Hey There

All About Me

     I’m Buffy Tolstedt, and for 25 years, I taught band, orchestra, and computer science to middle and high school students. Teaching gave me a sense of purpose, but it also took a toll—on my energy, my spirit, and my nervous system. Over time, the stress became too heavy to carry, and I began to realize that I needed to find a different way of living and giving. I retired from teaching in May of 2025.

     My journey inward began after a series of deep personal losses. My father passed in 2016, and in 2023, I lost my mother. In that same year, the end of a 30-year relationship left me facing a life that no longer felt familiar. Grief became a constant companion, but it also became a teacher—inviting me to slow down, to listen, and to rediscover who I was beneath all the roles I had held.

     I didn’t walk that path alone. Two powerful women mentored me during this time—offering wisdom, compassion, and grounding as I began the work of turning inward. With their guidance, I learned to sit with uncertainty, to honor my own rhythm, and to trust in the slow, gentle unfolding of healing.

     In that quiet space, I was drawn to Reiki—a gentle, intuitive practice that helped me reconnect with my body, my energy, and my inner knowing.

     Sandstone Paths was born from that journey. Like sandstone shaped by wind and time, I was softened and transformed through grief, spiritual growth, and deep self-reflection. Reiki became not just a tool for support, but a way of being. A spiritual path that honors both stillness and movement, silence and story, energy and rest.

     Now, I offer Reiki—both in-person and from a distance—to those who are seeking their own kind of restoration. Whether you're moving through transition, holding quiet pain, or simply needing space to exhale, I’m here to hold space for your path.

     This isn’t just about energy work—it’s about honoring what’s sacred in your experience, even in its most tender or uncertain forms.

     You don’t have to walk it alone.