Benessere (Wellness)
There are times when I can feel my energy beginning to fade.
Not because something is terribly wrong.
Not because I don't love my life.
I simply know that it's time to move.
Throughout our marriage, there have been seasons when I've looked at my husband and said,
"I need to leave this valley."
Maybe just for a few days.
Maybe for a weekend.
Sometimes quarterly throughout the year.
Not because I dislike where we live.
Quite the opposite.
I love our home.
I love our yard.
I love tending to my plants and watching the garden change with each season. The energy inside our home feels peaceful. Our neighborhood is kind. Our neighbors have become friends.
Home has never been the issue.
Sometimes it's simply the atmosphere surrounding it.
There are seasons when the air feels heavy.
Not just physically, but emotionally.
The endless news cycle.
The political noise.
The stress that seems to settle over an entire community.
It can feel as though everyone is carrying something, and somehow that collective weight settles into the very air we breathe.
I've always been sensitive to my surroundings.
I notice when the air is dry.
When it's humid.
When the ocean breeze carries salt.
When the mountains smell crisp after rain.
When lavender perfumes the countryside.
Every place has its own personality.
Its own rhythm.
Its own energy.
Perhaps what I'm really sensing isn't the oxygen itself—but how a place allows me to breathe.
Sometimes...
I simply need different air.
So when friends invited us to join their Friend’s Retreat in Tuscany in a villa surrounded by lavender fields, ancient olive trees, and vineyards, it didn't take us very long to say yes!
The thought alone felt restorative.
Breathing air scented with lavender.
Walking beneath olive trees that have stood quietly for generations.
Watching vineyards stretch across rolling hills.
Some places nourish us before we ever arrive.
As someone who teaches yoga and Reiki, I've come to believe that healing isn't confined to a yoga mat or a treatment table.
Sometimes healing happens through movement.
Through changing our scenery.
Through walking unfamiliar paths.
Through giving ourselves permission to experience beauty somewhere new.
Travel doesn't erase life's challenges.
But it often changes our perspective.
And perspective has an incredible way of changing us.
Our nervous system settles.
Our breathing deepens.
Our thoughts become quieter.
Our bodies soften.
It's as though every cell remembers what peace feels like.
There is wellness in places that feed the body, the mind, and the spirit.
Sometimes the greatest act of self-care is allowing yourself to step away long enough to breathe differently.
Not to escape your life.
But to return to it more fully alive.
Have you ever experienced this?
Is there a place where your shoulders naturally relax?
A beach?
A forest?
The mountains?
The desert?
Or perhaps a small town that somehow feels like home the moment you arrive?
I'd love to hear about the place where your spirit breathes most freely.
Until next time,
With grace,
Amy
P.S. An Invitation to Continue Your Healing Journey
I'm delighted to announce that I will be offering Usui Reiki Level 1 and Level 2 Teacher Training this October.
For those who feel called to deepen their connection with animals, there will also be an optional Animal Reiki training taught by Master Animal Reiki Instructor Eileen Naughton.
Whether your intention is to practice Reiki for your own personal wellness, support family and friends, or begin the journey toward becoming a Reiki practitioner, these trainings provide a beautiful foundation for healing the body, mind, and spirit.
Specific training dates and registration information will be announced within the next week.
If you would like to receive information about Reiki Level 1, Reiki Level 2, or Animal Reiki, please email amyconyoga@gmail.com to be added to the interest list.
I'd love to have you join us as we continue building a compassionate community of healing—one person, one family, and one heart at a time.
