5 reasons why I love yoga retreats in Greece so much

5 reasons why I love yoga retreats in Greece so much

...and why the island of Corfu attracts me so magically!

I have been living on Corfu, my favorite island in Greece, for several years now and offer yoga retreats here. It is a dream come true. Why do I love this island so much and what makes the yoga retreats there so special?

1. The fascinating power of nature

Practicing yoga surrounded by Corfu's nature is truly magical. The island offers a beautiful landscape that invites you to sink into it. As the greenest island in Greece, Corfu is not only known for its olive tree forests that remain green all year round, peppered with individual pine trees, but especially the shimmering silver leaves of the olives give a magical feeling to the wandering eye while the trees seem to sing in a chirpy way, creating that pleasant summer holiday feeling. What makes Corfu the perfect place for inner peace for me, is the mix of mountains, nature, crystal clear sea water and tasty vegetables - in combination with yoga, of course. Floating in the salt water of the sea after an active yoga class just feels like pure healing.
However, nature is not only beautiful to look at, it exudes an inexplicable power and new life energy. Especially when the fireflies enchant the night in spring. Combined with a grounding yoga practice, time for yourself, meditation, sound baths, massage and the inner landing, the island is a place of replenishment on all levels. For the body, in the form of energizing asana classes and healthy food; for the spirit, which is invited to reveal and unfold through meditation and honest sharing with like-minded people; and for the soul, which is nourished and healed through leisure time and nature.

2. The spiritual place where the masculine and feminine energy meets

The island is a spiritual place of balance. The two earth lines of Athena and Apollo cross here. They represent the male and female energy. Like the nadis (energy paths of the life force) from the yoga philosophy, when they cross in the body they create chakras (energy centers), the opposites of the masculine and feminine energy meet here. This certainly leads to a process for some, but there is a great opportunity to resolve inner imbalance and come into natural balance.
On the other hand, Corfu has incredibly beautiful beaches and bays. From long, wide sandy beaches to white pebble beaches to small hidden bays that can only be reached by boat, it's just fantastic to go exploring here. Since I've been living here, I'm constantly discovering new little places that have a character all of their own. The east coast with the calm green-turquoise colored water as well as the sandy beaches and dunes in the west with the nature reserve of Chalikounas Beach (see photo). Where water meets land a charging energy is created. As an island, it is as if the energy flows into the land from all sides and exhilarates everything that lives there.

3. The natural food

The high quality of fruits and vegetables is delicious, full and tasty. May it be the sun, the special climate or the rich soil, I don't know the reason, but the taste speaks for itself. Most taverns grow their own vegetables, and even fruits like watermelons, figs or grapes are local.

4. The healing effect of the air

Even Princess Sissi (Of Austria) knew why Corfu was the right place for her to cure her respiratory diseases and sporadic depressions. The island of Corfu has high humidity, coupled with the salt water in the sea, it is very healthy for the lungs and respiratory system here. Free breathing and pranayama (breathing exercises from yoga) are particularly fruitful. This allows more prana to flow into the body.

5. The invitation to go deeper and the courage to transform

Maybe it is because Corfu is an island, it leads a willing person to introspection. Once you arrive, you are here, stranded. And now there is time to look inward.
Corfu magically attracts yogis who are ready to go deeper. Yogis who have landed on their own island and want to discover it. Many practitioners, whether beginners or experienced, who come here to us at the Yoga Center want to explore inner transformation or a new path that they can somehow already sense, but can't quite grasp. The sea, the nature, like-minded people and the daily practice helps to come back to the inner center, to heal the unprocessed and to explore new perspectives. Many use our yoga and meditation retreats or teacher trainings as a starting point to find the courage and clarity to embark on a new path in their lives.

For any other questions regarding our retreats and trainings, we encourage you to book a video call with us.

Cedric is head teacher of INEA•YOGA a Yoga School in Corfu, Greece. Check us out to find trainings, retreats and online videos.