Silent Minds, Dreaming Souls
I love to dream. I ask with intention, before I sleep, for the Dream to come.
The one Dream that will give me directions encoded in tangible or intangible memories.
Dreaming is a vast source of sensory information & priceless teachings that can reveal infinite possibilities of our self.
As an artist, i ‘dream’ of a work of art or better ‘download ‘ it in the form of a dream, incubate it and keep working on it, until it becomes a living form.
As a teacher and healer, I read the “soul dreams” of others and devote my self to empower them, to take their Leap of Faith to the unknown yet soul -known realms, where creativity takes only a split second to reveal a masterful world of infinite possibilities.
Each one of us is born with a unique gift that has our signature, but in our world we are taught to be people who act instead of being Dreamers of Dreams and bring our psyche into light.
We need to cultivate our rational mind to be in service of our creative mind. We need to honor our abilities for miraculous events for us, for our loved ones and for our society.
Working with our dreams can teach us how to love our self, honor our talents and share them in order to live a happy life. Dream work is enhanced in a sacred place, a place where you can feel the connection with the divine and where the strong energy field creates the perfect ally for Dreaming our world into being.
The “Silent Minds, Dreaming Souls” is a “call” for you, to become a Dreamer of Dreams, retreating in the sacred area of the Temple of Apollo Epicurius (the god of Light) in a full Moon week.
This retreat is for you, who you are longing to enter the realms of dreams with your spiritual heart, learn how to practice day & night dreaming and how to embody your dreams through breath work, meditation, movement, chanting, connection with nature, journeying & journaling.
You are invited to join this immersive and transformative journey that will take you deeper into your self with an abundance of joy and gratitude.
Apostolia Papadamaki
The Happiness Retreat Founder & Teacher
Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae - the architecture of the divine.
An Unesco world heritage site, this famous temple of the god of healing –the helper- was built in the middle of the 5th century B.C. in the lonely heights of the Arcadian mountains. It combines the Archaic style and the serenity of the Doric style with some daring architectural features.
Greek god Apollo is known in ancient Greece for his many qualities: the Olympian god of music, prophecy and oracles, song and poetry, healing and light.
The Temple of Apollon Epikoureios as it was first discovered in 1865.
Standing eternally proud at an elevation of 1.130 meters, this universal architectural gem, overlooks the lonely heights of the Arcadian mountains where many gods where worshiped in this natural sanctuary that became one of the greatest spiritual centers of the Hellenic world.
Meet your teacher
Apostolia Papadamaki is an internationally acclaimed choreographer, a traveler, performer and teacher. An ongoing life learner, Apostolia studied Contemporary Dance, Contact Improvisation, Yoga and Alexander Technique in New York. A lover of movement, arts and spirituality, she also studied Shamanic practices, Music, Voice, Scuba Diving, Craniosacral Therapy and Rei-Ki collaborating with inspiring artists, musicians, and teachers in many lands. Endowed with profound spiritual insight and being thankful to life, Apostolia founded The Happiness Retreat to share her knowledge,experience and joy with other beautiful souls.
Learn more Apostolia's journey
Silent Minds Dreaming Souls - practices
Dreams and our physical body are inextricably linked. Conscious active Breathing techniques will nourish your body and silent your mind. Guided meditations will lead you into the deepest self-insights and powerful creative dream states. Impulse dance, music and voice work will help you release old patterns and fears, empower you to trust your soul’s wisdom and embody your dreams creatively and literally.
We will work with our dreams connecting the mind-body-soul in playful ways,
feeling happier, healthier and whole.
During our time together you will:
Connect mindfully with your dreams and open up the door to your psyche.
Endorse your unique gifts, honor and respect your importance while connecting with like-minded people.
Spend silent time & day dreaming in nature
Recognize the value of sharing your dreams into the safe space of our circle.
Communicate with your Dreamer self, see your life with greater clarity and
change your life for the better.
Make conscious choices about what you are "dreaming of".
Appreciate every moment as an opportunity to infuse your world with positive dreams every moment.
From Darkness to Light /Sleep & Dream performance
Joining this retreat will give you the opportunity to participate in the unique Sleep and Dream performance in the Temple, joining forces with dancers and musicians that will be accompanying us in our everyday practices.
On Saturday July 28th, we will perform our dreams in a mystical set up around the temple. Live and pre recorded music will fill up the space with celestial energy while the full moon will rise behind the temple. This night we will sleep out doors and each one of us will prepare his chosen dream, written on a piece of paper and place it in the “dream box”.
All night long, I will read your dreams. At dawn, we will take a silent walk, to the top of the hill, to salute the Sun rising from the sea.Then we will honor the Temple and leave to take our breakfast in the hotel sharing our insights and experiences.
In the ancient Greek times, incubation was the religious practice of sleeping in a sacred area with the intention of experiencing a divinely inspired dream. Sleep states and dream revelations were viewed as important indicators of health and dreams were seen as an opportunity for mortals to connect with higher divine energies capable of inspiring miraculous healing.
Read more about the Dream and Sleep Performance
Itinerary
Monday July 23
Arrival
18.00 Sharing Circle
20.00 Welcome Dinner
21.30 Dream Journeying
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday July 24, 25, 26
08.00 Yoga, Meditation & Sharing Circle (Temple of Apollo)
09.30 Breakfast
11.00 Hiking in Nature + Waterfalls to Breathe, Dance, Sing, Journey.
18.00 Rest
20.00 Dinner
21.30 Yoga Nidra & Dream Journaling
Friday July 27
08.00 Yoga, Breath work, Meditation
09.30 Breakfast
10.30 Free time
13.30 Light lunch
14.30 Free time
18.00 Light dinner
19.00 Invocation ritual, Breathe, Dance, Sing, Dream Journey. (Temple of Apollo)
22.00 Full Moon rising ritual at the Temple
22.30 Embody your Dreams, Dancing, Singing
00.30 Return to the hotel
Saturday July 28
09.00 Breakfast
10.30 Yoga Nidra & Sharing circle
13.30 Lunch & rest
18.00 Performance Workshop
20.00 until 06.30 (next morning)
Sleep & Dream performance at the Temple of Apollo
Sunday July 29
06.30 Sunrise Meditation
07.30 Honouring the Temple
08.30 Breakfast & Celebration
11.00 Free time
19.00 Sharing circle
20.30 Dinner
Monday July 30
08.00 Yoga, Meditation & Sharing circle
09.30 Farewell breakfast
12.00 Departure
What is included
8 days / 7 nights of stay
Breakfast & Dinner
Lunch box during the excursions
Breath work & Meditation
Impulse Dance + Voice work
Dream Journaling
Day dream & Night Dream Journeying
Mindfulness + Nature Rituals
Hiking Excursions to Rivers, Waterfalls and Natural sites
Sharing Circles
Participation in the Sleep & Dream Performance: From Darkness to Light
Mindfulness living all day long
Teaching language will be English.
Abeliona Retreat
Built on the mountainside with a view out to the hilly landscape of Arcadia, in the breathtaking natural setting of the enchanting Neda River waterfalls, just a breath away from the great temple of Apollo Epicurius, the hotel rests in an area that has always been praised not only for its generous natural beauty, but also for giving off a blissful sensation of belongingness.
Family Suite
Single occupancy (sharing bathroom): 1490 €
Double occupancy (sharing bathroom ): 1290€
The Family suite of 57 sq.m. consisting of two large beautifully adorned rooms, sitting areas and kitchen, is able to provide spacious accommodation to 3-4 people. The Family suite stands out for its unique vintage design and stylish old-era furnishings, conveying a sense of time at a standstill. Amenities :Living room, fully-equipped kitchen, dining table and chairs, ceiling fan, heating, hairdryer, bathroom accessories and a furnished terrace.
* only 2 single rooms are available
Junior Suite
Double occupancy (own bathroom) 1490€
Single occupancy (own bathroom; 1790€
A wonderful 26 sq.m. room furnished with a large double or two single beds. Every Junior Suite boasts its distinct character by employing different decorative elements of local art culture and handcrafted pieces of furniture, both classic and elegant. Amenities: Ceiling fan, heating, hairdryer, bathroom accessories and outside seating area.
Nutrition
Our nutrition will be vegetarian with emphasis on local recipes and certified organic ingredients. You will enjoy a rich breakfast buffet with locally grown organic fruits, vegetables and herbs many of which are handpicked from the property’ vegetable garden and greenhouse, just a short time before being served. Lunch will be prepared to be carried out with us in different locations and dinner will be served in the courtyard, immersing you to a variety of mouthwatering local dishes (Special dietary restrictions can be accommodated).
What you need to add
• Your flights to Athens or Kalamata
• Your car rental or car-pooling participation*
• Your travel insurance
* Registered participants will be connected in advance so they can organize carpooling or taxi sharing if they arrive at the same time.
How to get there
From Kalamata (city)
The nearest airport is Kalamata International Airport (KLX), 41.8 km from the property.
During the summer period there are daily charter connections with most major European cities.
Alternatively you may rent a car from the airport
From Athens
Arriving at the Athens International Airport and then (renting a car or arranging car pooling) it is a 3.5 hours drive following the National Road Athens Korinthos – Kalamata for 2.5 hours and then following a beautiful local road passing by picturesque stone build villages of Karytaina and Andritsaina.
Carpooling
Registered participants will be connected in advance so they can organize carpooling.
In a nutshell
For everyone who decides to join us, please make sure you:
• Read all the description of our Silent Minds-Dreaming Souls page.
• Select your accommodation and pricing option.
• Send us the application form with your full name & why you would like to attend, what is s your intention to join this retreat!
• Purchase your flight ticket