Santorini, Rhodes and Crete are famous for being glorious beach destinations, while the beautiful secluded coasts of mainland Greece are often foolishly overlooked. Chloe Marshall explores these hidden treasures on a unique retreat at Artisa, nestled in the mountainous Pelopenesse region of southern Greece.
Landing at Athens and promptly heading west on the train to Kiato, I follow the journey that defeated Nero across the Corinth canal, taking in the towering mountains on one side and the deep blue sea on the other. Breathing in the clean, citrus scented air and looking across the breathtaking landscape, I think about the mythical and historical background of this picturesque peninsula.
The Peloponnese is the mythical heart of Greece, with many towns and former city states named after the Greek gods and goddesses, such as the nearby Sparta. There’s a cast of ancient characters including Agamemnon as he perilously returned from the Trojan War to Mycenae, and Nestor’s Palace at Pylos, where Odysseus’s son set off in search of his father. Thanks to being the birthplace of Apollo’s healer son Asclepeios, Epidauros has the most celebrated healing centre of the Classical world; people travelled from far and wide to be cured at the sanctuary and mineral springs. In the 4th Century BC, the prosperity brought by the Asklepieion funded the making of a large theatre with astounding acoustics, which is still used for performances to this day.
I get off the train at Corinth, a once mighty city state of ancient Greece, and as I jump in a taxi for the short last leg of my journey, the winding roads become narrower and smaller, yet my sense of relaxation and isolation only gets bigger. In between the mountains there’s deep gorges, lush forests, green valleys and flowery meadows and as I scan across the coastline I joyfully note that there’s not one single hotel chain in sight. Although there’s some small guest houses dotted in between the residential housing and traditional tavernas, the whole place feels totally unspoilt and nature abounds – in short, this is the perfect place for a retreat.
I’m not here to work on anything, or to even speak to anyone for that matter, and any interaction will be kept to a minimum. I’m here to spend a week in silence on a silent retreat, and to be taken on a journey of self discovery, emotional exploration and mindfulness. Before we go quiet, together we discuss our reasons for seeking silence and there are some touching, intriguing and truly moving stories. From dealing with the loss of a loved one to facing some pivotal life choices, or for some, simply seeking a sense of inner calm, our group already seems to have a few unifying themes that link us all together despite our obvious differences in age, background and nationality.
Throughout the week, we are taken on a wonderful journey despite staying in the same place, and through being quiet I find myself developing a deeper sense of self awareness. Free from the usual demands of the daily grind and the pressure to communicate, I become more observant of my surroundings and I begin to appreciate them on a whole new level, recognising how much I have to be grateful for. Without being prompted, I stop to question myself in ways that I wouldn’t normally dare to, including the biggies such as asking what I really want out of life, and whether my current set up is really making me happy. I begin to identify some changes that I’d like to make, and I realise that familiarity isn’t an excuse for complacency. Not all of my fresh questions are easy to approach, but I definitely find some clarity and honesty in myself that will help to eventually find the answers.
Through exploring different meditative and physical activities, we are taken on an emotional roller-coaster of highs and lows that bring back the memories that triggered these feelings in the first place, then we face up to them and see how it might be possible to let them go. While I’m pretty sure that I haven’t found total enlightenment yet, and that I’d probably need to spend the rest of my days living in a cave to even get close, I definitely feel an inner peace that is only reachable through the absence of communication. And by the end of the week, I’m so elated that I don’t want to speak – even when I am finally invited to do so. For the first time ever, the words don’t naturally come to me and even now, I’m struggling to find the vocabulary to describe something so profound.
Artisa retreats run every year from early April through to late June and from mid September to mid November, and a full programme of events is available online: http://www.artisagreece.org and you can get in touch via email nfo@artisagreece.org or by phone +30 6947570690 or +31 (0)611387147. Don’t forget to check out the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/
Keep your eyes peeled for the full version of Chloe’s article, along with a special Artisa discount for Globetrotters members in the next Globe magazine.