Taoist Qigong: Cultivating Health and Harmony
TEACHER
Sifu Arthur “Athanasios” Makaris, L.Ac.
DATE
03 May - 09 May
CATEGORY
Yoga Retreat
PRICE
From €1300
Integrating Breath, Movement, and Mind
Taoist Qigong: Cultivating Health and Harmony
This retreat will focus on the eight standing postures of Ba Gua Zhang and the flowing movement sequences between postures. It is designed to engage participants across diverse levels of experience.
Featuring:
- Physical and energetic alignment: connecting to earth, sky, and self
- Aligning musculoskeletal qi pathways with the internal organs
- Exploring the Three Treasures: Essence, Energy, and Mind
We will also explore the fundamentals of Taoist meditation, the goal of which is to uncover an awareness of the non-dual spark of consciousness. Using the Ba Gua, or Eight Trigrams, as a guide, we will begin by entering the abyss of darkness and opening receptivity and tranquility. We will link Primordial Yang (non-discriminating awareness) and Primordial Yin (compassion) to the more familiar Zen Yang and Yin expressed as Illumination and Serenity in Hongzhi’s twelfth-century poem The Guidepost of Silent Illumination.
About Athanasios
Arthur “Athanasios” Makaris began studying martial arts in the 1960s. This set him on a path to the healing and mystical arts, including qigong and meditation, and Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and herbal medicine. He moved to a rural mountain area in 1986 to be closer to nature and continue cultivating the arts. He opened the Acupuncture and Qigong Health Center and the Vermont Kung Fu Academy in 1990. Later that year, he began lecturing at the local university and medical school. In 2000, he was the first acupuncturist to obtain consulting and practice privileges at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
Qigong, Chinese medicine, and martial arts are all rooted in an ancient natural philosophy called Taoism. The Taoist paradigm is part mysticism and part science, centering the development of mind, awareness, physical health, and relationship to nature. I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given in my studies, as well as to several influential teachers. But it is ultimately with students and patients, who desire better health and healing, that I am motivated to seek deeper understanding and find simplicity in the complex.
Just over one hundred years ago, my grandparents left their native Greece and took a chance on a better life in the United States. My mother’s parents’ came from Mani, a very special part of southern Greece in the Peloponnese. In 1970, I spent the summer living in two different villages in Mani. Without electricity and running water, yet with an abundance of simplicity and good feelings, it made an indelible mark on me as a teenager. I spent the next forty-nine years wanting to return. In 2019, I finally did, literally finding the bones of my ancestors. I felt so at home in the mountains and by the sea, basking in the spirit of the people.
During this visit, I happened upon a retreat center called Zen Rocks, just south of Kalamata. Zen Rocks sits in a beautiful, blessed hillside within a rural olive grove overlooking the sea. The owners, Vivi Letsou and Eraj Shakib, are truly passionate about creating a healing and learning environment. My companion and I met with Vivi at Zen Rocks. She is an accomplished yoga teacher and Zen practitioner, and her enthusiasm is contagious. After fifty years of cultivating the essence of several mystical traditions, I will be returning to my Mani roots again in May 2020, teaching a Taoist Qigong workshop at Zen Rocks. Please join me on this journey back to an ancient land full of wonder, to deepen our understanding of the mysteries our universe holds.
Accommodation 6 Days
Single room: 1,960.00 €
Double room: 1,345.00 €
Triple room: 1,385.00 €
Quadruple room: 1,300.00 €
Guests accompanying workshop participants will pay 1,345.00 € (double room) for room and board.
What is Included
Accommodations
6 night lodging
Taoist Qigong Instruction
Τwo delicious vegetarian meals a day (brunch and dinner) and morning tea
All yoga equipment and accessories
Biodegradable toiletries
Not Included
Transfer to and from Zen Rocks Mani
Transfers around Zen Rocks and the area
Additional therapeutic treatments (massage available)
Private sessions where applicable
Schedule
7:15-8:00 Optional Meditation or Bike Ride or Walk in Nature
8.15-8:30 Morning Tea
8.45-11.00 Qigong practice
11.00 Delicious Fresh Brunch Buffet
11.00-18.00 Free time: Rest, Swim, enjoy a massage session
18.00-19.30 Qigong Practice
19.30-20.30 Dinner & enjoying the sunset
21.00-22.00 Optional meditation, Relaxation/Sleep
Transportation
There are now flights to Kalamata Airport, a mere 30 minutes from Zen Rocks, from many European cities on a daily basis. We can help you look at flights from specific cities, like Paris, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, or Frankfurt. The great news is that these flights are now very affordable. There are also flights to Athens and we have a shuttle service to fetch you at the airport.
Athens Airport or City of Athens to Zen Rocks (2.5-3 Hours Duration)
General fees: 55-75€/per person depending on number of people.
For group of 8 paid: 55€/per person with Zen Rocks Luxury Van or 440€ each way
Less people: 75€/per person through a shared ride in a taxi.
Private taxi ride: 300-350€ + depending on availability.
Kalamata Airport to Zen Rocks (30-40 minutes Duration)
General fees: 20-50€/per person depending on number of people.
For a group of 8 paid: 20€ with Zen Rocks Van or 160€ per way.
Less people: 35€/per person through a shared ride in a taxi.
Private taxi ride: 60-80€ + depending on availability.
Transportation during the retreat-
To nearby beach, Kitries or Sandova: 120€/daily for 8 people, one roundtrip.
Or 15€/per person, for luxury van, based on a group of 8 people.
To Kalamata or Kardamyli: 160€/daily for 8 people, one roundtrip.
Or 20€/per person, for luxury van, based on a group of 8 people.
Destinatons about 90-120 minute away, such as Southern Mani, Diros Stalac8te Caves, or Ancient Messini: 240€/daily for 8 people, one roundtrip. Or 30€/per person, for luxury van, based on a group of 8 people.
Note: Zen Rocks advises that you charge the extra 15-20€/person daily, to provide the comfort of easy and hassle free transportation, to the markets and the beach. You could also include 1 or 2 extra trips to other sites of interest at 30€/person.
Arrivals
5-6pm (not before 3pm please)
6 or 6.30pm Welcome circle… Easy introduction practice, dinner and early bed time.
Departures
After brunch… Latest by noon…
Packages
Double Room
Deluxe Triple Room with Sea View. This triple room features a balcony, dining area and minibar. Share a room with two of your friends or two other retreat guests.
Triple Room
Deluxe Triple Room with Sea View. This triple room features a balcony, dining area and minibar. Share a room with two of your friends or two other retreat guests.
Quadruple Room
Deluxe Quadruple Room with Sea View. This quadruple room features a balcony, dining area and minibar. Share a room with three of your friends or three other retreat guests.