September 28 - October 4, 2008
Corfu, Greece
Eight hundred years ago a flame was born to the lovers of wisdom, unity and love. Celebrate the life and vision of Jalal Al Din Rumi, the Sufi mystic poet born 1207, whose magnificent poetry takes us step by step to meet God within ourselves. In this workshop, participants join in creating a communal ceremony to liberate their inner light through purification, ecstatic dance and shamanic ritual.
Ecstatic dance, practiced since before recorded history, is one of the oldest forms of spiritual practice. The use of blindfolds helps shed inhibitions and heightens awareness, allowing dancers to to journey with clear intent, moving them to deeper states of consciousness and closer to their soul's purpose. Participants are ritually purified, uniting their heart, mind and spirit. Through ecstatic dance and enthralling rhythms, we surpass the limitations of the ego and connect to the heart. By engaging the body with ritual intention, we balance mind with body and spirit in a powerful alliance. We dance our power, unlock and liberate our dreams.
"In this workshop," Ellen Watson writes, "we enter the visionary world of ecstatic dance, opening the doorways to your imagination, intuition, and inspiration, where the Divine dances and speaks through you.
Please join us for this extraordinary opportunity to dance, write and embody poetry, sing and chant on the magical island of Corfu, Greece. Alexis Zorbas is a lovely eco friendly, vegetarian retreat center, located in the lovely town of Arrilas. The setting is ideal, a 10 minute walk through rural farm land, to the Ionian Sea. Please see: http://www.alexiszorbas.com/.
Our class time will be in the morning and evening, giving us ample time to enjoy the sun, sea, and long walks on the beach. At night, bathed under the star laden sky, we can walk to the highest point on Corfu, overlooking the joining of the Ionian and Adriatic seas.
We will make several optional excursions on the island during the week; there will be additional expenses for these (rental car/s, food, boat rental, entry fees). We will take one walking tour of the olive groves and the village of Arillas, offering several good restaurants, and miles of sea, sun, and sand.
This group begins with dinner on Sunday, 9/28, and ends with morning class on Saturday, 10/03; checkout on 10/04. This is a full immersion retreat and will include a day of cleansing and fasting, an all night ritual, and a day spent in silence with yourself!
This retreat is for everybody: beginners and experienced ecstatic dancers alike. Regardless of experience, all are requested to come with beginners mind, and be open to moments of vision, ecstacy and heartfelt union.
YOUR INSTRUCTORS:
Ellen Watson is celebrating her 24th year on staff at Esalen Institute
in Big Sur, California. There she developed the Movement Arts Program
and teaches a wide range of massage, yoga, dance and moving meditation
practice. Now, though her nonprofit MovingVentures School, Ellen
offers Esalen(R) Massage training in Bali, and leads massage,
movement, and meditation workshops at inspiring locations around the
world, including a series of workshops exploring Rumi's mystical
journey through his fiery poetry, ecstatic dance, meditation, chanting
and storytelling. To share this extraordinary experience more
broadly, Ellen is filming the"Dancing with Rumi" video, available in
the summer of 2008.
Parashakti is a certified Shamanic practitioner, yoga instructor, and bodyworker. Born in Jerusalem and now based in New York City, Parashakti does Shamanic Healing and facilitates trainings in New York, Florida, California, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Israel. Parashakti has done extensive training in healing modalities with the Shoshone and Lakota Indians and apprenticed for three years with Shaman Wilbert Alix. A co-founder of Body Temple, a monthly NYC holistic event, bridging the gap between club culture and ritual, Parashakti integrates bodywork, Shamanic Earth Dance, and yoga in her healing work with individuals, couples, and groups. Both Time Out New York Magazine and Newsweek have acknowledged Parashakti 's Shamanic Earth Dance Ceremonies as a growing national trend promoting vitality and well-being, attracting a broad spectrum of participants from all over the world. For more on Parashakti, see: http://www.parashakti.org/
Arrival date: September 28, Departure date: October 4; daily schedule varies.
This workshop is priced in Euros. Workshop tuition is 600 Euros, with room and board from 500 Euros, for shared room and two delicious, vegetarian meals daily. Single housing available for additional fee. Some work/study positions available for reduced tuition. Please contact Ellen for details.
If you wish to arrive early or stay later, the rate for more days includes a discount; inquire when registering.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS: Fly to Athens/Corfu, or Frankfurt/Corfu. Contact Linda County, 415-485-0247, for assistance with your travel arrangements.
Price: From 1,100 EUROS (tuition and shared room)
Deposit: 500 Euros Non-refundable: 250 Euros
