It's my first time trying somatic meditation, a practice that redirects one's attention away from the chatter of the mind and toward bodily sensations. Guiding me is Mary Vandourou, a spiritual instructor whose passionate demeanor belies her petite stature. She invites me to imagine the sensation of weightlessness. "We are born into water," she says. "This is the beginning of our journey."
I rise slowly, rolling my neck, stretching my arms and legs, wiggling my fingers and toes. Eyes closed, I focus on Vandourou's feathery voice as she enumerates the qualities of the water-leader archetype. "She's always in the flow and uses the flow to benefit her cause." But that's the challenge; going with the flow has never come easily to me.
This had become clear over the last year. After a recent promotion, I grappled with insecurities about my leadership style, questioning whether I was navigating the daily dichotomies of the workplace-offering support while fostering independence, maintaining structure while encouraging evolution - the "right" way. Factor in my chronic need for approval, and I can wind up in a spiral of overthinking. Did I convey that gently enough?
Was I also firm and direct? Seeking the tools and space to recalibrate, I turned to Euphoria, a spa resort focused on holistic healing. Its location, tucked away in the ancient town of Mystras, was highly intentional, says founder Marina Effaimoglou, who, along with Vandourou, leads a retreat focused on women's leadership and empowerment. The forest surrounding Euphoria ascends toward the mythical Mount Taygetus. Once upon a time, women harnessed its energy for healing - an enchanting detail that captures the magic woven into the Euphoria experience.
Denne historien er fra March 2024-utgaven av Condé Nast Traveler US.
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Denne historien er fra March 2024-utgaven av Condé Nast Traveler US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The Slow Road - Rather than rush from Tokyo to Kyoto by train, as most visitors to Japan do, Tom Vanderbilt chose to bike - coasting down country roads, spying snow monkeys, and refueling with hearty bowls of soba
Rather than rush from Tokyo to Kyoto by train, as most visitors to Japan do, Tom Vanderbilt chose to bike - coasting down country roads, spying snow monkeys, and refueling with hearty bowls of soba. At the peak of the day's heat, I pulled into the tiny hamlet of Hirase, in Japan's Gifu Prefecture. I'd just climbed a twisting, waterfall-lined road several thousand feet through Hakusan National Park before descending into the shimmering fantasy landscape of Shirakawa-go, an almost Tolkien-esque village (and UNESCO World Heritage Site) comprising centuries-old farmhouses with peaked thatch roofs.
SHAILENE WOODLEY on FIJI
I was in Suva, the capital of Fiji, making a film, and our crew took over half of the Grand Pacific Hotel.
easy does it
Beyond the bubble of Queenstown, New Zealand's majestic Otago region offers the kinds of adventures you can truly appreciate only by slowing down
gather round
The secret ingredient in Philadelphia's lauded food scene? The empathy of the locals behind it
SANDS OF TIME
Sculpted by millennia, Chad is a place of ancient geology and epic grandeur. Aminatta Forna finds her place in it all
THE PAST IS PRESENT
Beguilingly complex Istanbul has done a lot of soul-searching in recent years. Lale Arikoglu digs into the city's modern identity - while tracing the roots of her own
Creation Story
Modern-day craftspeople are bringing back traditional Arabian arts in Jeddah's Old Town of Al-Balad
Continental Drift
For her first trip to Africa, aboard an HX Hurtigruten cruise ship, Sarah Greaves Gabbadon confronts her assumptions about what a homeland means
On the Rise
With new hotels, climbing routes, and biking trails, Colorado's low-key, high-elevation Western Slope is ripe for adventure
Antiques Road Show
After buying a second home, in France, the designer Claire Vivier called up fellow designer Kate Berry to go on the ultimate shopping spree