LAS VEGAS — Caesars Entertainment hosted its first Global Wellness Summit in Las Vegas June 4-7, bringing together more than 120 event professionals, media and staff to learn more about integrating wellness into their personal and professional lives — as well as showcase the plethora of activities available for group events.
The invitation-only event highlighted Caesars’ focus on wellness at meetings and events, and included offerings available from its Wellness Menu. The menu offers event planners the opportunity to add food and beverage, speakers and entertainment to their wellness-focused events. The company plans to adopt the initiative at its Atlantic City and Reno/Tahoe event venues, furthering its commitment to promoting wellness through events.
The Global Wellness Summit kicked off with a scenic reception at the Nobu Villa in the Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace. Activations, including aura readings and crystal selection based on intentions and current challenges, reflected the summit’s inaugural themes of self-reflection and empowerment.
Wellness-focused education
The event hosted a variety of wellness speakers to discuss the techniques and benefits of prioritizing well-being – both physical and mental – in the way people live, work and play.
Dami Kim, director of corporate wellness at Body & Brain, shared a variety of ways people can better connect their bodies and minds to foster greater creativity and health. Through strategies like mindful breathing, proper body positioning and “keeping a cool head and a warm belly,” Kim said professionals can put themselves in a better position to manage and relieve stress, while also activating the brain to think clearly and creatively.
Kristine Iverson, PHR, founder and owner of Coordinated Response on Wellness (CROW) Practice, a wellness speaker and author, spoke about how to stay calm in times of chaos. Connecting CROW Practice, a live wellness company, with event planners, Iverson emphasized the importance of assessing stressors and negative self-talk to adopt healthy thinking habits.
According to Iverson, every time career surveys are conducted, live events come in fifth or sixth in terms of stress. She went on to explain that by turning a downward spiral into an upward one by identifying a silver lining in everything, professionals can turn their overwhelmed or frustrated energy into a positive chain reaction.
Author, speaker, and former monk Pandit Dasa discussed strategies for creating more mindful and positive workplaces to reduce silent resignations and keep employees happy. He highlighted the keys to mindful communication—knowing what you’re going to say, how you’re going to say it, the impact it will have, and how it will affect relationships—to better interact with employees and coworkers, and the importance of being a mindful leader.
“If we ask others to do something, they want to see us do it too,” Dasa said. “It sets a powerful precedent when we do what we ask others to do. Otherwise, it breaks trust when we tell everyone else to do something and we don’t do it ourselves. Can we be more accessible, can we be more down to earth, and can we make more sacrifices for our teams to build that trust?”
Dasa also shared that recognition is imperative to keep employees engaged and willing to do their best.
“A very important part of conscious leadership and a healthy corporate culture is having a culture of appreciation,” Dasa said. “Whether you’re in a leadership position or not, appreciation is not about a title, it’s our human duty. There are different ways to appreciate, and two important parts of appreciation are that it has to be specific… knowing how that person wants to be appreciated, and it has to be timely.”
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Nolan Nichols, founder of A Million Dreams, spoke about the positive effects of living a more awe-filled and festive daily life to have a more positive mindset. By scheduling wellness moments into your daily schedule, positioning yourself for wellness to find you, and adjusting to your own rhythm, Nichols said you can gradually change yourself and your life.
“Pace yourself and know your race. The important thing to know is that consistency trumps intensity,” Nichols said. “We live in a culture where we do something for seven hours and then we don’t do it for seven days. Start small, get some early wins, build momentum and incorporate it into your day, and let that momentum carry you forward. Imagine if you could improve 1 percent every day. At first, it might not seem like much progress, but then you really start to see exponential results if you improve 1 percent every day.”
Sepideh Eivazi, founder of Dawn of the Earth, taught the group the Emotional Freedom Technique, which involves tapping on pressure points while using positive affirmations to calm the mind, relieve tension, and open your mind to positive thought change. She also led a session on Somatic Breathing, in which participants used breathing techniques to release stress and trauma from the mind and body.
Nature excursions
The Global Wellness Summit also offered attendees ample opportunities to connect with nature, learn about the region’s diverse biodiversity, and relax in scenic settings.
In Mount Charleston, about an hour’s drive from the Las Vegas Strip, participants enjoyed a Yin Yoga session with Christine Frazzitta, founder of Zeeta Body. In this low-intensity form of yoga, the group took in their forest surroundings while relaxing their minds in preparation for a day filled with hiking and learning.
Participants then took to the mountain’s hiking trails, where they were introduced to the mountain’s unique climate, flora and fauna by experienced guides and rangers. Unlike the Strip, where temperatures in June were at record highs for the time of year, Mount Charleston offered a refuge from the heat while allowing people to “bathe in nature.”
Another off-site excursion designed for groups took place on the calm waters of the Colorado River with Hoover Dam Rafting Adventures, which offers guided raft tours right at the base of Hoover Dam.
Participants took advantage of the morning sun to learn about the construction of the dam, the wildlife and the history of the river. As the day warmed, the tour offered stops along the river at small islands for refreshing swims in the cool water.
The event concluded with a sound bath meditation at the Garden of the Gods pool at Caesars Palace, capping the wellness-focused event on a unifying and powerful note.