about

For most of my career, I’ve spent my working hours with words — as an editor, educator and writer. Words were my first love.

Later, I jumped into digital content: starting and managing social media accounts from the ground up, creating and managing digital projects and campaigns, as well as website management. I loved the immediacy and creativity of blending words with images. In fact, I started photographing moments of beauty every day to remind myself to look for beauty no matter what.

Then things changed. In the social media landscape, there was a side of humanity that I didn’t realize. It was painful and damaging to the spirit 24/7. And eventually, the body.

Fortunately, I had a chance to make a change and take some time off to explore.

Unfortunately, I had difficulty sleeping. And I love food. So I started a podcast project called RecipeZZZ for Sleep. It’s like white noise for the culinarily inclined. Even better: Bedtime stories for food lovers.

I expanded it to include PoemZZZ for Sleep and MeditationZZZ for Sleep. To my surprise, this personal project has more than 40,000 downloads from around the world. And it continues to grow.

My soft, quiet voice that used to plague my students in 8 a.m. classes is now put to a different use at a different time. Something to soothe people to sleep — when they should be sleeping (not in the classroom).

Why Reiki?

During my time off, I started to rest and reconnect with my body.

I explored new things, including Reiki. I had heard about Reiki, but never tried it. And I was skeptical. It just didn’t make sense to a logical mind. But there was a special offer in my area, and I thought: Why not try it?

What happened surprised me. I felt such a deep relaxation. And for my monkey mind that has difficulty meditating for even just a few seconds, I found my mind flooded with images and people from my past. Surprisingly, I also saw was an image of myself standing over the Reiki table healing a client as if it were the most natural thing for me to do. Never mind that I had never tried Reiki before. Never mind that I knew nothing about it. The vision was profound and haunting in the best possible way.

Eventually, I heeded the call and found an amazing Licensed Master Reiki Teacher in my area: Julie Russell. She also happens to be a registered nurse and seemed like the perfect choice for me.

Now, I'm a certified Reiki Master from the International Center for Reiki Training in Usui / Holy Fire® Reiki Ryoho . I absolutely love being part of the wellness space through Reiki and intuitive energy healing, as well as creating calming podcasts, meditations and visually relaxing imagery. Words and images have been part of my world, and will continue to be. I’m simply adding a new way to connect these threads of creativity, communication and compassion.

My approach is pragmatic and personal. I’m not super woo-woo. I’m more agnostic than anything. But I’ve seen and experienced the power of Reiki / intuitive energy healing in real life both as a client and a practitioner, and it can be immensely healing for wounds you didn’t even know existed.

Breathwork

I’m also a certified Breathwork practitioner through studying with Jon Paul Crimi. One of the many things that interested me about his approach is that it’s effective, grounded yet secular so it’s open to everyone — no matter your beliefs. I also appreciated his no-BS approach to Breathwork. He infuses trainings with lots of heart, humility and humor.

Breathwork interested me in its simplicity. It is also so empowering for everyone at anytime. It can be as simple as a pause to inhale and exhale. Breathwork can help people relax, but it is definitely work. It is active and engaged — and sometimes difficult, especially at the beginning. But it can also become a profoundly moving experience for many. If nothing else, it can clear and energize.

What’s in a name?

Pink Peony Studio grew out of a vision during Reiki certification training. In the midst of a deep meditation, I looked down and saw my hands as large pink peonies. Their multi-layered petals began to open wide and out fluttered streams of purple butterflies. They sparkled and shone and eventually turned into a rainbow of colors. It was inspiring and felt familiar and comforting all at once.

Peonies are also my favorite flowers. With all their delicacy and beauty wrapped into so many layers, each one is like a colorful cloud on earth. And they’re beautiful at every stage of their life.

Pink is also the color of rose quartz, a sign of universal love and compassion. It all made sense with what I want to accomplish: To put more love and light into the world, to help ease people’s journey to the best parts of themselves, to be part of the good I want the world to be.

Yes, there is darkness. Some might argue now more than ever.

But there’s love and light in each of us. Sometimes, we just need a little help for them to flourish.

If I can help you on your wellness journey, it would be my honor.

— Tonya