Women's Health & Healing
A Historical Self-Care Retreat
on the Wild Island of Ikaria
June 12 - 19, 2024
7 nights/8 days
Max participants: 16
Cost: $2,400 (shared double room) or $2,600 (single)
I invite you to join in 2024 for a deeply nourishing and restorative women's relational and self-care retreat, which will take place on the wild Greek island of Ikaria, overlooking the ruins of an ancient temple to Artemis.
Her·story
Together, we will explore the ancient lives of women while visiting the sacred sites to Artemis on the island of Ikaria. The island of Ikaria was sacred to Artemis and Eileithyia, who both protected women through rites of passage, particularly childbirth. With the ruins of their sanctuaries as classrooms, we will explore the history of women, their health practices, beliefs and values.
Aliki began her academic career as a specialist in ancient gender and sexuality studies. Click here to download Aliki's award-winning thesis on the lives of courtesans in Ancient Greece and Rome.
Self-Care
This retreat is an opportunity to rest and connect with yourself on one of the most peaceful islands of the Aegean Sea. Daily workshops, tea ceremonies, visits to ancient thermal baths, herb walks, and spacious moments for reflection and connection are some of the ways you can expect to rejuvenate.
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In ancient times, women would gather together in sanctuary spaces to heal, learn, and grow in community. Aliki is excited to share hands-on workshops on manual therapies & massage to support reproductive, digestive, and breast health. Together, we will co-create safe spaces for experiential learning so that you may return home with the confidence necessary to continue your own self-care practices and to support others in your family and community, as well.
Medicine
Ikaria is truly abundant in wild medicine.
We will enjoy guided plant walks with local medicine women, learn about traditional gynecological care, and meet new plant friends.
We will gather wild herbs and make medicinal foods--one of the ways Ikarians live to be over 100 years old.
And we will visit an essential oil herb farm to learn more about the ancient art of distillation and the medicinal properties of wild Mediterranean herbs -- chamomile, helichrysum, lemon balm, lavender, oregano, thyme, vitex, and more -- with a special focus on women's herbs from ancient times.
Relationship
Something truly magical happens when women gather with intention. In ancient times, women would pilgrimage annually to sanctuaries in the countryside to activate a sacred women's world removed from daily responsibilities of the home.
When you arrive to Ikaria, there may be an immediate comfort in knowing that all the women in this group share similar values of self-care, nature-connection, her·story, and sisterhood. Sharing this experience offers an opportunity to experience deeper relationships in a short period of time.
Nourishment
The Mediterranean Diet, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, olive oil, handmade cheeses, legumes, whole grains, grass-fed meat, and natural wines, has been shown to be health-promoting, and in fact, Ikaria is known as one of the Blue Zones of the world, with an extremely high percentage of the population living to be over 100 years old.
To be nourished by Ikarian food is an essential part of the Ikarian lifestyle -- slow, intentional, and pure. In addition to eating, we will visit a local farm and take part in traditional cooking classes taught by local Ikarian women.
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Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and endless amounts of locally-grown and produced natural wine are all included in this retreat.
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Accommodation
Our host and home base for this retreat is Thea Parikos and her inn in the lovely seaside village of Nas on the island of Ikaria, where we will enjoy most meals and group gatherings. Some participants will stay at the inn and others will stay in similar accommodations at other guesthouses in Nas just a short walk away. All rooms are simple and efficient with views of the ancient harbor and Temple of Artemis. The beach can be reached by descending a paved pathway that you may find right outside your doorsteps.
The cost for the retreat includes all meals, endless wine, lodging, excursions, self-care workshops & historical lectures by Aliki, and transportation on the island.
Transportation costs to/from Greece are not included.
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Shared double room: $2,400
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Single room: $2,600
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