Greek Retreat
with
Ian Watson
18th - 23rd May 2026
Aegina Island
In September 2025 we had a fabulous retreat in Crete, with participants joining from around the world. My second Greek retreat will be held at Oikia Karapanou on the island of Aegina, just a short ferry ride from Athens.
Join me for a late spring gathering exploring the 3 Principles understanding together with deep conversation, sea bathing, storytelling, music, walks in nature, sunshine and fresh local food. Come and be nourished on every level!
Crete Retreat Group 2025
Finding Ease in Uncertain Times
Every time we have an insight and glimpse a deeper truth, our experience of the world changes. Whenever an inner conflict gets resolved and peace of mind is restored, we find new opportunities for peace in the outer world. Any time we let go of the false ideas that judge, divide and separate us, we bring a little more harmony to all of our relationships.
It is not a selfish act to prioritise your own wellbeing, clarity of mind and inner peace. On the contrary, it is the most effective way to contribute to the healing and evolution of the whole, for we are all aspects of the one universal consciousness. Finding ease on the inside doesn’t imply passivity in the face of worldly challenges either. Rather, it enables what is truly helpful and beneficial to arise naturally without the contaminating influence of a personal agenda.
The Nobel prize-winning chemist Ilya Prigogine wrote: ‘When a complex system is far from equilibrium, small islands of coherence in a sea of chaos have the capacity to shift the entire system to a higher order’.
The world we live in, our families and workplaces are all complex systems and on this retreat, we will explore together how each one of us in our own unique way can be that small island of coherence in a sea of chaos. I will share what I have found most helpful through my own journey of learning and sharing the 3 Principles. I will also offer live demonstrations of how this simple understanding is so practically beneficial and transformative for each of us individually, our families and wider communities alike.
If you are new to this understanding, it is an opportunity to familiarise yourself in a friendly, small group setting. For those already familiar, it is an invitation for deeper realisation and to gain confidence in sharing your understanding with others.
Formless Principles
The 3 Principles provide a way for us to know and understand how our experience gets created internally through the power of Thought. Realising this experientially introduces a level of choice, self-responsibility and freedom that is unavailable when life appears to be ‘just happening’ to us randomly.
Through Consciousness, our thoughts are brought to life via our sensory system and experienced as our moment-to-moment reality. As conscious beings, we are gifted with the capacity to be aware not only of our thought-created experience, but also of our true nature as awareness beyond thought.
The principles also reveal our unbreakable connection to the invisible, formless intelligence behind all of life that Sydney Banks referred to as Universal Mind. This divine intelligence is the source of all that we can perceive, and in its purest expression we experience it as truth, love, compassion, wisdom and wellbeing.
As we deepen in our apprehension of these hidden forces at work behind the scenes, we find we can co-create a life experience that is far less stressful, more joyful, loving and creative than we ever could have imagined.
“In every area of life everyone is capable of seeing from a higher perspective than they do now. You are never stuck. You’re simply limited by the level you are seeing from.”
Effortless Change
Most of us have been conditioned to believe that real, lasting change requires hard work, discipline, will-power and ongoing struggle. We are encouraged to keep ‘working on our issues’, breaking out of our comfort zone and striving towards some ever-distant goal.
.What if deep, sustainable change was actually far simpler than we have been led to believe? The 3 Principles understanding reveals another possibility that turns the old paradigm of change on its head.
When we seek change, what we are really seeking is a change in our experience of life. Whether it’s your health or physical appearance, finances or circumstances, a relationship or the state of the world - what you are looking for is a different experience of that aspect of your life.
The principles point to the fact that a fresh experience is available in every moment, and all it takes is a shift in your level of consciousness through insightful realisation.
This is not reframing, positive thinking or affirmations - these are ‘working on your issues’ in another disguise.
Real transformation takes neither time nor effort - it occurs spontaneously via a simple shift in understanding.
Retreat Venue & Location
“Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.”
Our retreat venue is the elegant Oikia Karapanou, a beautiful old mansion house on the island of Aegina. Set in its own gardens, the house is just a 5 minute walk to the nearest beach and a short taxi ride from the ferry port.
Accommodation is in spacious twin, double or 3-bed rooms There are 5 shared bathrooms and numerous terraces and balconies.
Aegina is a small island just 27km from Athens and is known for its production of pistachios, the ancient temple of Aphaia and monastery of St. Nektarios.
Nikos Kazantzakis, famed author of Zorba the Greek was a resident on the island and has a street named after him.
There are numerous hiking trails and beaches to enjoy together with fresh local cuisine and seafood.
Retreat Schedule May 18th - 23rd 2026
Monday 18th
14.00 - 17.00 Arrival & Check in
17.30 - 19.00 Welcome Group Session with Ian
19.00 Evening meal at Oikia Karapanou
Tuesday 19th - Friday 22nd
08.15 - 09.15 Breakfast
09.30 - 13.00 Morning Group Session with Ian
13.00 - 17.30 Lunch Break & Free Time
17.30 - 19.00 Evening Group Session with Ian
Saturday 23rd
09.30 - 11.00 Final Group Session with Ian
11.00 - 12.00 Check out and departure
Why not treat yourself to a relaxing cranio-sacral therapy or massage session during one of the free afternoons?
Kristin is an experienced naturopath and holistic therapist and you can contact her for further details and to pre-book a session.
The schedule is intentionally relaxed, with the afternoons free to enjoy the surroundings, swim, sunbathe, take a walk in nature or a siesta, as you please.
A group evening meal will be served on the day of arrival and a vegetarian breakfast and lunch will be served daily at Oikia Karapanou prepared in-house using fresh, seasonal, mostly organic local produce.
Evening meals on the subsequent days can be taken at one of the nearby tavernas or restaurants, or you can prepare your own evening meal using the onsite kitchen facilities if you prefer.
Retreat Booking & Accommodation Options
Please note that the fee for accommodation & meals is to be paid separately from the retreat booking fee as below -
Retreat Booking Per Person
Earlybird Fee: £395 (before Jan 31st)
Full Fee: £445 (after Jan 31st)
Accommodation & Meals Per Person €330 (euros)
5 nights half-board accommodation in shared room at Oikia Karapanou - includes vegetarian breakfast & lunch
€330 (euros) payable on arrival
Offsite Accommodation
If you prefer not to share a room and/or would like to attend the retreat whilst staying offsite, we have a limited number of places available on this basis.
You will need to book your own accommodation but will be able to join the group for breakfast and lunches at an additional cost as below -
Oikia Karapanou offsite guest charge €7 per day
Breakfast €11 per day
Lunch €17 per day
Please email Ian to confirm availability before booking your place as an offsite participant.
To book and pay by BACS bank transfer, email Ian to request the bank details. This payment method is preferred as it avoids costly card processing fees.
Alternatively, you can book and pay online using the payment button opposite.
Traveling to Oikia Karapanou
The nearest airport is Athens International and Aegina island is served by a regular car ferry (1hr 15mins) and hydrofoil (40mins) from Piraeus port.
Traveling as a foot passenger, you can take a taxi on arrival at the ferry port to Oikia Karapanou (5mins) .
More detailed directions can be found here