this year was yet another fun-filled week that鈥檚 packed with self-discovery and growth at YMCA Camp Shady Brook! Campers ventured out to try something new, made lasting friendships and attended many impactful workshops that are designed to nurture balance within.

Some people say it takes a village to raise a child. At Yunasa, it takes a tribe to build this camp. For many, it鈥檚 their first sleep-away camp and the longest time apart they have ever spent from their parents. This year, we had 23 new campers! Being mindful of this, our returning campers and counselors actively reached out to new campers and included them in group activities. Some campers are more introverted and reflective than others, but would ensure that they too have a space to share and be heard throughout the week.

From the youngest camper at ag 10 to our most senior elder at 85, Yunasa is a space filled with intergenerational connection and nurturing. Our workshops are designed to nurture balance in all five aspects of self 鈥� intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual and physical.

In campers practice guided imagery meditation exercises. The goal is to integrate the conscious self with the unconscious. In the process, campers open a wide flow of energy from their intuition, inspiration and creative energy to the logical self. In the workshop called kindness, campers learn about the biological and physical benefit of practicing kindness and did several meditations in the session. In building and walking the labyrinth, campers constructed a single path in a serene setting. As they walked the labyrinth, they followed a single path that at times appeared to be a 鈥渨rong turn,鈥� but each turn actually leads them to a new beginning and ultimately the 鈥渆ye鈥� of the path. It symbolizes a spiritual journey and the tools needed for transformation. In art-based workshops, campers practiced focus, relaxation, trusting their intuition, self-acceptance and expression through activities such as Intuitive Mandala and Soul Collage.

Yunasa also offers outdoor activities in a traditional camp setting. Campers expand their comfort zones in a safe environment as they try ziplining, rappelling, and rock climbing. They learn about teamwork and build trust on the giant鈥檚 ladder and low ropes. They practiced focus with archery and tomahawk throwing. There are also waterfront activities such as canoeing, kayaking, fishing and paddle boarding.

We hope all of our campers and volunteers have been able to get some rest this week. We cannot wait to see you all again in 2020. Until then 鈥� may your year be filled with joy, growth and loving kindness!

the entire Yunasa West photo album on 优蜜视频鈥檚 Facebook page. To learn more about Yunasa

The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations by Oprah Winfrey

鈥淒uring a time when I needed some inspiration in my life, this book, and the conversations Oprah shares, provided great insight into life lessons that some of the most brilliant leaders and visionaries have learned throughout their lifetime. I felt like a fly on the wall as I read through chapters about mindfulness, intention, fulfillment, love and connection.鈥� 鈥� Ni帽a Abonal, Senior Program Coordinator

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

鈥�The Great Alone explores a wild and sparsely populated Alaska in the 1970鈥檚, when a Vietnam War veteran moves his wife and 13-year-old daughter from Seattle to the very rugged frontier of Alaska to begin anew away from city life and war memories.聽 The book is an insider鈥檚 examination of the harsh realities and lush beauty of life in Alaska that I knew little about, set against a troubled family鈥檚 story of survival over the course of several decades. The book deals with adult themes but is well-plotted with engaging characters.鈥� 鈥� Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager

The Things They Carried by Tim O鈥橞rien

鈥淚 reread The Things They Carried every year. To me, no other work so perfectly captures the camaraderie that exists under the most trying, confusing and challenging circumstances. Though fiction, it is grounded in historical truth and humbling to imagine what these characters went through so far from home. O鈥橞rien doesn鈥檛 mince words, but his descriptions have a gripping gentleness that makes you feel more than think. I get lost in each vignette that eventually weaves together into a larger narrative.鈥� 鈥� Hillary Jade, Program Manager

Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

鈥淎 unique coming-of-age story that follows Eva (and the food she loves) from birth through adulthood, told almost exclusively through the viewpoints of those she encounters along the way. It would be accurate to say I devoured this book. Not only was Eva鈥檚 journey compelling, but the vivid descriptions of the food that defines each stage of her life made me want to host my own elaborate, biographical feast. A great read for fiction lovers and foodies alike.鈥�-Nicole LaChance, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

鈥淚 had read A Walk in the Woods but never thought to pick up another Bryson book until this one was recommended by another 优蜜视频 staff member. This travel book about Bryson鈥檚 journey through Australia is a delightful cross between a page-turning beach read and informative historical commentary. I found myself laughing even while learning about the ecology, anthropology, history, geography and culture of this fascinatingly unique continent. You may even end up moving Australia up on your list of travel destinations!鈥�-Nicole Endacott, Program Coordinator

The Revenge of Geography by Robert D. Kaplan

鈥淭hough dense in historical examples, this book shows how many of our current tensions鈥攆rom the Syrian Civil War to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions鈥攕tem from monolithic geographical features. I particularly enjoyed the last two chapters, where Kaplan points at America’s demographic transition and concludes that geography, more often than not, determines the fate of nations.聽鈥�-Mark Blekherman, 优蜜视频 EXPLORE Extern

Want more book recommendations? Check out what we were enjoying in ,听听补苍诲听.

What books have you been enjoying this summer? Let us know in the comments!

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