High in the Appenine mountains of Tuscany, in the middle of a dense forest of fir and beech trees, rests the majestic Benedictine Monastery of Vallombrosa, founded in 1038. It is a magical tribute to the power of spirit to move mankind. After many changes over the centuries, it remains to this day as a […]
Become the Observer. See the world, your world, through the eyes of a Witness. When we free ourselves from the trappings of the mind—subjective thoughts, steeped in trauma, drama, emotion and earthly logic, we are given a new opportunity, a new perspective. We can become an objective bystander—participating in whatever activity is at hand, but […]
“Is there a more isolated house?” It seemed a simple question to pose to two Italian realtors. Without hesitation, we soon had our answer. Almost immediately, the more practical of the pair, feisty Inga, was at the wheel, maneuvering the old Jeep up the steep terrain. Her associate, Patrizia, stunning in her white knit pants, […]
Up steep winding hills to the mountain monastery, on the broken stone road we hiked. It took longer to arrive than we expected and it was now dusk, and the monastery was already closed for the day. Disappointed, we wondered—should we knock on the door or just leave. We knocked! The door slowly opened and […]
Emerson takes the daily meadow walk and invites you to go along. You will see beautiful Tuscan meadows, country roads, an ancient castle and monastery, a small town and even a few surprises! Note: Those beautiful meadows have been the source of much relaxation, fun and change. You might be interested in some related stories […]
Following a visit to Madonna del Sasso Monastery near Santa Brigida, in Tuscany, we wrote this song. We had walked for about an hour up the steep, rocky trail between the monastery and town to reach that sacred site with unbelievable views into the Val d’Inferno. We could see our studio off in the distance, […]
Oh, the monastic life! Italy is filled with monasteries. Some are still functioning, some are museums and some are experiencing “adaptive reuse.” But no matter what the religious order, the dedicated souls that makes up each community seem to have a common purpose. Oh, sure. There’s the spiritual purpose, of course. But beyond that, they […]
Uncommon promise 