A healing journey to Ikaria with friendship, wellness, and longevity
The past two years had been tough on me. I had gone through a lot of emotional turmoil, and by August 2024, I realized I needed to nourish my spirit. Reaching 68 means you've faced your fair share of challenges, but thankfully, I inherited my mother’s resilience and my father’s strength. Within a matter of weeks, I discovered myself relaxing in the thermal springs on the beautiful Greek island of Ikaria.
Ikaria is famous as one of the five blue zones globally, where one out of every three people lives to be over 90 years old. This island is noted for its lower levels of chronic illnesses and greater life expectancy. I was lucky to snag a last-minute spot at a Longevity Retreat after someone else dropped out.
When I arrived at the airport, I was welcomed by my lovely hosts, Angeliki and Kyriaki. They recommended that we take a swim at one of the many beautiful beaches nearby. Luckily, since I had visited Greece multiple times, I already knew the customs for enjoying the beach.
This beach was different—there were no small shops, no benches, and no facilities to change clothes. Just tiny stones meeting the enchanting Mediterranean Sea. Angeliki parked the car on the pebbles, opened three doors to create a makeshift changing area, and soon enough, I found myself immersed in the warm waters of my homeland. Within a few hours, Angeliki, Kyriaki, and I shared our life stories, feeling as though we were long-time friends, talking about everything—the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
With her Master of Arts in Theatre Directing from the University of London, Kyriaki playfully mentioned that her upcoming play could be titled Three Women, Two Hours. It was a reflection of how quickly we bonded and the wealth of ideas she had compiled. The following day, seven women traveled from Toronto to participate in the retreat.
Out of nowhere, our group grew to ten people—seven from Canada, our delightful Greek hosts, Angeliki and Kyriaki, and me, an Aussie with Greek roots. Just a few hours after they arrived, we found ourselves enjoying the healing thermal springs at Ayios Kyrikos. The upcoming week promised to be incredible. We decided to name the play Ten Women, One Week.
Angeliki has a PhD in Physical Education and is an accomplished swimmer and water polo player at the national level. She is also a certified life coach, yoga teacher, and tai chi enthusiast, as well as a member of the Greek Society of Sport Psychology. We were confident we were in excellent hands.
Angeliki and Kyriaki created an incredible program filled with delicious food, theatre workshops, aqua tai chi, island sightseeing, relaxing in hot springs, massages, cooking demonstrations, bonding moments, swimming, beautiful sunsets, wine tasting, and tours of farms and botanical gardens, topped off with a village festival known as paniyiri. We partied until 2 a.m., while the island’s legend, 99-year-old Nick, kept going until 5 a.m. Nick, a former research chemist who spent 30 years in the United States, had returned to Ikaria. At 99 years old, without any hearing aids or walking assistance, and with a zest for life and a passion for dancing, Nick earned the admiration of his fellow residents.
The week-long Ikarian Longevity Retreat was far from a usual conference. There were no name tags, badges, promotional materials with schedules, or inexpensive trinkets. It didn't revolve around theories or guidelines—there were no psychological evaluations, guest presenters, brainstorming sessions, or catchy phrases on sticky notes. You wouldn't find trendy foods, herbal drinks, moments of crisis or realization, or completion certificates. It was its straightforwardness and genuineness that set it apart.
It was a gathering of people in their sixties, and in a world that frequently seems contrived and polished, we found a blend of culture, food, and healing through companionship, discussions, strolling, swimming, sharing meals, and dancing. It was exactly what my weary spirit required.
