Blog
Becoming An Island Observer: Two Years In Nanaimo
January 1, 2026
For two years now, Vancouver Island has been quietly re‑educating me. I arrived with city reflexes still intact — the habit of comparing, of measuring places against more polished versions of themselves. Victoria, with its flowerbeds and façades, its carefully tended charm, is often held up as the Island’s thriving heart. Nanaimo, by contrast, is spoken about in gentler, sometimes apologetic tones. It’s trying, people say. It has potential. But
The Art of Making Sacred Space at Home
January 1, 2026
A home is more than shelter. It is a mirror of the inner world, a canvas for ritual, a stage for intention. Yet many of us move through life with homes that are cluttered, chaotic, or simply functional — spaces that give nothing back. Creating sacred space is an art, a practice, and a daily invitation to honor yourself. At Moonstone Sanctuary, we often talk about crafting space that holds
Quietly Thriving: Nanaimo as a Model for Sustainable Living
January 1, 2026
When people talk about sustainability, they often picture cutting‑edge cities with futuristic infrastructure, public transit innovations, or sweeping corporate commitments. Nanaimo offers something quieter — a grassroots model of sustainability rooted in community involvement, connection to nature, mindful growth, and everyday choices that ripple outward. In this city on the Salish Sea, balancing environmental responsibility with livability feels less like a slogan and more like a long‑standing way of
The Rise of Nanaimo: Spas, Yoga, and Holistic Living
December 31, 2025
Nanaimo is quietly redefining what it means to live well. Far from the hustle of larger cities, this mid-sized coastal city is emerging as a hub for wellness, holistic living, and mindful lifestyle choices — and it’s doing so without fanfare. Walking through downtown or along the harbourfront, it’s impossible not to notice the subtle markers of this movement: a yoga studio tucked between cafés, a meditation workshop advertised
Nanaimo Isn’t Trying to Be the Next Vancouver — and That’s Exactly Why It’s Thriving
December 30, 2025
Vancouver has spent decades asking how to be more livable. We debate density models, redesign streets, and search for the elusive balance between growth, ambition, and well-being. But just across the water, a different answer has been quietly unfolding — without fanfare, without branding, and without trying to be anything other than itself. Nanaimo isn’t competing with Vancouver. It isn’t aspiring to become a smaller version of it. And
Nanaimo Is Thriving — Not Because It’s Changing, but Because It Knows What Matters
December 28, 2025
Nanaimo Is Thriving — Not Because It’s Changing, but Because It Knows What Matters For years, Nanaimo has been described as a city in transition. A ferry town. A former resource hub. A place people pass through on the way to somewhere else. Too often, it’s framed by what it used to be, or what it might one day become — as though its value lies perpetually in the future.
Returning to Roots: Evensong at Westminster Cathedral
December 24, 2025
I hadn’t expected to strike up a conversation that evening, yet it began the moment I sat down in the pew. The man beside me, George, in his 80s, had a presence that drew attention without effort. Throughout the service, staff and volunteers came up quietly, greeting him warmly, expressing delight at seeing him again. Curious, I leaned over and asked, “You must be well-known here?” George smiled. “I’ve
We Talk About Mental Health Constantly — But We Still Build Lives That Make It Worse
December 24, 2025
Mental health awareness has never been higher. We speak openly about anxiety, burnout, and depression. We encourage self-care. We normalise struggle. Campaigns remind us to check in on one another. Celebrities share their stories. Companies roll out meditation apps and mental health days. And yet, the environments we design — socially, economically, geographically — often intensify the very conditions we claim to care about. We live in a world that
The Wallflower Movement: Quiet Strengths
December 23, 2025
In a world that celebrates boldness, visibility, and noise, the quiet ones are often overlooked. The observers, the listeners, the introverts, the women whose power is subtle, unseen, and yet profoundly influential. This is the essence of the Wallflower Movement — an advocacy for women who operate in quiet ways, including those with invisible disabilities, introverted personalities, or gentle leadership styles. At Moonstone Sanctuary on Vancouver Island, we’ve
Why Ritual Is Returning — And Why It Has Nothing to Do With Spirituality
December 21, 2025
Ritual has a branding problem. For years, the word has been folded into belief systems, spiritual identities, or wellness trends that feel either inaccessible or faintly performative. It conjures images of incense, affirmations, or rigid routines designed to “optimize” a life already stretched thin. As a result, ritual has been quietly dismissed as something niche, indulgent, or ideological. But ritual, at its core, is none of these things. It
The Rise of Quiet Travel: Why More of Us Are Choosing to Go Nowhere
December 20, 2025
For decades, travel has been measured by distance. The further we went, the more expansive the experience was meant to be. New stamps, new climates, new versions of ourselves. Movement became proof of vitality — of curiosity, ambition, freedom. To travel was not only to leave, but to become. Lately, something has shifted. More people are choosing not to go far at all. They are returning to the same
Becoming An Island Observer: Two Years In Nanaimo
January 1, 2026
For two years now, Vancouver Island has been quietly re‑educating me. I arrived with city reflexes still intact — the habit of comparing, of measuring
The Art of Making Sacred Space at Home
January 1, 2026
A home is more than shelter. It is a mirror of the inner world, a canvas for ritual, a stage for intention. Yet many of
Quietly Thriving: Nanaimo as a Model for Sustainable Living
January 1, 2026
When people talk about sustainability, they often picture cutting‑edge cities with futuristic infrastructure, public transit innovations, or sweeping corporate commitments. Nanaimo offers something quieter
The Rise of Nanaimo: Spas, Yoga, and Holistic Living
December 31, 2025
Nanaimo is quietly redefining what it means to live well. Far from the hustle of larger cities, this mid-sized coastal city is emerging as
Nanaimo Isn’t Trying to Be the Next Vancouver — and That’s Exactly Why It’s Thriving
December 30, 2025
Vancouver has spent decades asking how to be more livable. We debate density models, redesign streets, and search for the elusive balance between growth,
Becoming An Island Observer: Two Years In Nanaimo
January 1, 2026
For two years now, Vancouver Island has been quietly re‑educating me. I arrived with city reflexes still intact — the habit of comparing, of measuring
The Art of Making Sacred Space at Home
January 1, 2026
A home is more than shelter. It is a mirror of the inner world, a canvas for ritual, a stage for intention. Yet many of
Quietly Thriving: Nanaimo as a Model for Sustainable Living
January 1, 2026
When people talk about sustainability, they often picture cutting‑edge cities with futuristic infrastructure, public transit innovations, or sweeping corporate commitments. Nanaimo offers something quieter
The Rise of Nanaimo: Spas, Yoga, and Holistic Living
December 31, 2025
Nanaimo is quietly redefining what it means to live well. Far from the hustle of larger cities, this mid-sized coastal city is emerging as
Nanaimo Isn’t Trying to Be the Next Vancouver — and That’s Exactly Why It’s Thriving
December 30, 2025
Vancouver has spent decades asking how to be more livable. We debate density models, redesign streets, and search for the elusive balance between growth,