Livadi Arahova, Parnaso, Greece

A total of 15 students from the Esoteric Wisdom course onwards attended this retreat in beautiful Livadi Arahova, an historically famous site near the Oracle of Trophonios Zeus and the Oracle of Delphi.

The days were filled with practices geared towards self-knowledge, astral projection and group discussions led by Ioannis from the Athens Gnostic Center. The group had the opportunity to practice awareness in the forest that the ancient Greeks used to walk across to go from the temple of Apollo in Delphi to the Korikio Andro, an enormous cave with ancient inscriptions and large stalagmites that according to ancient myths was used by Apollo, Odysseus and Mercury, amongst others.

Another walk took place in Eptastomo or Seven-Gate, referred to by the villagers as a 'fairy place', a beautiful and mystical forest where students spent time doing practices.

Overall the participants of this retreat learned a lot from these five special and intensive days devoted to the spiritual work. Have a look below to see a selection of photos from the retreat and what the students had to say about their experience of it:

The temple of Athena, goddess of wisdom

In front of the cave on the top of a mountain which was used by Apollo, Odysseus and Mercury.
L-R, standing: Janus, Yionik, Zoi, Alex, Gergia & Betty.
L-R, seated: Evelina, Katerina, Kaliopi, Maria, Ioannis, Mary, Kostantinos.
L-R, front: Zoi.

Evelina looking over the mountains at Delphi, above the temple of Apollo.

Temple in Delphi.
L-R, back row: Georgia, Alex, Zoi, Mary, Kaliopi, Evelina, Maria, Zoi, Ioannis & Yionik.
L-R, seated: Kostas, Katerina, Betty.

Walking the path leading to the ancient stadium of Delphi (and checking for the astral!).
L-R, back row: Kostas & Janus
L-R, front: Alex, Yionik.

Eptastomo, 'Seven Gate', a fairy place according to the legends:
L-R, back row: Janus, Yionik, Zoi, Kostas & Georgia.
L-R, 2nd line: Zoi, Alex, Katerina, Kaliopi, Maria.
L-R, front: Evelina, Mary, Ioannis, Betty.

A discussion in one of the chalets. L-R: Ioannis, Georgia, Mary, Zoi, Kaliopi & Katerina.

A quiet moment for Colm

Walking to practice awareness

Berkeley teacher Patricia (far right) guiding a practice with (R-L) Ruben, Stas, Jenny, Esther, Ralph and Alejandro

Ioannis guiding a visualization practice

Getting ready for a feedback session

A partial group shot

L-R, top row: Andy, Jenny, Kevin, Alejandro, John, Rich, and Ioannis
L-R, bottom row: Ruben, Justin and Stas

Group shot of all retreat attendees

L-R, top row: Vlad, Justin, Kevin, Alejandro, Ralph, Ruben, Ioannis, Brett, Rao, Andy, Jenny, Colm, and James
L-R, bottom row: Maitri, Rich, Jordan, Jenny, Patricia, John, Betty, Esther, and Gilbert

Student Comments

This was the first retreat for the Athens Gnosticweb center. There was a lot of enthusiasm, joy and expectations. We had a few times to pass through the Clashing Rocks. Fears, doubts, useless inner chattering, etc. All of this was soon gone and we felt as one, like a team, who love each other and learn. I have learned a lot, and understood even more. The benefits I got were great. I came back more confident, more fulfilled and with much more enthusiasm. Nothing can stop my decision to keep trying until I get at least to the beginning.

Kaliopi

The days of the retreat were very creative. The direct contact with the team and the exercises helped a lot. I understood what I did wrong and how much exercise I need in order to be able to be conscious and more ‘human'. A big thanks from the deep of my heart to the instructor Ioannis who increased my faith in order to be able to walk towards the conscious divine path.

Georgia

In this retreat I was able to look inside. I had the feeling all the time that I have been with the right people, at the right place and for the right reason. The guidance of the instructor was comprehensive, very awakening and inspiring. The circumstances of the retreat have activated things within me. There were some difficulties at the beginning (resistance of my personality) but quickly and in an easy way they were all put aside. The retreat is over and I have returned back with gifts. Thank you!

Katerina

Those five days that I was with the other students of the group, made me understand that the efforts are never enough and that every day we have to try more in order to be able to achieve our goal. Even if it looks too far away, I am sure we can achieve it.

Alex

This retreat was a chance for me to try to be with a group. Even if there were obstacles to face, it gave me positive help for the path that I have to follow. Many thanks to Ioannis and Gnosticweb.

Zoi

It was a beautiful 5-day retreat of contemplation and rebirth. I have met wonderful people. I was attached to them and I feel love for all of them and for each one of them. Ioannis, thank you - you are very good. I wish to have more chances in the future like this and great success in our exercises. I love you all.

Anna Maria

In this retreat I had a wonderful time. I am coming back to Athens maybe a little bit better and more conscious. But for sure the energy of the team will accompany me for a long long time.

Betty

A retreat like this gave me the chance to focus on myself and the nature. To understand the way that I have to do the work in my daily life by intensifying my efforts in order to penetrate my psychology. A retreat like this gave me the chance to find out new ways and reconsider things in order to improve my esoteric work. Even more the retreat gave me the chance to come closer to the other students.

Janus

It is for sure that I didn't take full advantage of this retreat. The place was wonderful but I wasn't. If I could say that I have tried, it was only for the last two days of the retreat (morning and night). For one more time, this retreat has shown me the tremendously bad situation that I am in. And this is something that makes me happy, because even if I have noticed this in the past, I have forgotten it. It also has helped me to do some investigations in the observation, awareness and ego elimination. I think I need someone on my head to remind me that this work should be done on a continuous basis. This retreat gave me a lot of things but not what I could have taken from it. It is very interesting when the team decides to ‘work'. The Will is activated, the strength increases and the work becomes easier. I hope that this will be the aim of the next retreat.

Yionik