28/09/2026
Sicily, nine years ago this week. 🇮🇹 Grazie mille.
I had already been leading retreats for years throughout California, Mexico and Hawaii, but this was my first time taking one to Europe. I don’t think I realized quite how much it meant to me until I got home.
We stayed near the charming town of Noto, hiked Mount Etna, visited Taormina, learned to make ravioli, and gathered around the table for long, family-style meals. At Planeta, there was w**e tasting—and olive oil tasting, which I especially loved as someone who doesn’t drink.
We also spent time in seva, teaching yoga at an orphanage. There’s a little girl in one of the clips from this trip, and seeing her brings back another part of what made the experience so meaningful.
What I remember most clearly happened after I came home.
I would get into bed at night and, without even meaning to, find myself quietly whispering:
thank you, thank you, thank you.
I’ll never forget that feeling.
Nine years later, I’m looking back at all the places, people and experiences this work has brought into my life—and somehow those are still the words that come to mind.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 🤍
