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Why Creativity Needs a Passport
There was a moment years ago — sitting at a small cafe in Italy, jet-lagged, notebook open , when I realized I hadn’t heard my own voice clearly in a long time. Not the voice that manages logistics or takes care of everyone else.The quieter one. The curious one. Travel gave me that voice back. Creativity helped me listen. Fast forward to today and this is one of the reasons I host retreats. Not to teach people how to write or make art “better,” but to create the conditions w
Sonja Thayer
Jan 213 min read


The 12 Magical Nights: A Simple Self-Care Ritual Guide
The holidays don’t need more doing.They need more being . In Italy and Greece, self care is woven into daily life. Meals are slow. Beauty is noticed. Rituals are simple. Community matters. Rest is not earned, it’s expected. Let these 12 days be a gentle return to that way of living. Day 1: Light the Hearth Fire (Ancient Greece – Hestia) Hestia, goddess of the hearth, ruled over home, warmth, and inner steadiness. Ritual: Light a candle and place it in the center of your home
Sonja Thayer
Dec 15, 20254 min read


This Holiday, Give More Than a Gift: Celebrate Women Who Create
Holiday gift guide 2025: Support women-owned small businesses with artisan gifts, handcrafted oils, natural skincare, yoga packages, and luxury wellness retreats from ROM Soul Escapes
Sonja Thayer
Nov 6, 20254 min read


A Fall Escape: 48 Hours in New York’s Hudson Valley
Minnewaska State Park Lake hike Someone said "I go to nature to be healed and have my senses put back together" Fall in the Northeast...
Sonja Thayer
Oct 7, 20254 min read


The Perfect Packing Checklist
Springtime in Europe is like a well-written love letter, equal parts charm, ease, and unexpected joy. The sun-drenched hills of Tuscany...
Sonja Thayer
Apr 20, 20253 min read


From Youth Hostels to Retreats: The Evolution of Our Collective Journey
It's dusk, late summer in the early 1990s. I am crammed in a tiny phone booth, searching through my pockets for a gettone, the special...
Sonja Thayer
Mar 22, 20254 min read


Travel As A Political Act
Is it just me or does the world seem constantly in flux? Every new headline feels like another crack in the foundation of societal...
Sonja Thayer
Mar 8, 20255 min read


The Reawakening: Answering the Call of the Divine Feminine
There is a voice within you, soft but insistent. She speaks in quiet moments, in the space between thoughts, in the pull toward something...
Sonja Thayer
Feb 21, 20252 min read


Running Away
One day you wake up, nearly an adult. 16 or 17 years here and most of it handed to you and not chosen. Your family of origin, not your...
Sonja Thayer
Jan 3, 20254 min read


What if La Befana Remembers?
Every January 6th, the people of Italy eagerly await the arrival of La Befana, the old woman who sweeps through the skies on her...
Sonja Thayer
Jan 1, 20254 min read


Sonja Thayer
Nov 30, 20240 min read


The Yoga of Travel
Yoga isn’t just about poses, and travel isn’t just about destinations. Both are portals into connection, self-discovery, and...
Sonja Thayer
Nov 26, 20245 min read


Claiming the Oracle~ Written By Connie Viglietti
The oracle: she is you, she is me.
So I offer the inquiry, how does your oracle work through you?
Connie Viglietti
Nov 18, 20242 min read


Don't travel under the influence
My social media feed is curated for me. Every like, every moment I pause while scrolling, is meticulously analyzed by the algorithm. The...
Sonja Thayer
Nov 1, 20244 min read


Protect Your Energy the Greek Way: The Power of the Evil Eye and Positive Intent
Imagine strolling through a sunlit market in Greece, with waves of the Aegean lapping nearby, as you catch sight of a captivating blue...
Sonja Thayer
Oct 28, 20242 min read


Discover Your Perfect Travel Movie Based on Your Enneagram Type
If you’ve ever wondered why certain films tug at your heartstrings, leave you inspired, or fill you with wanderlust, it might have...
Sonja Thayer
Oct 17, 20244 min read


YOUR NEXT TRAVEL READ BASED ON YOUR ZODIAC SIGN
Reading has a way of taking us to incredible places without having to leave the house. Indulge in your wanderlust by cracking open a book!...
Sonja Thayer
Oct 15, 20243 min read


5 Reasons Retreats Are Different Than Traditional Travel
Travel can often resemble a frenetic race—dashing from one location to the next, where the sights blur together, and you feel more like...
Sonja Thayer
Oct 15, 20243 min read


Leave the house, take the cannoli
Disclaimer; I’m Sicilian. Both parents are from Palermo where many believe the Cannoli originated. Love of this pastry is perhaps...
Sonja Thayer
Jul 13, 20244 min read


What Graffiti and Michelangelo Have in Common
Both Michelangelo and graffiti artists use their craft to speak to the people. Their art can be political, or just plain eye-catching
Sonja Thayer
Jun 27, 20243 min read
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