The Power of a Pause

Recently, I had the joy of gathering with a beautiful group of people in Italy for The Power of Pause Retreat at Le Pianore Agriturismo in Monticello Amiata, Italy.

Surrounded by nature, beauty, nourishing food, and community, we filled our days with yoga workshops, art making, laughter, peace, and quiet. We gave ourselves the gift of retreating for a week into the pulse of nature—to connect with ourselves through study, practice, and time to pause. In everyday life, that kind of spaciousness can be surprisingly difficult to find.

Space to pause.

Not because something was wrong or needed fixing.
Not because we needed to escape our lives.
But because sometimes we simply need to step out of the noise to hear what is quietly asking for our attention.

When we pause, something shifts.

In the stillness, we can listen more deeply — to our bodies, our intuition, our needs, and the parts of ourselves that can become quiet beneath the demands of daily life.

We can reflect and plan with greater clarity.

We can recognize what is no longer serving us and create space to change.

We can find the courage to act on something we may have been postponing or avoiding. And ultimately, we create the conditions to grow—just like the olives and grapes around us—not by pushing harder, but by becoming more present to where we are, what nourishes us, and where we truly want to go.

The retreat at Le Pianore was a beautiful reminder that a pause is needed—and it does not have to be a week in the Italian countryside, although I highly recommend it. A pause can be woven into everyday living.

A pause can be five quiet minutes before the day begins.
A walk without your phone.
A few conscious breaths between meetings.
A yoga practice that asks you to slow down rather than achieve.
A moment of sitting still and asking yourself:

What am I hearing when I finally become quiet enough to listen?

Perhaps there is an answer waiting for you.

As we move through the last weeks of August, I invite you to make your own small pauses sacred. Protect them. Don’t wait until you are exhausted to take them.

Because pausing isn't doing nothing. Pausing is creating space for what comes next

Here’s what’s next beginning September 15:

* New * added in person classes and special offerings by Dani for Fall 2026

Yoga Wall for All — FulBeing Collective

Whether you’re new to the wall or continuing your practice, join Dani for a supportive drop-in Iyengar style asana class using the yoga wall for guidance, stability, and deeper awareness. Explore classic poses with curiosity and care, build confidence week by week, and practice in a way that meets you where you are to build strength, flexibility and resilience. Open to experienced wall students and those ready to work with the wall.

Tues 6:00-7:00pm. *** evening class —click on sept 15th to register

Yoga Wall Therapeutic Courses — FulBeing Collective

Thursdays, 4:00–6:15pm · Three-part monthly series; registration required per month

Outdoor Yoga at Glynwood Farms — Cold Spring

If weather is poor, class will move into the boat house.

Tuesday, Sept. 15 · 5:30–6:45pm

Gallery Yoga at Garrison Art Center

Special all-levels class before the craft fair opens

Sunday, Oct. 4 · 8:45–9:45am

Monthly Yoga Nidra — The Collective Cold Spring

Wednesdays, 6:00–7:00pm

Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 18, Dec. 9

Monthly Restorative Yoga — Firefly Power Yoga

Sundays, 4:00–5:30pm

Sept 20, Oct 11, Nov 15, Dec 6

Monthly Somatics & Yoga Nidra — FulBeing Collective

Sun 4:00-5:15pm

Sept. 13, Oct. 4, Nov. 22, Dec. 1

The Threshold Retreat in Sedona · Oct. 31–Nov. 6, 2026

This five-day experience is shaped around the idea of arriving at a threshold—a moment of pause, transition, or change. The practices we’ll share are meant to support you in times when something feels ready to shift, soften, or be reconsidered. Think of it as a catalyst for loosening old patterns or ideas, or for becoming unstuck where movement has felt difficult. Join Amy Pearce -Hayden and Dani Locastro for a transformative experience. A few spots are left !

Pause wherever you are.

For one breath, feel your body exactly as it is.

For the next, notice a sound occurring somewhere beyond you.

Now allow both—the sensation within you and the sound around you—to exist in the same field of awareness.

Nothing needs to disappear. You do not need to become peaceful, spiritual or different from who you are.

Simply notice:

Where, precisely, do “you” end
and the rest of life begin?

With love and gratitude,

OM SHANTI

Dani