BECOMING BALANCE RETREAT
Treat yourself to seven days of full immersion into the practices of Yoga on one of Greece’s most beautiful islands, Kythnos. Audrey and Alex, two advanced teachers and practitioners, have teamed up to bring you a one-of-a-kind experience. Let yourself be guided in the yogic lifestyle with two daily yoga sessions, healthy and delicious vegan food and gorgeous beaches to explore. Retreats are an ideal opportunity to connect with yourself and with like-minded people from all over the world. This week will undoubtedly give you that time to rest and heal from the challenges of this previous year so you feel optimistic about what is to come. This is the power of the practice.
Alex and Audrey will create a playful and nurturing environment so you feel safe to deepen your yoga journey. Morning classes will be challenging and energising, inviting in that Yang energy. Evening sessions will be Yin focused, so you can fully let go and relax. You will be introduced to several pranayama and meditation techniques as well as options to further your asana practice. One or two sessions will be reserved to explore acroyoga and Thai massage.
Between your yoga classes, you will have free time to enjoy yourself. Visit Katafiki cave, swim in the sea, visit nearby natural spas and treasures, or simply read a book on the beach and take a nap.
Give yourself this time to reconnect with your body, recenter your mind and realign your spirit so that everything else unfolds naturally and beautifully in your life.
THE RETREAT CENTER
Kastellas is your yoga center on Kythnos Island. This settlement overlooks the secluded Kastelas beach located at the South-west side of the cycladic island of Kythnos, which is home to over 92 beaches.
The remnants of the ancient Acropolis that used to be on the top of the hill (Kastelas) adds a sacred sense and mystical energy in the wilderness of the surroundings.
The center has years of experience in hosting retreats and every detail is carefully thought out towards your wellbeing and comfort.
Practice will take place in one of the two beautiful shalas overlooking the Aegean Sea. The calmness, the serenity and the amazing view provide the perfect setting to uplift you in your yoga practice.
Big highlight is the beach of Kastellas with its crystal clear waters which is minutes away from the villas and the guesthouses. The infinity pool and the bespoke furniture of each apartment only add to the unique experience of the retreat.
DAILY SCHEDULE
7:15 - 7:45 Guided meditation (optional)
8:00 - 10:00 Morning dynamic yoga class
10:00 - 11:00 Brunch
11:00 - 17:00 Free time to explore the surroundings, go to the beach or chill by the pool
17:00 - 18:30 Evening flow (slow Hatha, Yin)
19:00 - 20:00 Dinner
20:00 - 21:00 Optional activities (music and chanting, yoga Nidra, evening meditation)
ACCOMODATION
Four independent villas and two houses each of them gazing the crystal clear waters of Kastellas beach with an open plan outdoor lounge area with an infinity pool.
The whole place feels like it’s been suspended a hundred feet above the crashing waves.
Each villa can host up to 6 people and carries its own unique Cycladic style, carefully selected to match the house’s aura and land positioning. The two guesthouses can host 2 people each. Large bedrooms, wide showers and white crispy linen guarantee a lifetime’s sleep that you’ll only wake up on to the eagles’s song.
The participants of the retreat share one or more of the three-bedroom villas and the two suites.
You can choose to share the room with another person (price for double bedroom) or not (price for single bedroom).
COST PER PERSON
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Double bedroom : 1500 € (one left)
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Single bedroom : 1690 € (sold out)
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Private guesthouse : 1850 € (one left)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
7 nights of accomodation
Round trip from the Kythnos port to the villa
2 healthy meals a day (brunch and diner)
All day long snack and filtered water
All yoga class and yoga related activities
Mats, straps and blocks
Access to all the Kastellas facilities
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Travel to the island
Lunch or any extra meal
Day trips
Spa treatments
TRAVELLING
The practice of yoga in an heavenly place combined with the idea of travel is a dreamy vision to all of us. The joys that come out of it are so obvious that we easily forget the environmental impact that it can have.
It so happens that the plane, despite its indisputable advantages (speed, price) is the most polluting way of transportation available.
We think that being a yogi does not only mean taking care of our own well being and health, but also that of the planet on which we live.
For this reason we are excited to propose an alternate travelling option to Kythnos, by means of bus and ferry. A two day trip fully organised from Geneva all the way to the resort. It will be an amazing opportunity to redefine the meaning of “voyage”, originally coming from “via”, the road, the way. You can expect singing songs in the bus, games, a yoga session on the ferry and many other activities that will leave you with unique and unforgettable memories. You will also start the retreat already having connected with other participants, hence making your experience during the retreat more friendly and pleasant.
In today’s world where climate change and erosion of biodiversity threaten our long term survival, it seems to us essential to redefine our ways of travelling. By moving around at a more human speed, we learn to appreciate the distance separating us from our destination. And once arrived, we have a feeling of total escape and being truly far from home. Every mile that we lived fully on the road, with the scenery scrolling by and the endless sea around, gives us a deep feeling of exoticism and authenticity once we have reached our destination.
MASSAGE / TREATMENTS
The retreat center offers a range of bodywork and holistic treatments to complement the yoga practice and help you relax even more. These treatments are not included in the price.
THE TEACHERS
ALEX PEREZ
Alex was born in Paris and grew up in Geneva, Switzerland. It is only when he left his hometown though, that his true passion was revealed to him.
He discovered yoga in a park in Barcelona, while he was a university exchange student. Since then, his passion for yoga kept growing exponentially, and with it a deep and uncontrollable impulse to teach and share what he considers a form of art.
Since then, Alex embarked on a journey seeking the best teachings, so he could transmit this art of yoga to his students in the most comprehensive and modern way possible. His quest led him to Bali, London, Paris and New York, where he was able to practice and learn with teachers such as Mathieu Boldron, David Kyle (main figure in Rocket Yoga), Paul Grilley (“father” of Yin yoga) and many others.
Over the course of his apprenticeship, Alex was able to develop his own way of teaching, a non-rigid and modern form of teaching, above all based on a scientific understanding of mouvement and of the body.
Having studied medicine for six years, he uses his profound anatomical and physiological knowledge to adapt his guidance to the unique physiognomy of each of his students, herewith creating a safe environment for all to freely express their body wisdom through movement.
AUDREY GORDON
She is an RYT 700hr Yoga Instructor and ACE fitness personal trainer. She’s been dedicated to her own daily practice for over 10 years and for the past 6 years she has taught throughout Asia and currently in Geneva, Switzerland. She is passionate about living a life of health, quality movement, personal growth and sharing that with like-minded people. Her classes are dynamic, with the intention to leave students feeling energized, encouraged and also relaxed. She likes to weave a bit of humor into each session, as she always wants to push the limits, but also makes it a point to not take it all too seriously in the end. Her flows work on building strength, flexibility, balance along with playful arm balances and inversions. Meditation and pranayama is also a part of each class for overall well-being of mind, body and spirit.
