NORWICH — UPlift with Tracy will be hosting a mindfulness event at 5 p.m. at Kurt Beyer Pool and Park in Norwich on Friday, September 6.

Participants will connect with nature, meditate, search for fossils and hag stones, focus on what makes them feel inspired and uplifted, and release what's weighing them down.

UPlift with Tracy Owner Tracy Owens said she utilizes mindfulness techniques to help people overcome things like depression, anxiety, malaise, discouragement, and feeling unmotivated.

"[Mindfulness is] being aware of all your feelings and thoughts, giving them honor and grace, and being able to focus on what you want. Having more control over your heart and mind on matters. Being aware of others, too, and becoming the best version of yourself," she said. "Presence and self control are powerful values for a happy mind, and mindfulness techniques help teach us how."

She said Friday's event will include a short hike down to Canasawacta Creek, where participants will search for fossils and hag stones, which are stones with naturally-occurring holes in them, and flat skipping rocks to use in mindfulness activities.

"As you’re just being more mindful, being more present in the moment, listening to the water, we can find some of those stones, and the plan is to take some of these more stackable stones and write words that serve you, words that lift you up, and stack them and do some balancing of the stones. It’s just something to be present and grounded and be out in nature and have fun with like-minded individuals," Owens explained.

"On the other hand, we’ll take some rocks and write things like 'doubt' or 'frustration' or 'anger,' and we'll write them on the rocks and throw them into the water, kind of as a symbolic way of having them just go away, having them be washed and not bother you anymore, and just be mindful of those things and focus on things that are going to uplift you," she added.

The event will also include a guided meditation that focuses on positive visualization, achieving goals, and sending healing energy to yourself and others.

"We just go into a meditative state and listen to music, listen to the water, and focus on our goals, things that we want to really zone in and focus on in our lives. Visualize ourselves being successful with our goals, and visualize ourselves being healthy, happy, and then also visualizing each other healthy, happy, doing well, and giving that sort of healing energy to everybody in the group and their loved ones as well," said Owens. "I think a lot of people underestimate the power of positive intentions and positive thoughts. It’s actually proven to help people with depression and anxiety."

In addition to the mindfulness activities planned, Owens said simply being out in nature can be healing in itself.

"Go outside, take your shoes off, sit down in the rocks, and put your feet in the water. The earth has an energy to it," she said. "We are electrical beings. There’s an electrical pulse in our heart and our brain, and the earth does too, and when you can connect your skin to the earth, it’s almost like recharging a battery. There’s something very soothing and re-energizing just to go out in nature."

The event is open to all ages. Owens said she will have rock painting supplies set aside for children who attend but don't want to participate in the meditation.

UPlift with Tracy utilizes mindfulness, meditation, breath work, prayer, and gratitude to help others identify and achieve their goals, as well as cultivate self awareness, emotional balance, and overall wellbeing. Owens offers one-on-one coaching and group mindfulness classes, as well as the Uplift Your Week class at 10 a.m. every Monday at the Turning Point of Chenango County, located at 24 East Main Street in Norwich.

For more information on UPlift with Tracy, visit upliftwithtracy.godaddysites.com or the UPlift with Tracy Facebook page.