Dear Reader,

My art supplies are finally unpacked from my Italy trip, the leaves here in the Blue Ridge Mountains are doing their spectacular autumnal thing, and…

I can’t stop thinking about the tone of rest we found during my retreat in Tuscany.

But truth be told, I barely slept the first few nights.

It was as if my body didn’t quite trust the deep, deep quiet. And my creative mind wanted to think through what I was teaching the next morning. In vivid detail.

For some reason, it took me hours of tossing and turning to remember to put on a yoga nidra to help me let go.

Turns out old habits travel well. They don’t even need a passport.

But a few days in, the rolling hills and golden sunsets got to me. I found il dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing.

In a beautiful barn, I sat in a circle of women and we practiced this art form. We napped and collaged. We were idle on purpose. And over the week together, I watched women who write books and run businesses and raise wonderful kiddos come more alive, right before my eyes.

The Tuscany Transmissions are a bonus podcast episode + yoga nidra practices born from those vineyards and carried home in my suitcase, right next to a questionable number of olive oil tins.

If you’d like, you can listen here.​

You don’t need a plane ticket to experience il dolce far niente. You don’t even need to stay awake while you listen.

You only need to lie down and let someone else hold space for you.

Maybe I couldn’t bring you to Tuscany this time. But I can bring a little Tuscany to you.

With such love,

Brooke

P.S. If you listen, reply and tell me how it lands. I read every note.

I'm Brooke Hofsess.

I'm a Midlife Midwife for women who want to start their next chapter from soul, not fear or ego, so they can finally do the work they're meant to do — and actually enjoy it.

You'll find me in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where I live with my husband Dustin, our daughter Thea, two clever border collies, and an ever-growing collection of handmade mugs for Egyptian Licorice Mint tea.

You can read about my journey here.​