Happy April, Capital Camps! As the trees start to bloom and rain rolls in (to help all of the wonderful plants at camp grow), we get even closer to the start of Summer 2024 in Waynesboro, PA. April is a special time for our team, as the annual Leadership Team Weekend at camp starts today! We will gather to dream up the best programming and experiences for our camp community. April is also a special month this year because the Jewish holiday of Passover is coming soon. Passover holds special and unique meaning to Jewish people around the world and for me, Passover is an important reminder that we, as Jewish people, can both remember and commemorate our ancestors who were enslaved in the land of Egypt and experience the freedom we get to feel in our everyday life.
Thinking more about the idea of freedom, camp is the perfect setting to truly get to experience and feel free. For our campers, freedom is flying down the zipline and feeling the wind rush by them. For our counselors and staff, freedom is getting to create and plan programs that help showcase their interests and passions in front of an inclusive and special community. One of the ways I experience freedom while spending time outdoors is by practicing mindful breathing and meditation, getting to bring fresh air into my body and notice all that’s around me. Never practiced mindful breathing before? I’d love to invite you to try it out right here in this newsletter!
Mindful Breathing with Camp Director Nate
- First, stretch your arms up over your head or lift your shoulders up towards your ears and then lower your arms or shoulders down
- Next, do the same thing, but this time, take a deep breath in as you stretch your arms or shoulder and breathe out as you lower
- Try this three times, breathing in as you lift and breathing out as you lower
- Now, try to take three breaths with your arms down, breathing in slowly, but this time, breath out loudly, just like the roar of a lion
- After you’ve tried this, shake your arms and your legs a few times to find movement, and see how you feel after breathing
Want to see an example of this mindful breathing? Check out this Instagram post on my new Camp Director account. If you have Instagram, be sure to give me a follow!
This Passover, let us keep all who are struggling in Israel, in the United States, and around the world in our thoughts, prayers, and most importantly, our actions. As we gather with our families around our Passover seder and hear the saying, “next year in Jerusalem,” maybe we can also add, “and this summer at Capital Camps!”
Happy Passover!