Healing arts and spreading peace are at the center of

The Scoop

so & so | calendar | rhody gem | industry

SETTING INTENTIONS

Connect with local healers at this festival focusing on mindfulness and wellness

Between the hustle and bustle of daily life and all variety of stressors, sometimes mental and physical health end up on the backburner. Autumn Francesca, a champion of alternative healing and mindfulness practices, is trying to help South County reprioritize well-being with the first-ever Intention Fest at Saugatucket Veterans’ Memorial Park in Wakefield.

Well into her own healing journey, Francesca has spent years looking for ways to enable others to achieve better health, too, and came up with the idea of facilitating mindfulness in a fun, community-focused setting. “We’re so distracted with so many other things in place of our healing,” she says. “The festival’s purpose is really to inform and inspire people to be well, healthy, and live a life of peace. It’s paralleling my own journey over the past 10 years.”

HEALTH FIRST

Among a slew of healing practitioners showing up at Intention Fest, find a handful of local shops and studios o ering their goods and services to infuse a little mindfulness into your day-to-day. All That Matters Yoga + Wellness, Wakefield

Awaken Wholeness Center, Wakefield

Awaken Your Health Naturally, Narragansett Earth & Ocean Herbals and Wellness, North Kingstown Elite Physical Therapy, East Greenwich and other locations

Jeka Wellness Center, Wakefield

the kind shop, Wakefield Path 2 Harmony, Narragansett

South County Herbals

Francesca used to work a demanding high-pressure job, and when the stress of work combined with an unhappy relationship, she sought preventative non-medical measures to mitigate her anxiety. She started with meditation, which unlocked a way for her to see more clearly, make better decisions, and improve her life. From there, she was drawn to other alternative healing modes, which she introduced to her mother, who was struggling with an illness. The seed was planted – Francesca knew she had to share what she’d learned with others.

Whether event-goers are new to the alternative health sphere or not, Intention Fest aims to help anyone reassess their total wellbeing and introduce them to new information and practices. At the center of the event will be a meditation tent, where people can engage in mindfulness exercises. An Intention Peace Booth will promote the importance of setting intentions. Healers specializing in reflexology, Reiki, and massage will offer mini-sessions, and various other practitioners, food vendors, artists, and makers will also be on hand. A family affair, the festival features a behavioral health booth run by Thundermist for children, along with live acoustic music and a play area.

With so many healers and peacemakers mingling with visitors and sharing their expertise, Francesca also hopes to help build community among these practitioners. This way, she says, “they can leverage their gifts and bring even more to the public.”

“I want people to be informed and inspired,” Francesca states. After all, she says, “Once we can better take care of ourselves, we can help to take care of others.”

Intention Fest takes place September 25, with free admission and services o ered either for free or a ordably priced. For updates and information, visit IntentionFest.info or Facebook: Intention Fest Facebook.