Thursday, June 6 – Sunday, June 9
Lakazeza – Greece

In a place far from populated centers, a clearing embraced by a large pine forest and overlooking the Gulf of Corinth, where the coast reveals small deserted bays, coves, and beaches framed by pines, olive, and almond trees. An enchanted oasis just an hour and a half from Athens…

A residential Shinrin-Yoku seminar (literally “forest bathing”), a term coined in Japan in the 1980s by the director of the Japanese Forestry Agency, refers to consciously immersing oneself in nature with all five senses. Increasingly known and appreciated (more commonly by its English term, forest bathing) as a preventive therapy, it helps reduce stress hormone concentrations in the body, strengthen the immune system, and regulate blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol levels.
It’s an adventure of deep communion with Nature, starting with one’s own, which is reflected and manifested in the surroundings. It’s practiced in many ways and at multiple levels, but the most traditional approach involves mindful walking and meditation in the forest, which we’ll combine with shamanic yoga practices.

The forest is an archetype of the soul, of the psyche. Immersing oneself in the forest, in nature, through Shinrin-Yoku practices, is equivalent to consciously entering our inner space and gathering lost or forgotten fragments of ourselves, unexplored possibilities, resources for self-healing and profound transformation, ideas, and inspiration, drawing from an inexhaustible source of creativity and enthusiasm.

Beauty in nature is everywhere, guiding us throughout the journey, beyond moral categories and beyond notions of appropriation, control, and governance. It’s a manifestation of the ability to give and offer oneself to encountering the invisible. This is an opportunity for deep ecology, which means seeing nature through nature’s eyes, not the mind’s. It means moving beyond the anthropocentric perspective that lies at the root of the failure of so many efforts to safeguard the Planet.

My approach integrates diverse experiences into forest bathing: from Tantric yoga tradition (non-dual Kashmiri Shaivism), to meditation techniques from Theravada and Zen Buddhism (Vipassana and Anapanasati), to the principles of Japanese Aesthetics, and to animistic Shintoism. I qualified as a Forest Therapy Guide under the guidance of Selene Calloni Williams, who, along with Noburu Okuda Do, synthesized a series of meditative practices and rituals inspired by Japanese aesthetic philosophy and Hillman’s imaginal thought.

The days will feature two group practices daily, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon. These will include walking meditations, yoga practices, and moments for discussion and sharing. Optional individual sessions will be available throughout the day. During free time, you can reach the beach in just 6 minutes on foot, enjoy snorkeling in the bay’s crystal-clear waters, or relax in hammocks within the pine forest.
As part of the seminar, there will also be a session led by Marcella Pralormo, an art historian and expert in artistic techniques and “Art and Well-being in Nature” projects. Marcella will guide us in exploring our inner landscape using watercolor techniques and will be available during your free time for extra-seminar activities that are closely interconnected with the themes explored.

The seminar is open to all levels of practice. Good health is required to comfortably manage the walks, which are of a simple to intermediate level.

A Note for City Dwellers and Tech Addicts. Heads up! At Lakazeza, there’s no Wi-Fi, and internet connection is only available at the beach. You won’t find any bars or discos (unless you have a car!). Our use of water and general consumption are geared towards sustainability. Instead, you’ll find plenty of books for free consultation, the chirping of cicadas and crickets, hammocks for meditation, common spaces for eye-to-eye connection and sharing, kittens to pet, and breathtaking starlit nights.

How to get to Lakazeza?

A high-speed train from Athens (reachable with low-cost flights from Turin and Milan) connects to Corinth and the Isthmus in an hour’s journey, with departures every hour. Buses and taxis can then take you from Corinth to the destination.
Alternatively, we can arrange group shuttles from Athens Airport (1.5-hour travel time).
Arrival on the first day is requested between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Departure on the last day is scheduled around 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

The program and details are available by writing privately to martabecco@gmail.com

http://www.lakazeza.com

To learn more, see Views – The perfect moment to meet you

Read an excerpt from Shinrin Yoku – Selene Calloni Williams, Noburu Okuda Do

The sessions, courses, seminars, retreats, and materials offered by Sarangi are for inner exploration, problem-solving, and personal growth. They are not a substitute for the work of doctors or psychotherapists, as their purpose is not to consider, treat, or resolve medical or health-related conditions or symptoms.