Location

The retreat will take place in the island of HYDRA . Join us for one or two weeks of pure joy with daily astanga vinyasa yoga practice, psychotherapy sessions, as well as reflexology massages. Retreat includes astanga vinyasa yoga each morning; daily brunch with fresh local organic products ; swimming, sunbathing and relaxing in the Hydra’s beaches !!! In the afternoon optional psychotherapy sessions with Dr Maria Karastergiou and reflexology massages with a certified experienced reflexologist. In the evening, dinner overlooking the sea. The beauty and food are unforgettable!

Daily Events

• transformational astanga vinyasa yoga
• pranayama sunset
• meditations with a Sacred view

Optional Daily Events

• daily swimming in the on the crystal clear water of Hydra
• prana walks in the green forest of Hydra
• personal immersion in a great community filled with beauty
• healing reflexology massages
• holistic psychotherapy consultations with Dr Maria Karastergiou

Yoga Classes

There will be a two hour practice, six days per week. Please bring your own yoga mat.

Accomodation

Constructed in the traditional architecture, the villa where the retreat is taking place is overlooking the sea. All the rooms are beautifully furnished to reflect the tradition of the island.

Food

Carefully prepared mediterranean, vegetarian cuisine prepared with fresh, locally grown ingredients.

Travel

We recommend that you travel to Athens' airport Eleftherios Venizelos & then take the flying dolphin in the port of Pireas.

Olympic Airlines
British Airways

Booking & Fees

The retreat costs 690 euros/week. This includes brunch, dinner, morning yoga classes as well as shared accommodation (two persons/room). Single room supplement is 190 euros/week. Price does not include travel to & from the retreat. To register please let us know how many people and which dates you would like to reserve space for. Full payment is required for reservation. For more information about the retreat, e-mail mariakarastergiou@gmail.com or call +30 210 67 79 293 mobile 6976443232 Maria Karastergiou

Bio

Dr Maria Karastergiou, a holistic psychologist practicing actually in Athens, studied Psychology in Canada (Concordia University, Bachelor) as well as in Paris (PhD, Universite Paris VIII, Paris, France). She stayed for 15 years in Paris, studying & working there. She studied with the famous cognitive psychologist TRAN THONG, one of PIAGET'S disciples, as well as with ZIMMERMAN and GUY BERGER, (University Paris VIII). She came in Athens, Greece to teach Developmental Psychology at the University. Came in contact with different approaches like psychoanalysis, time therapy, breath therapy.... Has written two books, one in French : "Enfances, Cultures, Langages", ED. Presses Universitaires de Lille, 1994, and the other in Greek "The Lulling of Babel" (a paraitre). Maria is one of the rare psychotherapists in Greece who combine psychotherapy with spirituality. Maria is practicing "Psychosynthetic psychotherapy" (both mind & heart are involved).. The western approach, which involves mostly the mind in the therapeutic procedure, encounters a lot of difficulties in healing the western man. She has been practising yoga the last 10 years & astanga yoga the last 6 years; She has even followed an astanga yoga teacher training program with her teacher, the well-known internationnally, Kristina Karitinos.

Hydra Island

A romantic island, which looks like a painting, with grey, white and blue colours, a model of refined architectonics and aesthetics. It represents a big sample of our traditional inheritance. To the right and left of the port are parapets with canons which protected the island in the past. Walking the narrows, graphical, paved alleys it’s a delightful experience. The beautiful alleys hold homes that are adorned with flowers & hundreds of lemon trees. Simple houses or country seats, differentiate from a quaint architecture which is not met in other Greek islands.

It will be worth it to visit the mansions of the island, look far away the port from the hill, admire the sunset from the "lodge" and the cave and visit the monasteries, the churches, the Historical File-Museum, the Byzantine and Ecclesiastic Museum with many pieces that hold the history and culture of Hydra... In the 50's Hydra Island Greece was discovered by some artists visiting the island from Athens.

In those days its close proximity to Athens made it a good destination for those looking for inspiration. And still today Hydra's picture postcard perfection, amazing light, stillness, lack of cars, and the more human sounds of island living, rather than noisy intrusive motors inspires painters, musicians, composers, singers, actors, film makers, writers who have made the island their home or favourite regular destination because they have discovered a rare atmosphere that's conducive to creative contemplation. Leonard Cohen, the Canadian singer, songwriter and poet is probably the most well known of the artists drawn to Hydra and was one of the first "notables" to arrive on the island. Pauline Keaney, the internationally acclaimed American artist, Brice Marden, contempory artists, Micheal Lawrence, Natacha Best, Mary Gladstone, William Pownall and Michel Le Goff live on the island full time and exhibit regularly.

The well known Greek painter, Tetsis is closely associated with the Athens School of Fine Arts, in particular the branch on Hydra, housed in what used to be the Tombasis Mansion. The Municipality of Hydra sponsors exhibitions throughout the year at the Melina Mercouri Hall, featuring artists such as Dimitris Gatsoumis, another Hydra resident.Annually, resident artist Dimitrios Antonitsis, arranges exhibitions of contemporary art. Hydra is also home to Hydriot Elena Votsi, the designer of the Olympic medals for the Athens 2004 games.

Hydra is famous for the calm & relaxing life in the day, but also for the cosmopolitan, lively night life.
The island has a lot of beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters. The beaches with the grey of the rocks & the blue of the sea give to the island a wild beauty. The transportation in Hydra is taking place either with with boat-taxis or with horses or donkeys !!! No cars !!! What a luxury !!! One of the rare islands in the world, along with the Gili Islands in Indonesia, where cars are not allowed !!!

Athens Contact Information

Address Iras 2, Psichiko, Athens, Greece
Athens, Greece
15452
Phone 2106779293
Styles covered: Astanga/Ashtanga Suitable for Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced