The S.O.S. Intensive Retreat in Greece
Over a week-long retreat, -daily cultural and nature excursions becoming the inspiring subjects upon which our learned knowledge is applied- I demystify God, teaching students how and why magic, miracles, destiny, luck, curse, wisdom, immortality, Infinity, uniqueness, duality, paradox, limitlessness, myth and more exist, are real, alive, approachable and useful aspects of our world. We learn their sources, nature, implications, where to find them, and the most beneficial way we as humans may incorporate such aspects of reality into daily life. We practice applying and gain empirical evidence of the value of this knowledge through activities like Sudoku, improvisation, song-writing, bracelet-making, Qigong, and in our ‘private lessons’; each student has a daily private-lesson in a spiritual and/or artistic field/technique of their choice (no experience in any artform or tradition is required). We learn to perceive meaning within, interact with, and utilize for expression the Abstract World -to comprehend and express through any artform-. We learn that the inherent nature and necessary treatment of the constituents of that Abstract World is also the most-nourishing way for our species to interact in and with the approachable physical world. We synthesize art and religion, mythology and symbol, archetypes and traditions, science and spirituality, psychology and story, bolstering and confirming my metaphysical premises and in doing so discover how to make the impossible possible; by a degree of interaction increased, with a wider range of others and to autonomously justify this by reconciling in self those messages from across history which lead to a meaningful, reconciling, self-doubt and isolation relieving, uniqueness-exposing, supported, informed, accompanied, and altogether rebirthing interaction with the world always right at your fingertips, and always in your fingertips themselves.
Location 1: The Cycladic Island of Kea - Setting for Ovid’s presentation of the Greek myth of Kyparissos.
Location 2: The Village of Kastania, Evritania; a remote village in the idyllic and legendary wilderness of Northern Greece - Home to “Panta Vrexei”, an ancient and mystical canyon carved out by a crystal river fed by the waterfalls who also source its name: “It Always Rains”.
Thanks to my beloved Chris, Brian, and Andreas for these pictures.