The year that just passed feels like a long, deep breath:
an inhale of activity, a pause of reflection, and a gentle, uncertain exhale into what comes next. As the mantra reminds us, Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu— may all beings everywhere be happy and free . including each of us, exactly where we are, in the middle of our imperfect, beautiful lives. And as Rumi whispers, life really is a balance of holding on and letting go.
A year in three movements
On a practical level, 2025 was full and vibrant at Yogasole. From January to June, the studio held around 234 group yoga classes and 38 private yoga, meditation, and coaching sessions. There was a real sense of steady rhythm and quiet strength in the space. The practices unfolded with ease, and it felt as though Yogasole was breathing in harmony with the hills of Fiesole and the people who gathered there.
Then, in late July, the tempo changedas I spent six weeks in the United States—a time that nourished me more deeply than I could have anticipated. I was grateful to participate in yoga festivals such as the Catskill Mountain Yoga Festival in the Catskills, offering Ayurveda-inspired talks and consultations in the Hudson Valley and the Washington, DC area. Beyond the professional inspiration, this time was woven with family—especially reconnecting with my dear cousin Neel, an amazing musician. We offered a yoga session with live sitar music in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, and shared simple, precious moments with his family that quietly planted new seeds in my heart. The last phase began in September when we started our regular yoga sessions here in Fiesole.
Retreats, returns, and nonlinear paths
In the first half of the year, we also hosted several intimate mini-retreats with wonderful teachers such as Claudia, Emmy, Alessandra, Tushar, Sandra and Umi, and with participants who brought so much heart and sincerity to the work. Then a 5 day retreat in Puglia in September called “Metamorfosi del Cuore”, co-created with Claudia, where tango’s passion and poetry met the depth of tantra and yoga through the five elements, reminding us how powerful a retreat can be when movement, art, and awareness are held in a clear, loving way.
After this, Yogasole in Fiesole reopened gently in mid-september after almost two months of closure. The groups were smaller, some long-time students had moved on, and a few new faces arrived; at the same time, private yoga and life coaching sessions deepened and grew — a quiet reminder that yoga, like life, moves in cycles rather than straight lines.
Community, creativity, and shared work
An unexpected joy this year was meeting and working with international university students who came to Florence for their art studies. Their curiosity, sensitivity, and willingness to explore yoga and awareness across cultures and disciplines felt incredibly alive and reminded me how universal this language of presence really is. These meetings were brief but deeply inspiring, like small candles lit along a path.
Community also showed up in very grounded ways, with friends from the USA and Poland arriving to help with the olive harvest at our family land in Fiesole. In between the work among the trees, we shared yoga, meditation, meals, conversations, and laughter — moments that felt completely aligned with the spirit of Yogasole: simple, honest, rooted in nature and human connection. Music also flowed through the year: concerts by friends like David with his violin, Marcello with his guitar, Greek music, Indian classical sounds with Marco, and many evenings of bonfires, good food, and songs from the heart.
A shared vision taking form
As our children grow, Sofia has been stepping more actively into our shared vision, bringing her presence as a bodyworker, space-holder, and creative partner. Together, we have begun co-creating retreats, including our upcoming end-of-year retreat on December 28th, as well as other workshops throughout the year. This feels like a new chapter—not only professionally but also as a family, choosing to live and work in alignment with our values.
Another important step came in November when the vision for a nonprofit organization linked to Yogasole became more concrete. This emerging nonprofit is intended to connect people with nature and serve the local community through music, art, creativity, and education, alongside movement, massage, awareness, and well-being—essentially giving structure to what has already been happening naturally at Yogasole over the years. It feels less like starting something new and more like naming and nurturing what has quietly been growing underground.
Thank you, and an open invitation for the future
As this reflection closes, what remains is a feeling of deep gratitude. To each person met in Fiesole — in class, on the mat, at a concert, around a table, or among the olive trees — thank you; every encounter has been a teacher, even when things did not unfold as planned. These exchanges have helped refine my listening, deepen my presence, and clarify how I can serve more clearly.
Yogasole is not a fixed structure but a living organism, shaped by relationship and dialogue. Your suggestions, your feedback, and your honest reflections on how these offerings can better support you are always welcome, and you are always welcome back — whether for a single class, a retreat, a conversation, or simply a quiet moment of stillness.
If you feel called to reconnect, you are warmly invited to join a class, explore a private session, or step into one of the upcoming retreats at Yogasole in Fiesole, and to share this space with those in your life who might benefit from a gentle, heartfelt place to pause and breathe.
WHAT’S NEXT & HOW TO JOIN THE YOGASOLE COMMUNITY
Yogasole is becoming more spacious, more shared, and more participatory. Here are the ways you can be part of what’s unfolding.
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