enter a new discovery phase?

Thadius Sale, Calling All Stars to Come Out to Play
    Magic happens when people are allowed to be fully themselves. Using music and movement, we can connect and appreciate each other’s star qualities.

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