The California 4-H Mindfulness Retreat

by Claire Boone, Santa Rosa Valley 4-H

The California 4-H offers a Mindfulness Retreat each year in Cambria at Camp Ocean Pines.  The goal of the retreat for members to develop their health and learn strategies to practice mindfulness.

This three-day retreat had us identify stressors with other 4-H youth in California. It is amazing to see how stressed we were and the commonalities among us all. 

We participated in a variety of activities to reduce stress and learn mindfulness.  We practiced mindful eating, creative outlets of using photographic paper with items from nature to make natural art, made bracelets and in the evening, and an astronomer helped us see another galaxy, which was one of my favorite activities. 

My other favorite was doing yoga on the porch which overlooked a nature preserve and the sea.   

The Mindfulness Retreat allows for bonding and making a lot of 4-H friends throughout California.  It helps our leadership so that we can be a better advocate of healthy living in our community.  Some apps that are useful for Mindfulness are Headspace, Calm, and Dreambox.  

This retreat motivated me to attend Mindful Minutes in Delaware via Zoom while we were under quarantine.  Mindful minutes is based on the GEM Curriculum (Getting Experience in Mindfulness).  Participants had the option to become a Trainer of Trainers and I attended this multi-day Zoom training to better my practice.  During our Covid-19 quarantine and throughout the changes in our state, mindfulness can help you.  

Mindfulness is important so that you reduce stress and anxiety and it can also help in your leadership and in the workplace.  If you have an opportunity to participate in mindful practice, you will see the benefits which will lead to clearer thinking, greater loyalty, larger service and better living.