My Entry Door to Mindfulness Practices

Often people ask me: how can I get started with my mindfulness practice?

That’s a tricky question.

Everybody is different.

Every life experience is different.

There’s no one size fits all.

Every time you ask someone with an established mindfulness practice how they got into it, you’ll likely hear a different story every time.

And there’s so much beauty in it!

I know people that started from their bodies, for example, practising yoga. Others started approaching it through art and experiencing the sense of flow it sparkles. Many started hearing the scientific benefits of the practice and getting curious.

There are potentially infinite entry doors.

Today I am telling you about my story.

My Entry Door

My journey to Mindfulness has been very slow.

I grew up in the mountains of northern Italy and naturally got exposed to nature. I often walked in the woods or by the river with friends or family, and I can remember those, even though sporadic, moments of pausing and noticing the beauty of trees and flowers, the sound of the birds singing, and the feel of the sun on my skin.

I remember recognizing that was good for me, but I was far from understanding this was what presence feels like.

Eventually, walking became my gateway to presence.

In 2014, a close friend invited me to hike the Via Degli Dei, a 120 km trek across the beautiful Emilia Romagna and Tuscany. Everything changed during that hike. My mind, body, and spirit were simultaneously and intentionally in the same place. Slowing down and connecting with nature and my body gave me the inner peace and clarity I sought.

That felt right.

The following year, while walking the French Way of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, I stumbled, for the first time, on yoga and meditation practitioners, and I had the chance to observe them closely and breathe a bit of their energy.

After returning to the city, these practices stayed with me. I soon began studying and embarked on a continuous self-exploration and personal transformation that hasn’t yet stopped.

Since then, I felt called to this world.

I walked many more caminos around Europe, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines. I immersed myself in Buddhist flags, mantras, incense and temples. I joined a 10-day silent meditation Vipassana retreat, joined several multi-day retreats, and spent countless hours studying coaching, yoga and meditation. I jumped without hesitation into a 2-year teacher program with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, two of my absolute role models.

Today, I live and breathe Mindfulness and Coaching, and I get to share these messages with others. I couldn’t be more grateful.

Thank you for reading until here.

Much love,
Maria