Silver Island Yoga - A Retreat for the Soul in Greece

Silver Island Yoga Retreat in Greece - A Review - The Great Full

The Silver Lining in the Aegean Sea

It is rare that you find a place so magical you will sacrifice the chance of new adventures just to encounter it again. For me, that place is a tiny dot in the Aegean Sea called Silver Island Yoga. I was first drawn to this eco-retreat while looking for a chance to slow down, disconnect from the laptop and reconnect to myself. An extensive google search, including my entire laundry list of somewhat specific wishes, eventually landed me at the beautiful website of Silver Island Yoga. I could sense immediately that I had stumbled onto something unique.

That was back in 2015 and then, two years later, I found myself there again. Not by chance but by a very deliberate decision to seek again what I had found when I left the island the first time. An intense sense of peace and calm and a renewed energy for life. That is the thing about this place, there is no single element that makes it mind blowing, rather a unique combination of things that make it completely unforgettable. You will experience time differently, where the minutes stretch eternal yet the days sail by. You will experience light differently, with the silver rays of sunshine dancing between the olive trees. And you will discover again and again that true luxury is space, simplicity and solitude in nature.

Silver Island Yoga - slow and mindful travel at its best

A typical day begins with meditation and yoga at the very reasonable time of 7.30am. As you lie in Savasana at the end of your 90 minute session you can luxuriate in the sound bath provided by the resident cicadas. Although it will feel tough the first few days, the twice daily yoga and meditation practice will have you feeling like you have a different body, and mind, at the end of the week.

After you unfurl from your practice, a short walk up the path from the yoga shala leads you to your awaiting breakfast spread of homemade delights. Meals on the island are fresh, healthy, beautifully presented and incredibly tasty. The produce is bursting with color, flavor and some sort of magical ingredient that makes it impossible to recreate at home. It may simply be that, free from our usual overwhelm of choice, we are able to appreciate in full exactly what is put in front of us. Most of the produce used at Silver Island Yoga is sourced from farmers in the region and brought to the island by boat. These fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetables form the basis of all the meals, together with olive oil pressed from the olives grown on the island. It is simple, old-school Mediterranean eating at its best.

After breakfast guests quickly find their own rhythm, perhaps swimming at one of the two little stone beaches or the rocky outcrop, going for a walk on one of the miles of meandering paths, or reading a book on a swing, bed or hammock. Mealtime discussions quickly wander to sharing secret spots that guests have discovered during the day. The perfect place for a nap, the best spot for a swim, where you may have a sighting of the resident seal or a pod of dolphins. During this expansive wallowing in time, I am always happy to see my childlike wonder at the world returning. How delighted I am when a bug the same color as my yoga pants starts crawling up my leg, or how the golden light bouncing off the ocean brings a smile to my face. The afternoon is for more of doing nothing and before you know it, it is time for the evening yoga session. A more restorative affair that leaves you floating up to your next meal. How is it already dinner time again? All of this doing nothing leaves you delightfully weary and most of the guests are in bed by 10pm. A common reflection is that no one knew how tired they really were until they finally stopped.

Frugal hedonism, exactly what you didn't know you need....

The whole island is a shrine to frugal hedonism and the delightful owners (and siblings) Lissa and Claire have made an absolute art out of less is more. Lissa was a former art teacher and her incredible eye for style and MacGyver like crafting skills have led to divine little touches all over the island. From the hand-woven swings to the hand stamped Ganesha on the sheets, everywhere you look there is a chance for the eye to delight. And then, on closer inspection, to be highly impressed - not only is what you are looking at beautiful and practical, it is also likely to be fashioned out of an old piece of rope or glass found on the shore. Claire was a former emergency medicine nurse, and her deep commitment to service can be felt not only on the island but in all the steps you take to get there. Her caring attention and eye for detail make every moment of the journey a part of the experience. And when you arrive, her creativity and mindfulness have crafted space all over the island where you can truly feel serenity and reconnect to yourself and your purpose. Corne and Ernest round off the team on the island to make sure that everything functions seamlessly, without costing the earth. From solar energy to rainwater harvesting, they make the vision of sustainable living a reality.

The transformation into a private island retreat for the soul

The island was serendipitously bought by a Greek-South African family in the 60’s and has had a chameleon like dance through the generations. First it was a private holiday venue, next a for hire island get away for the 70’s jetset, then a shelter for the resident animals before it was inherited, in all its ramshackle glory, by Lissa and Claire in 2012. They had a vision to open up the island and transform it into a yoga retreat built on the principles of sustainability that would conserve the islands natural bounty. Enlisting the help of friends from around the world, they hosted a several month long working bee to transform the island into what you see today. You can feel the soul, sweat and tears they have put into every inch of this place and it is a large part of its unique charm. Despite spending a total of two weeks on the island, I have still not managed to go kayaking with the resident seal. I guess I will just have to leave that for next time. Like I said, the moments are eternal but the days fly by. Much like life. Scroll down for more info about retreats at Silver Island Yoga, including the one I am teaching there this October!

Travel Information and My Retreat at Silver Island

Travel information: Silver Island offers one week (Sunday – Saturday) yoga retreat packages starting at €1’300 (all inclusive). Although not a cheap offering, it is (in my humble opinion) very good value for money. Accommodation is in shared double rooms and all meals are communal (which lets you meet interesting people!). Each retreat is led by a different teacher, so make sure you do some research to find one that suits the style of yoga that you are looking for. The island is completely off grid and there is no internet, which you will come to appreciate as an absolute blessing. There is also a resident shiatsu therapist, Katerina, who will rock your world.

My Retreat in October:I am delighted to return to Silver Island again this year, this time to teach the final retreat of the season in early October. If you would like to join me and experience this little piece of paradise for yourself, you can find more information here on the Silver Island Yoga Website. We will spend a delicious week practicing yoga, meditation, doing some healthy cooking (and eating!) and basking in all that the island has to offer. If you have any questions for me just leave a comment below or email me, I would be happy to answer them!

A final note: I wrote this review of Silver Island because I am interested in supporting and sharing places that genuinely honour slow, mindful and sustainable travel. I received no commission or incentive to write this, I have been a full paying guest both times that I visited. I just think it is an awesome place and that the owners and staff are wonderful, big-hearted people working hard to do something different in the world.