Joy of Song, Sound Meditation & Chant on the beautiful Greek Isle of Agistri

This relaxing and refreshing 6-day retreat takes place on 9th—14th May 2011 on Agistri, a delightful tiny island nestling in the Saronic Sea, close to Aegina.  Only a fairly short hop by boat or hovercraft from the  port of Piraeus, once there, it feels like you’re a million miles from the stresses of everyday life.

Accommodation, breakfast, the Joy of Song and the Sound Meditation courses all take place at Rosy’s Little Village, with fantastic views over the sea towards Aegina.

What is the Retreat all about?

Here’s a chance for you to get away from it all for a week, to spend the mornings in a beautiful setting, in gentle, mindful  activity, but with sufficient time to yourself  later in the day to visit the beaches, spend time on the terrace or do a spot of sightseeing.

The Schedule

Sunday 8th May:    

Arrival, welcome &  settle in. Get to know each other and chat about how the courses run. For those who have a bit of energy after the journey and feel like it,  we might take a  little walk through the main village of Skala.

Monday 9th—Saturday 14th May:

First thing: 

Sound meditation: the awakening island is rich with the sounds of nature, providing a focus for our morning meditation.   Agistri dawns are fabulous and well worth getting up for!  Following this, sumptuous breakfast supplied by our lovely host, Rosy.    

Around 10.30/11 am: “Joy of Song” singing workshop.   

Around 6.00 pm:   pre-supper evening chant/  meditation sessions

Afternoons are free for you to enjoy exploring all the lovely little corners of Agistri, enjoy some other activities as  available, or to lounge in the sun, if you so choose. 

The Joy of Song workshop

A fun singing workshop aimed at anyone who wants to sing – whether you think you can or not  

An opportunity to step a little outside your comfort zone, evict your inner critic, stop worrying about whether you’re “good enough”, and simply enjoy the healing miracle that is your voice. 

Trixi provides an empathic and supportive group  context in which you can explore your voice through effective breathing exercises, mindful listening,    powerful vocal techniques, uplifting songs, and     simple yet effective harmony.  We will look at how our fears, self-criticism, stress, tensions, & inappropriate habits can sabotage our voice, with practical steps to help you overcome them and move through to singing with joy and confidence.  

The workshop aims to help you free your voice, uplift your soul and experience the pure and simple joy of song.

Morning Sound Meditation

There is something wonderfully nourishing about starting the day with the song of the sea in your ears, an early chorus of birds, the hum of a fishing boat  on its way home. Agistri provides a rich source of sound, ideal for meditation.

 Sound Meditation is essentially about mindful listening—enjoying not only the Agistri Dawn’s Nature Concert, but also becoming mindful of the minute details of each sound, noticing the variation of pitches, rhythms , textures and timbres in each sound.  

This is an exceptionally peaceful way to begin the day.

Dusk Chant

We can use our voices to give thanks for the day that we have spent, to enjoy the meditative quality of our own voices, before we go to bed.

This session can take place either after dinner towards bedtime, or in the early evening, before dinner, depending on what  you as a group feel you would like to do.

Please note that the chants selected are non-religious, although they are in their own way  designed to be healing and soul-nourishing without compromising anyone’s convictions or faith.

A lovely way to prepare for a restorative and restful night’s sleep.

Course Fees and Course Days

Fee for the Joy of Song, Sound Meditation and Dusk Chant courses is £80.00 for the 6-days,and is payable as a deposit prior to departure for Agistri.  Bring a friend or two, and you and your group members each only pay £70. Please select the appropriate ticket button above

Please note:

• all retreat participants must complete a full booking form prior to departure for Agistri. To receive a copy please email Trixi on voice.confidence@gmail.com 

Accommodation Fees

Accommodation fees (bed & breakfast) are payable directly to Rosy Agianozoglou in Euros (€) in Agistri. 

Prices per room per night  at Rosy’s Little Village: 

Single: €40.00 /Double: €50.00 / Triple: €59.00

Family room for 2:€ 61/ for 3 €73 / for 4 €80   

Breakfast  €7.00

These prices may be revised slightly for 2011.

Please note— Rosy's Little Village does not have a large number of single rooms. If there are many people requiring single rooms, Rosy may need to use rooms in a lovely, neighbouring establishment. 

To see more about the venue, visit: www.rosyslittlevillage.com

PLEASE NOTE: THE GOOGLE MAP SHOWS AEGINA. TO FIND AGISTRI, ZOOM OUT A LITTLE AND LOOK TO THE LEFT. SKLIRI IS ON THE NNE SIDE LOOKING TOWARDS AEGINA, AS PER THE PHOTO ABOVE.

The above prices do not include: flights or transfers, insurance, lunch or evening meals. For an estimate of the total cost of the retreat, please contact the organiser.

You are strongly advised to take out comprehensive travel insurance

Flight information & tickets can be obtained from www.ba.com or www.travelocity.co.uk. Easyjet also operate flights from London and Manchester. We strongly advise you to check on flights as soon as you enquire about the retreat availability, and to book early as flights become less available and more costly the longer you wait. Booking a morning flight is a good idea as it gives you plenty of time for your onward travel. If you wish to fly out with other participants please contact the organiser.

Although there is no formal “transfer” service, Greece has  excellent, low-cost sea and surface travel,  

Detailed information on booking form.

What you will need to bring

Beach towel (bath and hand towels are provided)

Sun protection—May can already be hot in Greece

Warmer clothing—at the start and end of the season the mornings and evenings can be a little cooler

Mosquito repellent if you tend to get bitten

Swimming gear

Good walking shoes or trainers if you wish to explore the local terrain