Research and Mindfulness: Take the Inner IDEA Journey

Are you looking for different ways to make a positive difference in your quality of life and those of your clients? The 2007 Inner IDEA Conference® offers a truly moving experience. Located in Palm Springs, California, September 6-9, 2007, this invitation to transformation will be rich in program diversity, offering you the opportunity to explore many different types of education alternatives. Last year’s event was sold out and received a satisfaction rating of 98% from attendees. The 2007 conference is going to be an unforgettable experience, register now, time is running out.

This year’s curriculum has a greatly expanded selection of topics in the areas of research, coaching, career and business.

Research-related sessions include “The Science of Mindful Practices, Parts I and II,” “Yoga Research Roundup: What You Need to Know,” “Aiming for Balance, How Thoughts Affect Health,” “ The Bridge to Metabolic Enhancement and Rebalancing the Neuropsychology” and “Nutritional Immunity for the 21st Century.”

Coaching and business topics include “Career Coaching From the Spa Experts,” “Creating Your Career Map as a Mind-Body Professional,” “How to Reduce Your Marketing Budget and Improve Your Effectiveness,” “Mind/Body/Spirit Coaching Skills,” “Building Revenue From Yoga With Baby Boomers” and “Launch: Your Guide to a Mind, Body, Spirit Start-Up.”

Research specialist Ralph La Forge, MSc, managing director of the Duke University Lipid Clinic and disease management preceptorship program at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, notes that career opportunities continue to open up in the wellness arena for knowledgeable fitness professionals. “For example, for the first time, credentialed fitness professionals, such as ACE- or ACSM-certified exercise specialists, can sit for the boards in clinical lipidology, which is the diagnosis and management of lipid and related disorders, such as metabolic syndrome,” he says. “This board exam was formerly offered to physicians only.”

A Heart and Soul Adventure
Inner IDEA is an ambitious exploration of “wellness within” that expands participants’ knowledge of a remarkable range of wellness concepts, research and movement forms (physical, emotional and spiritual). The “heart and soul adventure” will include memorable rituals, music, silence, meditation, visualization and other modes of experiential learning.

Presenters Linda Cammarata, RN, and Larry Cammarata, PhD, are examples of how diverse the Inner IDEA curriculum is. Linda Cammarata, wellness specialist for the spa industry and healthcare organizations, is presenting “The Mind-Body Sleep Experience” and “Support and Strengthen Your Immune System.” Larry Cammarata, licensed psychologist and tai chi instructor, is presenting “Relaxation Training and Mindfulness Meditation” and “Stress Management for Body, Mind and Spirit.” Together they will present “Morning Meditation and Journaling Experience.”

“Many people don’t know that adequate sleep helps control appetite,” says Linda Cammarata. “In one session, we’re going to explore the latest in ‘sleep hygiene’ techniques and how sleep helps you accomplish an uplifting emotional state of well-being. In another session, we’re going to look at allergies and how to directly influence and support your immune system. In a third session, participants will learn to use morning meditation and journaling to access and record inner experiences that will cultivate self-awareness and increased energy. It’s a wide range of topics you could only find at Inner IDEA—but all of them have the common theme of enhancing your connection to your body, mind, heart and spirit.”

Another featured event is “The Labyrinth: A Meditation Walk,” presented by Phyllis Pilgrim, education director of body-mind-spirit and specialty week programs at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort. “A mindful walking practice can be a useful segue from the business of your life to sitting meditation,” she says. “In a labyrinth meditation, you walk in ever-sweeping circles to reach the center. It is a pilgrimage to your own heart center.”

Pilgrim will also explore larger life themes in body-mind practice. “The weave of life's challenges within yoga poses include courage, standing your ground, compassion (for yourself and for others), surrender, integrity, boldness and creativity,” she explains. “For example, if you are facing strong opposition to an idea you are passionate about, practice the warrior poses to establish your own idea, have courage in the face of opposition and stand your ground with compassion and understanding. Knowing the messages behind the movements will give your practice deeper purpose.”

That theme of seeking deeper meaning is central to 2007 Inner IDEA. Michele Hébert, and Mehrad Nazari, PhD, master yoga teachers and meditation guides, will present “The Inner Workouts of Yoga” and lead inspiring “inner practices” to help participants explore the deeper dimensions that can be missed in popular body-mind programs.

“Although more than 18 million Americans practice yoga and most health clubs now offer it, the most important dimension—inner practice—is not always part of today's classes, which often focus heavily on the physical postures,” says Hebert. “The inner practices--such as chakra balancing; pranayama, or yoga breathwork; yoga nidra, or deep relaxation; and color and sound healing—can be powerful complements for expanding awareness and awakening the spirit.”

Hebert explains why exploring the deeper meaning of body-mind practices is essential for wellness professionals: “We can learn to observe and ultimately to change how we think and act. We find that how we do one thing is how we do everything, and our habits of thinking create our reality. So the implications for our lives are enormous. And as we learn to balance our mind, body and emotions, we allow our spirit to shine forth.”

More Than 150 Mindful Sessions
2007 Inner IDEA will be held at the tranquil desert oasis, La Quinta Resort & Club, in Palm Springs, California. Attendees will relax in private Spanish casitas located in a secluded sanctuary of sage and citrus groves, sparkling pools and fragrant gardens, beneath the Santa Rosa Mountains.

This year’s theme is “A Moving Experience,” and there will be more than 150 diverse sessions (over one-third more than last year), offering a broad range of ideas and practices to help attendees move closer to their personal and professional goals. Sessions were selected to immerse participants in the most forward-thinking, creative, multidimensional and personally enriching programs, taught by the most knowledgeable and influential leaders in wellness.

Inner IDEA Conference
When: September 6-9, 2007
Where: La Quinta Resort & Club, Palm Springs, California
49-499 Eisenhower Dr.
La Quinta, CA 92253
Phone: (760) 564-4111, (800) 598-3838
Registration Fee: $695; on-site: $745 (note that the event may be sold out); preconference fees are additional. Register now.
Special Room Rate: single/double: $157, inclusive of resort fee, plus applicable state and local taxes; rate is based on availability.
For More Information: www.inneridea.com

Registration Is Limited—Don’t Delay

Participation at Inner IDEA® is limited in order to preserve an intimate environment for this special event. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and you can register by website, phone, fax or mail.