As more and more of the human population lives in cities, there is a romantic longing awakening in us to find ‘connection again to’ and ‘go out into’ nature. As it has become the norm to spend most of our time indoors, sit 8 hours in front of a computer for work, and then go home and be online again some more time, we understandably crave for movement, fresh air, forests, mountains, and the sea. However, those of us who are more exposed to natural phenomena–farmers, sailors, citizens of less developed countries, our ancestors 200 years ago, healthcare workers under the COVID-19 pandemic, homeless people–know why we tried to separate ourselves from nature in the first place. Nature is powerful and dangerous. Earthquakes, volcanoes, storms, disease, pests, wild beasts, poisonous plants, waves of the vast ocean, ice of the poles and mountaintops, heat of the desert are parts of nature that we want to keep away from. Inside all living things, lifeless matter is assembled to form a specific structure, and the moment the boundary–the cell membrane, our skin, the walls of our houses–is destroyed, the inner matter becomes one with the outer, and there is no more life.
We want to move towards nature if we have too little of it and we have the choice not to be exposed to all of it. We want to move away from it if we don’t have a shelter and our integrity is threatened by its forces.
We invite you to an expedition, a search for a middle ground by observing nature–our breath, our movements, meeting and laughing with others, the food that nourishes us, the air and trees and sea surrounding us, the light that is emitted by our computer screen, the soundwaves coming from the loudspeakers–as it is. Come and join us on this immersion into nature with all of its faces, welcoming them.
We will use the embodied mindfulness resources of Open Floor, dance, sit, eat, talk, be silent together, with an intention to wake up to the nature that we already are–to become nature.
"Becoming Nature" is an Open Floor embodied mindfulness retreat where we dance, walk, eat, and rest among beautiful pine trees and beaches, as simply as possible. As we are.
No previous experience needed, every body welcome.
Practical Info
Starting at 12:00 on 19. August and ending at 16:00 on 22. August
Price: €190 (early bird until 30. June), €240 (paid after 1. July)
Location: Prangli Island near Tallinn, Estonia
Food: €60, accommodation: €60
We will have simple, delicious, vegan and gluten free meals including breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, lunch on all four days, and dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
·•Click here to register•· (€90 non-refundable fee)
Bence Gáspár (PhD), is an Open Floor teacher and evolutionary biologist, long-time dancer, yoga and meditation practitioner.
Eeva Kallis is an Open Floor movement meditation practitioner and teacher, who is also teaching Yin Yoga, and has been immersed in different embodiment practices since 2007.
“We met on the dance floor in 2015 and immediately recognised something deeply common in us. We have been unfolding this exciting path of friendship and trust ever since by laying down stepping stones for each other. We would like to share this magic with anyone who is interested in getting closer to themselves and the world through connection with others.”
Impressions from last year’s retreat:
