Understanding self
Rethymno, CRETE - September 6-12, 2025
Understanding Self Retreat September 6-12th, 2025
This exclusive retreat delves into how body and mind influence each other. Reconnect with that part of you that has no fear, but a sense of calmness that guides you into a journey that brings a little more ease into your life. A small group retreat delivered in a luxury beachside villa on the beautiful Greek island of Crete.
An all inclusive retreat:
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Our Greek island luxury villa is located in Panormo, a beautiful spot on the north coast of Rethymno - 200 metres away from a lovely sandy beach. It offers privacy, yet access to cafes, restaurants and a variety of shops (all walking distance).
The air-conditioned villa includes six bedrooms and an outdoor private swimming pool. Terrace is equipped with sun beds with a view to the sea.
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Your 6-night stay will include breakfast and a home cooked evening meal at the villa.
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Our qualified and experienced facilitators will conduct yoga, meditation and self-discovery workshops every morning (see itinerary below).
Your afternoons are free to explore the island or relax in your local surroundings.
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Indulge in a beautiful private sailing trip to Dia island. The island of Dia is an uninhabited island 6 miles north of Heraklion with crystal waters, beautiful wild scenery and rich history. This 5.5 hour includes a meal and water activities.
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Your retreat is inclusive of:
accommodation,
food,
workshops and
sailing trip
AUD$3,600 for a private room or AUD$2,390 for twin share.
EARLYBIRD SPECIAL -30%
AUD$2,520 (private room)
AUD$1,673 (twin share)
Deposit to secure your spot AUD$420
Full payment 30 days prior to retreat.
Itinerary:
Day 1 - Welcome
4pm check-in: Arrive at the venue and settle in - familiarise yourself with the beautiful setting.
Today we review the days ahead, reflect on what we are here to achieve and connect with other participants. Dinner is served overlooking the sea, as we all get to know each other a little more (with a fun ice-breaker). If the mood takes us there, we may retire to some informal discussions on the beach.
Day 2, 3, 4 and 6 - Understanding self: the practice
Yoga: start each morning with a yoga session around the pool … and maybe even a quick dip before breakfast.
Breakfast is served.
Self-discovery workshop: we then peel away the layers of 21st century living in our self-discovery sessions - what most participants describe as ‘coming home’. Themes relate to: finding self, understanding the nervous system, separating self from mind, rewiring narratives, lifestyle medicine.
Free time: whether you would like to discover the island with your tribe or on your own, or simply relax with the best that Rethymno has to offer.
Dinner is served at our beautiful villa.
Philosophy Circle: After dinner, on some nights, we hold our ‘talked about’ philosophy circle - discussions around thought provoking themes.
Day 5 - An unforgettable sailing trip
Today we spend the day on a beautiful sailing boat to Dia island. This private trip gives us an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful mediterranean waters while appreciating life and our new friendships. We experience the benefits of exposing ourselves to awe inspiring scenery as we swim in private locations. Food is included.
Day 7 - The new beginning
Self-discovery session - bringing it all together with intention. Today we sit together for the last time and connect with our learnings and our new friendships, and we remind ourselves that this is only the beginning. Breakfast is served … See you all on social media, or maybe back on this island next year…
Breakfast
11am checkout
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Please note: order of events may change due to weather - this is highly unlikely in the summer season.
For our Greek residence attending our retreat, Despina speaks fluent Greek, however, the retreat and workshops will be conducted in English.
Meet the Facilitators
We always pride ourselves on the wealth of experience our facilitators bring to the table. But don’t just take our word for it …
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Director of SDL
Despina has over 20 years clinical experience in naturopathic and nutritional medicine, specialising in stress and anxiety disorders, and has helped patients implement positive lifestyle habits using education and nutritional guidance. She has obtained post graduate education in Nutrition, Counselling and Education and she currently lectures at Western Sydney University and Torrens University in the Health Science faculty.
Despina has combined her passions for women's health, mental health and education, and has developed ‘Self Discovery Lab’ to support individuals in dealing with the emotional challenges of today.
She has also partnered with AnxietyAwareness.com to apply their evidenced based workshops and residential retreats for those looking for further direction and meaning in their life.
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Having taught yoga for nearly a decade, Nathalie’s classes are individually themed and address real life issues such a perfectionism, adaptability, and balance, through yogic philosophy. Nathalie has taught in gyms, yoga studios, schools and offices both internationally and locally and found that no matter who we are or where we are we all struggle to varying degrees with the modern day pressures of being human. Nathalie therefore attempts to weave yogic philosophy throughout her sequences inviting her students to draw comparisons between the physical stress they experience on the mat and the emotional stresses of everyday life. In this way, as we learn skills to manage the physical stress, such as breath work and visualisation, so too are we learning skills to manage our emotional stresses, skills that can be taken off the mat and into our everyday lives.
In addition to qualifying as a yoga teacher Nathalie also has a bachelor degree in Philosophy and Gender Studies, and a diploma in Theatre which she uses to influence her classes, resulting in a well rounded and grounded perspective and classes that may appeal to a wide variety of people with various life experiences. Remember, yoga is a practice, not a perfect!
Start a new relationship with yourself now.
Book your free 15-30min chat to help you decide whether this retreat is right for you.