About this Event
Welcome to Wapalanne Women’s Wellness Weekend where you can relax and refresh in nature
Welcome to Wapalanne Women’s Wellness Weekend on the historic NJSOC campus in the middle of beautiful Stokes State Forest!
Come and enjoy a weekend to refresh your mind, body, and spirit with Zen Tangle meditation, hiking, a vegan cooking demo, yoga, Mindfulness Meditation, and much more. Before the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season take time to relax and center yourself in a beautiful natural setting. Maybe ask for an early holiday present to help you find calm before the busy season. Come on your own or bring some friends and stay in our rustic cabins with views of Lake Wapalanne.
The cost of this weekend includes two nights of lodging, six meals and six programs. It also helps us continue our work to foster environmental knowledge and action through education programs that promote sustainablility practices, climate change mitigation, and environmental justice.
Programs will include:
Zen Tangle Meditation – Learn the principles of Zen Tangles and practice drawing the basic patterns from Master Educator Lois. Then go for a walk and draw inspiration from nature to make your own Tangles and designs. Lois Lyons taught high school AP Chemistry, Chem and Biology for 30 years. She advised Environmental Clubs. Lois earned a Presidential Award in Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.Her hobbies are hiking, watercolor painting, kayaking and traveling. Lois has found a new passion at NJSOC—once again teaching students by combining her love of the outdoors, science and the arts. All supplies provided.
Interpretive Hike – Take a hike with a Master Educator Patrice and use your 5 senses to experience the forest as winter approaches. Patrice Kealy has shared her knowledge and love of science, history and the arts with children and adults in many settings throughout New Jersey for over 50 years. While she explores the natural world, Patrice expresses her passion for the wonders of creation as an avid photographer, artist and writer. Sturdy shoes recommended.
Yoga – Join us for a fireside session with Cindy Chiariello to learn why we practice yoga and how important it is to our wellness. Bring a mat or towel as we do some movement and end with a meditation. Cindy is a Licensed Social Worker and Yoga Teacher/Therapist whose approach to her work has been profoundly shaped by being primary caregiver to her oldest child, an adult daughter who has autism. She decided to become a yoga instructor in 2016 after finding yoga helped alleviate struggles with insomnia, stress, and inflamation and eventually completed additional certificates in Restorative Yoga; Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, Special Needs/Adaptive, and Kids Yoga. Cindy is a Yoga Alliance YACEP (Continuing Education Provider) and E-RYT (teacher trainer). She also earned an M.S. in Yoga Therapy from Notre Dame of Maryland School of Integrative Health, and is certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists. All levels of experience are welcome.
Vegan Cooking Demo with DIY Kitchen Diaries – Learn how to cook healthy vegan Chickpea Noodle soup with fresh made Egg-free Noodles with renowned Chef Afi Green. Chef Afi Green graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts for Patisserie and Baking in 2012 in Atlanta GA. She launched DIY Kitchen Diaries in early 2020 in Newark NJ, cooking classes that bring traditional techniques to an easygoing atmosphere.
Mindfulness Meditation – Learn how to practice being fully present, how to be aware of your experiences and surroundings, and how to learn to observe emotions and thoughts without judgement. This session is led by Diana Lapp, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, hiker, and owner of Inner Strength Counseling Services, LLC. She specializes in supporting adults navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, and life transitions through nature-based approaches. Diana is certified in Forest Therapy, with additional training in Wilderness First Aid and CPR/AED. She leads Walk & Talk therapy sessions, mindful hikes, women’s circles, and retreats. Her work is rooted in the belief that time in nature grounds us, restores balance, and fosters healing. Each participant will receive a wellness gift and a digital copy of Diana’s Mindfulness Photobook.
Campfire and Storytelling – Join a NJ Storytelling Network Storyteller around the campfire at Piney Point. NJSN was founded in 2002 to collect and preserve the oral tradition through events and educational programs to inspire, enlighten, and entertain the public with the art of storytelling.
Individuals who identify as women are welcome at this event.
Refund Policy:
Your event fee, minus Eventbrite Fees, is fully refundable if cancelled 14 or more days before the event. While we appreciate being notified if you are unable to attend an event, refunds are not given for cancellations within 14 days of the event. If we must cancel, your registration fee, including Eventbrite fees, will be refunded.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
NJ School of Conservation, 1 Wapalanne Road, Layton, United States
USD 360.00 to USD 395.00
