Joys of Greek Vegetarian Cookery

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.

Pam Cohen, London SE15

May 2009 Workcamp

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

Final Day of Workcamp

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 expanding

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

Workcamping

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

JACK BOND - 008

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

Path of Love

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