La Dolce Vita in Ojai: A Retreat for the Modern Muse

In the hills of Ojai, California—where olive trees sway like whispers and the air is perfumed with sage and citrus—La Dolce Vita unfolded. But this wasn’t nostalgia for Italy. It was something quieter, deeper. A retreat designed to awaken the inner muse.

Hosted at Nesting Moon Ranch, a private estate that felt like a Tuscan dreamscape, La Dolce Vita was a one-day immersion into stillness, beauty, and self-remembering—designed and led by Aether Healing, a wellness collective founded by Kristina Adam, whose work is rooted in reiki, astrology, and sacred feminine ritual.

Held by Nature, Designed with Intention

The land itself felt sacred—olive trees, soft golden light, and silence thick enough to hold transformation. It wasn’t just a setting. It was part of the ceremony.

Beneath those olive trees, guests received facials by Kristie of Solstice Skin Studio—a blend of skincare, energetic clearing, and intuitive touch. Botanical oils, gua sha, gentle lymphatic techniques. Skin softened, faces opened. It was more than glow—it was renewal.

Each healing session felt personal, not clinical. There were no “stations.” Only spaces of intention and care, layered in light and scent.

Sound, Stillness, and the Sacred Flame

Guests moved through a labyrinth for mindful walking, each step becoming a meditation. No talking. Just presence. Just breath. Just the crunch of gravel beneath bare feet.

Later, mats unfurled for a sound bath—a symphony of vibration and stillness designed to quiet the mind and soothe the nervous system. Bowls, chimes, voice—each note landing where it was needed most.

As dusk fell, a fire ceremony brought everyone together. There were no spotlights, no stage. Just women around a flame, releasing what no longer belonged to them, and calling something softer forward.

Aether Healing: Beauty in Ceremony

Aether Healing, led by Kristina Adam, doesn’t create experiences. They create portals—spaces that blend spiritual depth with aesthetic clarity.

Kristina’s energy is grounded, refined, and quietly magnetic. Every element of the day—from the olive-oil soaked linens to the altar by the fire—carried meaning. Nothing was performative. Everything was sacred.

In a world that constantly asks us to do more, Aether invites us to remember who we are when we do less—on purpose.

A Return to the Feminine

La Dolce Vita wasn’t about indulgence. It was about inspiration. About reminding each guest that the feminine isn’t something we need to reclaim—it’s something we need to listen to.

And in a world that so often asks women to push, prove, and perfect, this retreat whispered: Be. Breathe. Let beauty move through you.

If there is such a thing as a modern muse’s sanctuary, this was it. A day of ritual, reflection, and realignment—wrapped in sun, sound, and olive branches.

And somewhere inside that golden stillness, we remembered what “la dolce vita” really means.

Photo Gallery Courtesy of Lauren Purves