Back from 2 retreats in a row in the beautiful Villa Tabody overlooking the majestic lake Balaton, the least we can say is that Mother Nature spoiled us with glorious skies that magnified the participants up-sides and helped them sailing choppy waters.
We explored one novelty on these detoxes’ that I may well weave into future retreats: following a well-established, relaxing and healing Hungarian practice we went to enjoy some therapeutic spas....Not any spa though, but the enchanted Héviz lake at the tip of lake Balaton! Known for its curative effects, its richly mineralised hot waters and its unique flora and fauna, it makes a swim in the lake an unforgettable experience. At a leisurely pace swimmers slowly and mindfully slide across water-lilies floating in the deep blue of the lake surrounded by elegant albeit mighty lush trees. Old-fashioned piers, outdoor decks with long-chairs and wooden structure give a turn of the century feel to the place. Complemented by an indoor jacuzzi, several saunas and steam-rooms, the whole experience becomes quite magical, reinvigorating some and surely helping them to forget (despite the inside coffee place) that they are on a fast.
And then we had our usual activities: wandering amongst the oldest European volcanoes that make this part of Lake Balaton so special, lying by the lake-side watching nature unfold, pampering ourselves with massages, repairing our bodies thanks to Viki’s gentle hands (one of the only Hungarian osteopaths) and for the latter retreat the presence of Fran from Folk Officinalis - the english speaking herborist of Hungary - who not only named the 1000 plants we were vagabonding through but also initiated us through their healing mysteries and hidden secrets.
Practicing mindfulness all along the stay accompanied by deep group talks questioning the essence of freedom, exploring the causes of resistance, the power of now, clarifying our personal intentions, sprinkled by poetry and verses. All this combined together made these 4 days a truly Holistic experience involving body, mind and soul.
After savouring every aroma of the “break-fast” as if it were the first and last, the group concluded what became a usual practice always charged with emotions: contributers taking time to express their gratitude for their bodies having gone through this amazing journey, for their co-participants for supporting each other and for life to be so generous.