I just returned from a week participating in a Women’s Fitness Camp, sponsored by the YMCA of the Rockies, held at Snow Mountain Ranch near Granby, Colorado. Since 1992 I have been on the staff of this camp, working as one of several massage therapists. Teaching classes on massage and nutrition, I also have fun co-leading a wildflower walk, and kayaking on the mountain lakes.
For 30 years this camp has drawn women of all ages and backgrounds from around the country for a week of fun and fitness activities, ranging from hiking and biking to yoga and tai chi. For many it is a time to renew a commitment to healthy activity; for others, it is a time of rest and renewal in the mountain air. For me, it is an opportunity to share the benefits of nurturing massage with the women. Some have become regulars over the years; others are receiving professional massage for the first time in their lives.
I love working with the women at Fitness Camp, hearing their personal life stories, listening to their concerns about their bodies, and helping them to feel empowered in their quest for health and rejuvenation. I appreciate the wisdom that emerges as women find the time to take a break from their lives of caring for others and let themselves be nurtured. Sometimes, I think this week is a time for women to let go of the negative messages that have become habitual in our world of judgments and competition and overemphasis on materialism and media-produced ideals of personal appearance. Maureen Pryor, who has directed the camp for years, along with a dedicated staff, creates a space of acceptance for all.
One woman characterized this for me as she received her massage. She told me about all the problems with her body; what her various healthcare providers had told her was wrong with her, and what she needed to fix. But what I felt beneath my hands was a strong, powerful woman, whose body served her well in her work and family life.
After the session, she thanked me for the massage, saying she felt so relaxed and happy. She beamed as I reminded her, “You are strong. You are powerful. Don’t let anyone talk you out of enjoying being in your body.”
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Mary Kathleen Rose is the author of “Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill” (Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2009).
