Live the dream you always imagined! Sailing in the British Virgin Islands & Baja, Mexico

British Virgin Islands - experience a perfect moment of well-being. Be inspired and empowered while sailing to a new island destination each day. Enjoy warm sun, gentle breezes, white sand, laughter, yoga and have fun.

BVI Women's only sailing adventure Feb 21 to Feb 27, 2007 only 3 spaces left - March is Sold Out

Our women's BVI sailing adventures are exhilarating, magical, empowering and a freedom experience. Discover, awaken and embrace your true self in the Caribbean. A dream come true and an opportunity to see your self in an entirely new light - to meet the absolute best of yourself. The learning is truly transformational and can be applied to all aspects of your personal or professional life.

Are you looking for a way to celebrate your 50th Birthday? Get the girls together and come and sail the HERIZEN™ way! Relax, rejuvenate, explore, learn, grow and laugh. Book Now

The co-ed couples program is for you if you want an adventurous way to sail with your partner and understand the difference between male and female ways of learning. This experience will truly add value to your relationship.

Our Sailing yacht in BVI is the SV "J-Sea", a 2001 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 52.2 and she’s a charmer. Elegantly finished with teak and hardwoods, this lovely Jeanneau is graceful and at home both at sea or any marina.

The Jeanneau 52.2 is a boat that will go anywhere your dreams take you, swiftly, safely and in total comfort and style. Specifically designed for those of us who love and respect the sea, the 52.2 with its twin steering wheels, powerful hull, and well-engineered deck layout is truly grace under sail. Built to the highest international standards, the Sun Odyssey 52.2 is the perfect balance of modern innovation and time-honored craftsmanship creating a boat of true elegance and style.

"The best gift I've ever given to myself. It was a wonderful life experience and adventure. Captain Valma is fun to be with and has the patience of a saint. I re-kindled my love of sailing." Edie Gano, New Jersey, USA

Make your dreams come true today and sail with us in the British Virgin Islands in 2007.

If you always wanted to go on a HERIZEN Tm retreat now is the time to book for next year. Prices are going up for 2007. To honor those that book early we are going to keep our 2006 prices in effect for those that book before the end of the year.

"My husband and I were sailing this weekend. Went to Pender Island for Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening. Came home yesterday in VERY thick fog so yet another challenge. I must say though that I am a much happier sailor these days. We reefed at the dock on the Friday afternoon as I explained my concerns about the wind out "there" and of course got out "there" and it was practically flat calm. We had lots of laughs about that. We did motor alot but I just feel so much better about it all. My tone of voice has improved when discussing our options and that is due to more confidence. I even started the engine, which for sure is a first." Anne Daley-Victoria, BC

I had a nice drive and I am alone for the first time for a whole day since April. I spent some really valuable time this morning doing check check on myself and writing in a journal about what I want and what I do not want. I feel the metaphor of sailing is helping to frame so much of what I will now do for myself. I have in the past, felt at the mercy of the "winds" but today I took time to look at the weather, tides and currents inside and out myself and make some very conscious selections about how I want to navigate my day and think about the big and small picture.

I feel like I can breath. I have some new tools to defuse the urgency, I want to sail (rather than seeing it as another task). I think for me the retreat and the dialogue and the processing was as valuable if not more than the sailing itself. I learned a lot about sailing too...this at more than the head level...for example, I now know that I can heave to even in wild waters and wind to collect myself, I learned what 'close to the wind' really means and much much more....knots are not a mystery ....stopping the boat, the foresail is the engine the main sail the rudder.....this is an amazing awareness...there is a lot to build on.

"Tho not a grad yet," I have had some sailing lessons. Here is my story. My now-husband of 18 yrs and I met playing soccer. We then commenced dating by taking sailing lessons together, first at the local college in Moores, then for real at the local harbour. That experience was most frustrating because my dear husband was always trying to be helpful and wound up being more trying than anything else. He speaks physics, I speak biology, so you can see how that went. I did get certified....as long as I was with him. I'm so looking forward to the March BVI trip and our gals' course, where I'm sure I'll understand much more." Carol Belew- Nevada

"I absolutely loved our sailing adventure. I feel I learned so much and had so much fun doing it. It met my expectations and more. Thank you, thank you.” Annette Aubrey- Calgary, Alberta

"Sherri and I did a one week sailing trip on my boat in Gig Harbour. It was just the two of us and the first time we have gone on an adventure like this without either the men in our lives or with you. We went sailing in North Sound as far as Kingston..which isn't all that far but what we could do in a week. I think we did fantastic! We really got the hang of docking the 27' Newport but did not do any anchoring. We stopped in little harbour's with marinas, hung out for the night, usually ate out in the towns nearby and then took off the next day. We did moor out on Blake Island, just across from Seattle, one of the nights. The winds were always behind us. We had Southerly winds going North and Northerly winds going South. They were light and some days non-existent, which is not unusual for August. However, we did get some really nice sails in and learned so much!. Had to handle a few snafus with the engine, the head and one of the rigging lines. It felt good to figure it all out and do it ourselves...very empowering. We returned feeling ever more confident in our sailing and navigating abilities. Good adventure for us both." SarahLyn Brooks-Eugene, Oregon

"I have answered a number of my husband's questions about why this course was so effective in teaching me “confidence” to use the skills I learned. Not only did you teach in a manner such that I was able to retain what you were teaching us…lots of attention to detail…but more so it was the non threatening environment on Wholphin II that you provided each day of the course. I felt energized and empowered each and every day (well maybe not as energized the afternoon when the tiller seemed to be going in the opposite direction I wanted it to…) and I simply have to think back to how that felt. It just so worked for me! Thank you!

I also wanted to comment on staying at the B&B rather than living aboard the sailboat which was part of my Basic Cruising experience so many years ago. I loved the 15 min walk back to Catherine’s each evening, being able to have a shower and change clothes before starting our homework, the fresh flowers on the gorgeous wooden table where we diligently did our homework each evening, the fresh garden smell in our room, the comfortable bed and even the color and scent of the soap in the shower. Just having Catherine check in with us when we returned in the evening and of course the snacks she discreetly left for us all contributed to making it such a comfortable place to be after a focused day of learning. It gave us the opportunity to relax with a change of scene each evening, sleep well and feel refreshed and ready to absorb as much as we could again the next day. It was great and I have already passed on your website info to a number of friends.

Now to sum up the whole HERIZEN™ Experience.

For me is simply to say "Empowerment" in Sailing...and in Life. " Angie Vlooswyk-Calgary, Alberta

"I have found the HERIZEN™ Sailing in Awareness Gulf Island Retreat to have been everything I could have hoped for; an intense and challenging sailing skills course with an energetic / intuitive instructor and mentor in the company of friendly and compatible crew in the magic setting of Protection Island, Georgia Strait. As a bonus we also enjoyed great weather. Barriers have been broken for me and my aspiration for more sailing and balance in life has been set free!" Bronwyn Holland-Sydney, Australia

"I found learning sailing techniques metaphorically helped me with what I was working through in my personal life. It is empowering and it was an excellent decision to choose Valma /HERIZEN™ as an instructor/ school as she has the holistic awareness of where women are at, how we tend to process information and act on it. Thank you Valma. It has been an amazing and magical experience! Robyn Silvanen-Vancouver, BC

************************************************************

DO WOMEN MAKE GOOD SAILORS?

Firstly, in response to this question I would ask. Do you have a desire to become a good sailor? It is my belief that "What I Focus on Expands". If I believe that I am a good sailor then I will be. Sure it may be necessary for me to take sailing lessons, build and apply the skills I learn and practice confidence building techniques along the way.

The first task is getting clear about what I want. Just imagine (without the what if, time, money or, I have never done that before. Take all of that out of the equation and just be with the thought) I want to be a good sailor. I want to single hand my boat. I want to be a fun and skilled sailing partner. I want to own my own boat. I want to sail offshore. I suggest we get more specific about what we want. If I put out the desire in anyone of these areas and I have passion about it, I will manifest it quickly. The big thing is being ok with what shows up. Thus getting clear about what kind of boat I want is important.. What does a good sailor look like to you? And how would it feel?

Women have the ability to be awesome sailors. They have many qualities that are already inherent in them that naturally make them good sailors. Women have a keen sense of awareness and anticipation. They use their intuition, have the ability to concentrate and have a sensitivity to their surroundings. Many of them love nature, respect it and appreciate being connected to it.

Women can see, hear and absorb many things at once yet still focus on the task at hand. Women are good communicators, great team players, helpful, empowering and supportive to others and are willing to talk about what is on their mind.

I believe that the core value for women is "safety" and the core value for men is "freedom". Many women have been introduced to sailing through a man in their life. Men want the freedom to go out on a boat and just have the freedom experience. This may come first by just doing it and figuring out the rest along the way. If there is a women involved...she may not feel as keen or comfortable on the boat and may not even know why. Often women think there is something wrong with them. Remember core value is "safety". If this has not been addressed then it may not be the best experience for her.

Once a women is clear on what her core value is, learned some new skills and how to apply them in a way that works best for her communicative style, a women can take flight, sail a boat on her own, become a fun and skilled sailing partner, take a boat out with her friends and have a freedom experience that will rejuvenate her body, mind and spirit.

You have it all ladies. It is the ability to focus your energy and clarify what you want that takes you to the next step. Manifesting your desired dreams. Imagine what this dream looks like and how it feels to have it. Have faith that there are simple steps along the way to empower you and help you get there. All you have to do is imagine and take action to live your desired dream. Anyone can learn a skill. It is learning the skill in a way that works for you so you can apply it immediatley. It is having the qualities of intuitive knowing and the confidence and faith to believe that you can do anything. All things are possible Now!

Just imagine in your minds eye: What do you look like as the sailor you say you want to be? How does this feel?

You know the saying...if you feel good you look good. Well, it is true. If it does not feel good, then what is the next best feeling that you can reach for that does feel good. What steps can you take to reach your desired vision or goal?. Then bring yourself back to the present moment and just Be with this vision. Run your own movie in your mind's eye of what it feels like to be the confident, capable and skilled sailor that you always dreamed of.

This is your role. Imagine, get connected to the good feelings that go with this and let it go. Allow it and leave space for magic to occur.

This information is based on the Law of Attraction. A universal principal that has been around for ever. We are all using the law of attraction every day in our lives whether we know it or not. Did you know that you can deliberately use this tool easily and it is free to create and manifest your dreams and desires? Make it work for you. HERIZEN™ can help you along the way.

Do you have questions about the dream you always wanted to live and how you can create it now. Would you like to ask Valma?

I invite you to email me any questions you may have about manifesting your dreams or the law of attraction and how it may apply to your sailing life or any other part of your life. Please email your questions to: valma@herizenadventures.com and write in the subject line: question for Valma.

*"Pippi Longstalking on the South Seas" and "Pippi Longstalking goes onboard" the movies now on DVD

Pippi is and was an inspiration for many women to go out and sail across oceans.

*"The Writings of Florence Scovel Shin" - the game of life, your word is your wand, the power of the spoken word and the secret door to success.

If you have a good book, movie or website to share please send Valma a note at:

Yoga Teacher Training in Todos Santos Mexico Dec 1 to Dec 12, 2006 Go here for details

Most of all have fun, laugh lots with joy and enthusiasm. Enjoy your own passion for the sea or whatever aspect of the outdoor environment makes you feel good. It could be a sunset, the seagulls flying over the sea, the wind caressing your face or the silence of moving through the water. The freedom of BEING a women, exploring and discovering your true self. Transform your whole life and let your Spirit fly!

We offer you an invitation to celebrate personal success and well-being through awareness, motion and nature.

HERIZEN™ also offers Canadian Yachting Association Certifications. CYA Basic Cruising, CYA Intermediate Cruising, CYA Advanced Cruising Certifications and the Pleasure Craft Boater Operators Certification and Card. Clothing, meditation CD's, books, Sail Coaching, Consulting and Life Coaching through the "Law of Attraction & Energy Mirrors".

"Let the water settle, you will see the stars and the moon mirrored in your Being" - Rumi