Holistic Holidays in Greece

Hello from Kalikalos!

Here Hania and Georg, from Argentina and Germany. We are travelling through communities and landed in this amazing experimental project led by Jock Millenson. We are really amazed and surprised to find this mixture of vacations, seminars and comunal life. Quite a challenge!!!!

In our morning meeting, speaking about vision, lots of reactions came in...We had only one minute to express our opinions, hopes, observations and personal visions about Kalikalos and comunal life in general. This was great, because it led us to be essential.

So, we would like to share with you our 'minute'...
Having visited other communities around America, we find Kalikalos as an pioneer laboratory to learn day by day living in the New Earth, as it is today. We are challenged to mix and put together very different stages of life. How to do it...? These are some of the conclusions of this morning:

Give up our big western Egos, make lighter our "psicological luggage", learn to be simple, fast and effective. And understand that no matters how many success, or degrees we have, we are all in a kindergarden of communal life. Love and flexibility, are the priorities. Leave your old world behind and begin to be innocent and willing to learn again as a child. Pure love and high tolerance are our highest intentions to achieve. We try and try every day, it is no so easy...but is possible.

Any way, this is an exeptionally beautyfull spot, with blue waters and mysterious mountains around, led by an experienced guide like Jock, who lived in Findhorn, and can share a lot with us, gipsies and eternal seekers. We recommend everybody to come over and participate.

Blessings to all.

Hania & Gerog

Yesterday, Mark took me on an incredible walk. Our journey was to Tympani Kissos, or the drum of Kissos. There is reason behind the name. Tympani Kissos is a place where rushing spring water comes gushing down Mt. Pelion in torential rapids and strikes the ancient rock below making the sound similar to that of mallets beating on a drum. When we arrived, the water was flowing slowly, and it made the sound more similar to a snare drum than a tympani drum, but what can you expect in july when it is in the eighties or nineties every day. Once the water rushed off the mountain it fell into a gorgeous clear pool. How refreshing this pool of ice-cold spring water must be on a hot summer's day. Unfortunately, Mark and I deemed it too dangerous to climb down to the pool because we weren't sure we could make it back up. So we spent the better part of an hour at Tympani Kissos and departed on a different route than we came on.

The route that we arrived on was quite spectacular. Mark, a seasoned hiker of Pelion told me he only discovered the route four years ago from a shepherd he met on his journey.

To be brief, we basically followed concrete channels and pipes that had been built for the purpose of diverting water from the spring to the villages of Mt. Pelion. At first we followed a concrete channel through the forest. This channel must have been hundreds of years old. There were parts of our walk were we had to balance on the channel, as we crossed the mountainside. Eventually we observed more modern channeling of the water through pipes. We continued our adventure through the forest and eventually heard the rapid rushing of water--we knew we were getting close.

On the last leg of our journey we had to traverse along a narrow path etched into a rock face where we had to crouch to avoid hitting our heads. We then heard the water rushing strong and "beating on the rock below". The last thing we had to do was to crawl through a dark mountain tunnel to get to the rock face overlooking the rushing water and the pool. This was an amazing walk and it was excellent to know that I had traveled one of the least-traveled paths in Pelion to see one of the most amazing sites in Pelion.

Jeremy Zaks, Queens New York

Labels: Hill Walking in Greece

Well, I've just spent two weeks on a beautiful mountain called PILION in mainland Greece close to the Aegean sea, staying at Kalikalos Holistic retreat centre in Kissos village. And what a blessing, in every way.

I came here to attend a FORGIVENESS workshop with COURSE IN MIRACLES teacher, Annie Blampied, from Sussex, England. Everything was great about this Centre, from its host, former academic psychologist Jock Millenson (a very experienced community leader) to the workshop with Annie, and what I would call "the community spirit". something that is hard to put in words, but is definitely alive and well here.

Till now I have lived mostly on my own or with my family, but here I found I really do like this community living. In fact I like it so well, that I think I will bring more of it to my own life. And when i can, come back here again probably.


We five participants (me and four women!) of the workshop dug deep in the sessions and faced our deepest shadows and we sure did let in some light! I would recommend Annie's workshops to anyone interested in improving their life situation, and where better to do it than in brilliant sunshine (despite us hitting a freaky June where the weather was hotter and sunnier back home in Surrey than it was here in Greece for a change) and on the beaches of the Pelion peninsula, still unspoilt by foreign tourism.

So I say, come out to Kalikalos and experience it for yourself!

Freddy Brant, Sutton, Surrey

Labels: Course in Miracles in Greece, forgiveness

We came together, three people from 3 different parts of the world and very different backgrounds. There was Mozza-a Finnish Norwegian Aussie; Caruthers aka Geoffrey-a crusty former Briton from Athens, and Peckhampam. Not forgetting Geoffrey’s companions Daisy and Toto the dogs and Archibald the tortoise, who hovered at the kitchen door expectantly.


From day one we hit it off and had fun, fun, fun, and cooking in the sun. Not only did we enjoy ourselves but so did everyone there who ate the food which had been prepared with love and humour, and NO stress. The two highlights on the food front were the feta and roast garlic turnovers (Daisy liked these as well snatching one from the hands of the guru-man) and the sundried tomato fritters which baked for two days on the marble stairs in the Aegean sun.


It wasn’t all cooking. There were early morning swims, taverna evenings by the sea at Damouhari where Mama Mia was filmed, and excursions in the beautiful Pilion.

Hello there!

I've been in the paradise of Pellion now in the top mainland of Greece for ten days, typing this in a café opposite the golden sands and peaceful turquoise sea. I have been very lucky to experience a very enjoyable time on this work camp in the Kalikalos holistic center. We have all been working hard to complete the work: a beautiful garden and living space for the people who'll be arriving for workshops in the coming weeks. A big project of ours that was completed yesterday was the roundhouse group space that took many hours to complete but is now an impressive structure and will be used for the workshops during the summer.

I have also been helping with gardening and the planting, cooking and cleaning and of course enjoying time at the local beaches and tavernas for refreshing swims and fabulous feta! I have learnt a lot about how a community works and the challenges it faces. How different people are and yet connected by an underlying force where-by everyone wishes to reach happiness in their lives. I feel it has been very good experience to be put in a situation whereby the people you live with here were strangers but soon become friends in your effort to achieve development in the Kalikalos community and its holistic ethos.


We have also been enjoying a workshop with Dr Helen Ford 'How to Be truly Happy' where students learnt how to explore there feelings related to there past and current events, to learn how to channel there feelings in a positive and more constructive way. Me and my friend Beth Phillips who is a complementary therapist in Norwich also offered Holistic Massage to the tired workforce. Here is a photo of us offering aromatherapy to Tim, known as Mr Bowen for the many Bowen sessions that he gave to nearly everyone at the camp.

We of course didn't get up to just hard work; there was plenty of opportunity to express and enjoy ourselves at the local taverna's, and at a party we held in Monica's room one night, where an array of talents were exhibited such as cross dressing, singing through pipe, bongo drumming and body painting!


I would highley recommend the work camp as it is very inspirational and i have gained a lot from it, living in this alternative holiday setting and making new friends. I feel I have developed my inner self to a more creative and higher level! I hope to return here for a future project soon.

Titania Fisher
22 years old.Norfolk.U.k

The beginning of the end of the work camp was last night . We celebrated with a bottle of champagne(special offer-slightly vinegary!) and a three course meal, as the succesful negotiations for next year are now in the hands of the lawyers. Jock has already started planning workshops for next year and we are looking forward to being back at Kalikalos. But do still let us know if you know of anywhere bigger near here so we can expand.






The work camp has ended in glorious sunshine on a deserted beach.


We were so keen to get to the beach that we were up early, posponed the circle sharing to the evening, and were hard at it cleaning the kitchen and doing all the last minute jobs (that increase as you do them).


Jock needed to do official closures (telephone etc) so we left him hard at it in Zagora, while we sat in the square and took it easy. He joined us in relaxing once we
reached the beach.



There were six or seven people on the first beach, too many for us , so we moved to the adjacent beach where there was just us as you can see. October bliss in Greece!



Now we are off to the taverna on a balmy night with the moon pink and reflecting in the sea.




It's a hard life on a work camp!


Pam Cohen, Jilly Cooke and Judith Bone--the last survivors of the May 2008 workcamp.

Kalikalos is looking for a place... places, is looking to expand. The dreams of several sharing circles and much confirming experince from Staff, participants and guests are clear that such a vision of community is worthy of continued growth. The practices of community, of supporting another human being in their truths, enjoying nature, bringing Holistic Education, giving opportunity, retreat, heart and soul, are here to stay and prosper.

Can you help?

We are looking for another place in the Pilion region of Greece, temporary or permanent, and also potential places elsewhere in Europe that offer similar opportunity.

What we need

A site with a buiding, or buildings, which has some land attached to it, 3 stremata or more (Greece, more elsewhere) on which some vegetables can be grown, a temporary group room structure, several tents and a yurt or two can be erected. The site would not be in a busy place from either traffic or tourism, at least in the immediate vicinity of the land and be within 50 minutes walk to the beach.
If renting, the site would be for available from mid May to mid October, though could miss out the Greek holiday period from mid July to August end. We do work to the property and land to improve and maintain the site, creating community through work projects and look to be of benefit to the local community somehow.

ROB DREAMING, Sussex, England

Another mad day passes. Reality never did shapeshift so fast as as I recall being out here before... workcamp no exception.

Not a huge amount of work to do here for the staff, mostly because the continuing lease of this particular place is still under some intense negotiations with the owner. A very protracted and complex set of legal, social and financial issues have made life uneasy for Jock, the creator of Kalikalos, and the future shape of the project difficult to forsee, but we are getting a lot of invaluable help particularly from our Greek friends here at the centre and some others who have come a long way from Athens and the large island of Evia to help also... stay posted!


The photos are I guess self explanatory.



As a result of several councils (talking circle sharings in which the wisdom of the group is sought) some of us postulated what Kalikalos would look like in five years time in our personal visions. These ranged from having 5 centres in different countries in Europe to Kalikalos designated in the Pantheon of Greek Gods and Goddesses as the God of community! More of the 5 centres thingy later

ROB

Hello my name is Jackdaw Parsons.I am 11 years old and im english.I have been living in ireland for 10 years though.We stayed in kalikalos for 3 weeks (We being me and my mum lusi).I have had a really enjoyable time at kalikalos, and am really felling sad that im going.I am also happy that i am going because i haven't seen my friend Joe for 6 weeks!Anyway back to kalikalos its the most beautiful place i've ever been to!The lovely beaches the wonderful meals and last but not least the friendly people.

On our first week we where being staff members.We did alot of work and met alot of nice people I really like the inspiration behind the kalkalos project called Jock. He's a really great man and his dream kalikalos has been a great success.On our second week here we where workshop participants. A wonderful man called Jeff Foster he was doing a workshop called nonduality.Its all about oneness and everything bieng connected.Me and my mum got on so well with Jeff and his partner Amy that we got their e-mail adress and they said they would vist us in Ireland.On this third week we are starting the work camp. Anyway this is a picture of me in a place called damouhari where a bit of the movie Mamma Mia was filmed me and my mum went there to have a meal in the taverna and do some sight seing. Anyway thats all from me overall i had a great time in kalikalos!!!



Jackdaw Parsons
Ireland

Er
I arrived four weeks ago to staff for a couple of weeks, then travel and then facilitate or be one of the facilitators for the last workshop of this year called Path of Love.

Expectations, hmm. I'm sure they have a use to a degree, but good not to hold on them eh..? Hang on, isnt that what an expectation is? OK, lets put them in the circle and eject them. Thanks.

Anyway, the week of the workshop, everything was changing on a daily (hourly?) basis and testing fluidity to deal with things...which was of course part and parcel of the Path. I think I only used the Sh** word twice. One of the faciliators was not well, four people had cancelled the workshop and the one participant was merged with the staff and LCG's (Live in Community Guests). Merging continued as a theme somewhere as I got the group to experiment with exchanging names, identities and generally check out another person's shoes... Blurring definitions.



The weather on a continual expectation to shine with sun, was cold and raining torrentially, so we huddled inside around fires to share and work with what came up. Of course, when I started to get the hang of working inside and plan things with an everchanging amount of participants, (staff etc needed to work, just chill ((sorry, warm up)) or whatever) my plans (expectations?) were laughingly thwarted by the sun appearing beaming. That was the second "S" word utterance made in full prescence of the morning circle sharing. Felt good!



Thankfully, the last two days remained hot and sunny, and my original intention to do the work on the beach manifested. The entire contents of the centre streamed on to the sand and stones and as you can see enjoyed a spot of lunch. Clarity at last! On the last day, the one participant ~Julie, got my and Belinda's full attention and we completed the workshop, then to blend, blurr or otherwise merge gracefully into workcamp mode...

I've been coming out to Greece to help Jock with his project since 2002 and it has been a continuing inspiration, life-changing, health-giving experience. It has been my Path of Love, since I now run talking circles in Brighton and whereever, and have some direct connection with one of the most beautiful places I know, this the region of the Pilion.

More to come I'm sure. Everyday out here is a life-experience doubled.
ROB Dreaming
www.heart-source.com

I came to Kalikalos a week ago because my friends were running a workshop & had told me what a magical place it is here. I wanted some sun, to practice living in community & to deepen my experience of life as a 'path of love' (the workshop title).

The community here has been incredibly enriching for me, I've felt a sense of calm contentment & excitement for life that has been really beautiful. Holding talking circles every day has helped me to feel almost instantly connected to complete strangers. and I'm usually pretty shy around people I don't know. but then Kalikalos seems to attract some very special, warm hearted people.



Sunshine was one thing that didn't happen for a few days, it was colder than England, ugh! but somehow it's so great here that huddling up with other lovely people just deepened the connection & I had a wonderful workshop experience. Then 2 days after I arrived the sun shone - suddenly out of the cloud came radiant blue skies, turquoise seas & deep happiness.

We all scooted down to the beautiful deserted beach & were so exuberant clothes just came flying off! In minutes we were skinny dipping in the sea & basking in the gorgeous feeling of sunshine on skin. Then the dolphins came out to play too which was amazing.



After the workshop I'd signed up for a few days of the 'workcamp' to close down the centre for the winter - work has such a different meaning for me here though - the ethos is that it must be enjoyable & I feel like I'm contributing to something I love, so it's a pleasure. We stopped for lunch & had what Jock calls a 'snack lunch' - most delicious & elaborate snack meals I've ever had!





Fortunately the sun has delighted us on many a beach day since. today we had a picnic lunch on the sand looking out over the most beautiful sandy cove. It was just perfect.


Julie Wright, Brighton

Back at home with the sweet memories of Pilion. It all is in me, arriving by the climbing roads, up and up, bend after bend. The sun, the heat, and then the coolness of the lush mountain. It embraces me, makes me forget the tightness I have lived with for so long now.

Meeting the friends who arrive from the beach, and seeing the freshness in them after their swim in the crystal clear turquoise waters. Next morning the sharing with the staff. Bliss. Is there anything better than sharing in a circle? I feel welcomed, loved, accepted, free - and expected to do things, cooking, washing-up!

A few days later I attend Jeff's workshop on advaita. It has been raining for a few days now. I sit wrapped in a blanket listening to Jeff talking about NOTHING. I have no comments, no questions, just sitting in beingness. I am.

The place is full of wonderful, warm people who create fun, great food, laughter, joy, tears. And I am part of it. I had forgotten how healing this kind of a community can be.
We are also part of the village community where nobody speaks English. The lady from one of the restaurants comes and cooks a Greek dinner for the lot of us one evening. Next time I'll find a person to teach us Greek dances and we will all dance madly the Zorbas!

In spite of the rain we had, I managed to swim quite a few times, walk the donkey paths down the mountain slopes, sit in the cafes drinking Greek coffee, watch the world go by and feel whole and happy. I definitely will be back.

I found a photo of a sun hat hanging from a tree and a man sitting under it. I also managed to catch Jock sorting out compost.

With Love
Johanna - Inverness

Finally i find myself here at Kalikalos after a wait of almost three months!! and its is everything and more than i dreamed it would be...

My reason for coming was to 'experience' community - and i surely am!! it is wonderful in its vibrancy, its interchanges, its fluidity, its loving members—and its challenging in its grieving on a friday when the 'old faces' disappear and the 'newbies' arrive, that time seems to move so fast, and yet so slowly too.

I am a Community Guest/Staff/Workshop Participant, so i am truly experiencing every aspect of Kalikalos. The freedom of the Community Guest is a great balance between giving of yourself in the work that one undertakes, and also receiving enough space to have 'down time' too. As a staff member of course its more full on, but much more 'vital' i find - as i am here with my youngest son Jackdaw who is 11, i was not sure how he and i would find the work load, but he is as willing and eager as i am myself to fully emerse ourselves in it all. The staff couldnt be friendlier or more welcoming, and we both feel like we are part of a big diverse family here.

Now i am a workshop participant, i am experiencing the flip side of all that, and it is fascinating to me - i have become quite lazy and am allowing myself the luxury of completely focusing on that workshop, although i did have a cleaning frenzy this afternoon and washed out all the bathrooms!!

A word here too on the workshop i am attending - its about NOTHING!!! and is facilitated beautifully by Jeff Foster - Oneness, or non-duality to give it another name is beautiful, fascinating, totally liberating, and we discover was HERE ALL THE TIME RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES!! couldnt possibly describe or explain it, in fact he has a hard time doing that too using only words!! which can only be pointers to what 'it' is - do check out his website if you are intrigued!! it is www.lifewithoutacentre.com I might add here that in searching for a community to try on for size, Kalikalos seems to be 'one of a kind'. Jock, who is its inspiration, truly manages to cater for us all, and i would not hesitate to recommend most highly this inspirational, free and fun-filled centre - and its in Greece too - how good can it get?

So, for now, i shall sign off with a couple of photos of our stay so far...the beautiful yurt, our favourite beach, and snuggling in blankets on a rare cold September evening in Jeff's course

Lusi and Jackdaw, Co Wicklow Ireland

A picture is worth a thousand words, is it not.

Just look at that crystal clear sea water here at our local beach. All I can say, and the photo top left says it far better than any words I might use, is that the sea is spectacular here in Pelion.

There are no jellyfish, the water is clean and clear, no dangerous currents, the temperature from May through October is perfect, soft white sand to lie on. Most of the beaches have shaded spots, and where they don't, I have my beach tent which packs away in 2 min to a tiny backpack. (I am lying there reading about TECHNICAL ANALYSIS IN THE FINANCIAL MARKETS in case you are interested.) I'll be getting up in a minute to have an ice cream at one of the tavernas right on the beach.

Amazingly enough, this area is still undiscovered for the most part. Only Greeks know about it, and their holiday season is basically the last week of July and the first 3 weeks of August. The rest of the time, we and a few other intrepid travelers pretty well have these gorgeous beaches to ourselves.

Sun, sea and the spirit of community. It's all here, waiting for you.

It was my dream for 25 years, an alternative holiday—something deeper than a suntan—and I want to share it with you!


Jock Millenson, Forres Scotland and other places

After 2 weeks of volunteering at Kalikalos I was happy to offer a short clowning improvisation on the terrace after supper one evening. It was so lovely to see so many smiles and beautiful faces! And lovely to experience the generosity with which everyone joined in. What was brilliant was that after I had gone 'off stage' I found Andrea, another volunteer, in the garden and she put on a nose too and was immediately transformed. We crept up from behind the bushes in the garden with a handful of red noses and gradually invited everyone to join in. We hid behind the washing on the lines and one by one got everyone away from the washing up, and eventually everyone at the centre was a clown! We then serenaded Jock from below his balcony, singing his praises and bowing to his all encompassing leadership! He joined in and waved to us all from his place on high. The clown loves to play with these power architectures with kindness and with humour- much laughter and much fun was had by all! It was a good end to a nourishing time for me at Kalikalos.

Sharon Usher, Oxfordshire, England

It's Friday afternoon, and all the retreat guests have gone home (although of course they never left Home, but that's another story ...)

What a lovely week it was. It was a week of laughter and tears, of openness and friendship, of paddling in crystal clear waters, of eating the most delicious and healthy home-made food, of insights and revelations and seeing life unfold right before our very eyes, of meeting each other and realising that we were only ever meeting ourselves.

The retreat was an absolute joy, a gift, a delight.... and yet it was nothing special - it was just THIS - as it is. Totally ordinary, and wonderfully extraordinary.

And as the week went on, and as the questions dissolved, a beautiful presence that was always there (but so often overlooked) became even more palpable. Until in the end, there was only laughter.

I'll always remember the laughter.... that wonderfully spontaneous, contagious, deep laughter.... that cosmic laughter that reminded us (as if any reminder was ever needed!) that all is One, and all is well, and that the Play accepts and loves everything unconditionally, because it IS everything, and nothing is excluded.

Thank you, Jock. Thank you, Kalikalos staff. Thank you, everyone who travelled so far to be here. See you all soon!

With love,


Jeff Foster

P.S. And thanks to the pears, the fish man, and the plastic chairs! ;)

Labels: advaita, awakening, jeff foster, kalikalos, non-duality, nonduality, retreat, spiritual

The first time we held hands to "tune in" it felt awkward.
I thought that this might be a sort of religious ritual.
But Sunday morning was different.
As we formed a circle in Jock's small room,
we could hear the fulfilling rain pouring down.
I closed my eyes and thought about our plants back home.
It was late August and they had suffered a dry summer.
The hands that held mine on each side were no longer strange.
It was as if they were drops of fulfilling rain onto my heart.
I gradually zoomed out of the picture and saw us forming a circle;

a small group scared and brave,
sad and happy,
lonely and in harmony,
on a huge planet.

I thought that the first groups of humans
gathering around the fire at night
might have looked and felt similar.
They might have held hands and told stories to ease their fears.
We opened our eyes.
We were ready for our story; to ease our own fears.
The difference was that this time the beasts were amongst the human race itself.
Thank you for making our lives a bit less dry.

Rolandos from Evia Island, Greece

Labels: Findhorn, holistic education, Permaculture

So I've been "working" here at Kalikalos for the last 3 weeks, and it's been nothing short of a gift. I mean that in the most genuine way. I remember the things that were running through my head the night before I was due to fly from London: What if I don't like it? What if they work me too hard? What if they're all a bunch of crazy New Agers? Well I was wrong on all counts (bar the last one maybe...).
As I sit here typing this blog, I can hear "My Girl" booming out of the cd player in the kitchen, with the occasional chorus contribution by the chefs. Tonight's menu involves the newly re discoverd, traditional stone oven I believe. We're having pizza cooked fresh, courtesy of Craig and Beatrice (with freshly needed dough). And the feeling is great. Like every night here.
I have to say I've eaten like a king since being here. Some of the guests/staff over the weeks have whipped up some really gourmet dishes. Particularly nice was Lotties' Quinoa and Veggie bake during the Tai Chi week. But man, this pizza is smelling good right now.

Since being here I've experienced some of the most beautiful natural scenery on earth, tasted the most lovingly prepared food, picked the freshest figs (alot!) from the trees, withnessed flash floods on a bibical scale, met some of the most inspirational human beings I have ever met, had the most glorious morning runs up into the hills at sunrise and learnt things I cannot put into words. And I write this from my heart.
I intend to write a longer blog when I have longer to write it. But this pizza is smelling too good...

Thankyou Kalikalos (for now.)

Freddie M, London

Labels: ha

For a staff member here at Kalikalos; the introduction to Permaculture was more than eye opening. I'm now thinking of the delicate processes of growth and food production with fresh eyes. Mother nature's a strange one to work out, but she seems to work to our best advantage when we tune ourselves more closely to her subtle demands. Who knew a cow horn full of manure and a cow horn full of quartz could be the route to bigger, fresher, tastier crop yields? Not me. That's for sure. Until now. Thanks to Craig and Beatrice for evolving my way of thinking about nature and about life. And thankyou to everyone that attended the workshop from all over Greece; you were all inspirational characters.
Freddie M, London

Having arrived to be a volunteer at Kalikalos 3 days ago, I wanted to gather some of my first impressions, both to remind myself of the experience, and to communicate to others who may feel like coming here. New place, new people, new rhythms and new community, all too much to explain really, too much information! So I've distilled some moments in 5 haiku, I hope they communicate something of the feel and colours here.


THE COMMUNITY
Strangers welcome me
This place is warming my skin
And soothing my soul

THE LAND
Where land meets water
Verdant, fertile, fruiting green
Pink roses, blue sky

THE KITCHEN
Purple,red,green,white
And the softest rosey blush
Colours we can eat!

THE SEA
Such a unique blue
Turquoise cannot describe this
Clear crystal holding

TAI CHI AT PLAKA BEACH
Stillness is the dance
Beauty moving with the sea
In flow we are one

On I go into my fortnight!....

Sharon Usher, Oxford