Ithaca July 2015

Workshop: Return Home with Odysseus

Take the 4 therapeutic keys of Homer’s Odyssey and return to the Ithaca of your heart

Visit the land you are familiar with from your school books and be a part of its myth. Come and claim your throne , your kingdom and your eternal partner.

Comments on The Secret Odyssey

The workshop is based on Ioulia Pitsouli’s book “ The Secret Odyssey” which is already an inspiration for self awareness seminars given at the University of California. See below the comments of the professor A Toupadakis:

Many myths in every culture offer the key for learning how to cross the ocean of suffering and how to reach the shore of the land of peace, joy and true everlasting happiness. In our difficult times of this fast pace changing world, while having in our disposal so many conveniences, we feel more than any other time in human history a sense of loss of identity and purpose in life.

Ioulia Pitsouli’s fantastic fresh interpretations of these myths come right on time to give us solace and reason for living.

Reading her beautiful book “The Secret Odyssey”, I found her interpretation of the myth extraordinary helpful for all of us who strive for inner growth.For this reason I started to use her book, “The Secret Odyssey”, for my two First-Year seminars on Self-awareness at the University of California at Davis.

I strongly believe in Julia Pitsouli’s work, which is supported by also amazing collaborators, their establishment of a community of people longing for inner growth on the mountains of Peloponnesus (http://www.noosfera.gr/eng/content.asp).

Andreas Toupadakis, Ph.D.

Department of Chemistry

University of California

Day 1: Arrival in Athens. Pick up and check in at Athens Gate Hotel (in the centre of Athens

Dinner at the Roof Garden restayrant which is located on the top floor and is offering a magnificent view to the Acropolis hill and Athens city centre. It is a good opportunity to meet the rest of the team and familiarize yourself better with the philosophy of the trip.

Day 2: Morning: Tour in Athens. Acropolis, Acropolis museum, lunch in the area of the Ancient Agora and Plaka.

The Agora was the center of political and public life in Ancient Athens. It was a large open area surrounded by buildings of various functions. The Agora was utilized for commerce, political, religious and military activity

Night: :Lycabettus or Herodium Theatre

Day 3: Departure for Noosfaira

The Adventure

The Cyclops, the land of oblivion, the mesmerizing sorceress, the visit to the underworld, the contradicting forces, the opponents and the helpers of Odysseus . Discover their presence in the story of your life.

Day 4: Noosfaira

The Treasure

Evaluate the price paid. Remembering and taking distance.

Day 5: Noosfaira

The Decision

“ I am nobody anymore. I am Odysseus the king of Ithaca and I want to go home!” Time is right to face and purify the opponents, contradicting forces

Day 6: Noosfaira

The Homecoming

Triumphal reinstatement in the inner kingdom.

The reunion with your Higher Self and the Source.

Tools: we will work with special questionnaires , psychotherapeutic exercises supported Hemi-Sync sounds that facilitate the synchronization of brain hemispheres, guided meditations, painting and group interaction.

Afternoon: Departure from Noosfaira by mini bus for Kyllini port. Travelling by ferry boat to Ithaca. Check in at Mentor Hotel

Ithaca – famous all around the world and through the depths of time. It is the island of destination, the island of nostos, the island of homeland and of love to it. Already since antiquity, through the poems of Homer, Ithaca becomes a symbol and, as a destination, takes on an even greater and deeper meaning by the poem of Cavafis.

Day 7: Tour at the Southern part of the island, which includes the city of Ithaca, which is also called Vathi. It is built around the safest natural harbor of the Ionian Sea and it has a health center, Port Authority and Coast Guard as well as a Police department, fire and public services. In the southern part of Ithaca lies Perachori, which is the most populated of the villages on the island. It is built on a hill and offers an endless view towards Vathi, the numerous islands of the Ionian Sea, as well as the coasts of Central Greece.

Day 8: Tour at the Northern part of the island, which includes six picturesque villages. The road from Vathi passes originally from Lefki, with the lovely view towards Kefalonia and the spectacular sunset. Then we find Stavros, a significant village of northern Ithaca, with a variety of accommodation facilities and restaurants at the central square. Then, the road splits in two directions: if you turn to the right, you will find Frikes, a picturesque fishing village with tavernas, and Kioni, which has been designated as a protected traditional settlement and is for many the most beautiful village of the island. If you turn to the left, you will reach Exogi, built on a hilltop and Platrithias, built in the valley.

Day 9: Ithaca: Free day

Day 10: Departure by ferry boat for Astakos. Return to Athens through Rio-Antirio bridge. Dinner at Platonos village (picturesque seaside village).

Lunch and dinner are included.