Canyon Mountain Center in John Day supports conscious and healthy development of the mind and body.

Jim and Sandy Bay built Canyon Mountain Center in John Day as a venue for personal well-being, relaxation and self-discovery. CMC offers several stress reduction practices to support conscious and healthy development of the mind and body.

In our busy lives, we are dragged or driven to go-go-go, rarely being in the moment with our actions and words. Therefore, we are not actually enjoying, engaging deeply or making conscious decisions in our best interest. Easily pushed from one thing to the other, multitasking our way through our lives, running rough-shod over everything and everyone, we are often unconscious about what is driving most of our choices and actions — thus operating in “re-action” to daily events.

Stress reduction allows clear assessment of one’s life, and of the world in general. The following relaxation practices support personal presence, engagement and acceptance of ourselves and others. They include:

• Sitting meditation

• Labyrinth — walking meditation

• Yoga and Pilates

• River walks

With these practices and others, one can develop the ability to listen more deeply to ourselves, to others and to be more engaged with the present moment — which is all that we actually have. When we slow down, we can assess the state of our bodies and minds; not just how healthy or unhealthy we are, but how we are often just reacting to past traumas and unresolved emotions.

When we practice any calming discipline a few times a week, we become more adept in our lives at being with both ourselves and the world in a more honest, clear and present way. As we turn off our outside lives, even for a few minutes, we can take a look at troubling issues directly, without distraction or interference. As we diminish the chatter in our heads and can “be here now,” these relaxation practices will extend into our daily lives. Stress reduction supports us in making more satisfying choices and having realistic outcomes.