Return to yourself
A Creative Retreat
In Paros, Greece
April 25 - May 1, 2026
at the Aegean Center for the Fine Arts
Reconnect.
Create.
Transform.
You know that quiet voice inside — the one that’s been whispering, "There’s more." Not more to do or prove or build. But more you. More beauty. More truth. More breath, more space, more meaning (especially now).
Our retreat is for that moment when you're no longer willing to wait. It’s for those of us who have taken care of everyone else, done all the right things, and find themselves exhausted, asking, What ^&@#*@ happened to my life and this world? Now, Love, it's time for you. It's time to get some support, beauty, rest, connection, play and fun. You need to be nourished, so that you can come alive again in your own body and life.
Why this retreat?
In a world of constant demands, noise, and screens, we forget. We forget how to be in our bodies, how to breathe deeper than our to-do lists, how to be held by beauty and not expectation.
This retreat was born from all of us — a group of artists, facilitators, alumni, and guides who have been shaped by this island, Paros, and by the deep joy of offering something meaningful.
Each of us has had a moment — or many — when life cracked open. When the ground shifted beneath us and we needed more than tools or time off. A time we said to ourselves:
I don’t want a spa day. I don’t want to learn how to paint tulips. I want something real. I want to be in a place where no one needs anything from me. Where someone else is holding the container. Where I can walk in the hills, feel the sun on my face and remember what it means to be. I want to make something with my hands. I want good food. I want to laugh. I want quiet. I want beauty — not the curated kind, but real beauty, the kind made by earth and light and time. I want to be surrounded by people I trust. People who can hold emotion without drowning in it, who know how to guide transformation with tenderness and strength.
So we came to Paros. And here, something in each of us came alive again.
This retreat is our way of giving back what we received. It is a distillation of the best things we’ve gathered over a lifetime — beauty, art-making, nourishment, creativity, and space, community, food, friendships, and the quiet moments of real transformation. It is not a job. It is an offering from our hearts to yours.
When you arrive, you’ll feel it. The intention. The artistry. The beauty in the small things — the way the light hits the stone courtyard, the smell of orange blossoms on the breeze, the thoughtful layout of your materials, the warm laughter as you walk to catch the sunset over the Aegean Sea.
You’ll feel safe enough to soften. Supported enough to let go. Surprised by how quickly joy returns when you are surrounded by care, kindness, delicious food, and the freedom to just breathe and be.
This retreat is for you if:
You’re longing to reconnect with your creativity — to remember the joy of making something with your hands and reignite your inner passion.
You’re navigating a life transition and feel the deep call for change, clarity, and a fresh beginning.
You’re craving a pause from the crazy world — space to breathe, rest, walk in nature, and connect to ancient beauty.
You want to feel held in a space of warmth, presence, and kindness — to share stories, laughter, and stillness with others.
You’re ready to return to yourself — not just through insight, but through experience, embodiment, and beauty.
You are the author of your life
Love shook my heart
Like the wind on the mountain
rushing over the oak trees. "
- Sappho
A few things I beleive
We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are."
- Anais Nin
This retreat includes:
morning practices
Coaching
Ease into the day, your way. Start with an early morning hike through Paros’ olive groves and wildflowers, or join us in the courtyard garden for a quiet mindfulness practice. Or—sleep in. Wander out when you're ready.
Gatherings
Each day, we come together to connect—to learn, share, create, and laugh. Some gatherings are reflective and quiet. Others are playful and full of adventure.
Creativity
We are all creative—truly. It’s making something with your hands, your heart, and your attention. It’s seeing the world with fresh eyes. As we play, make, and discover, something shifts inside. We loosen what’s stuck. We remember how much beauty there is in this world and within us. Life opens up to possibilities.
We’re here to explore, to open, to restore—and yes, to have fun while doing it. Through conversation, insight, and grounded coaching tools, you’ll be invited to gently release what no longer serves you and return home with practices that keep opening doors long after the retreat ends.
and...
Adventures
Every day brings a new adventure. Sometimes it’s a quiet wander through the landscape. Other times we’ll head out together—like a picnic up in the hills beneath ancient olive trees, with sweeping views of the sea. Or a day exploring the turquoise coast, letting the wind and water wake something wild and joyful inside you.
Fun and Play
Healing doesn’t have to be heavy. In fact, we believe joy is part of the medicine. Here, you’re invited to play—to move your body, laugh until your stomach aches.
Good food
Choice and freedom
We treat food like the art form it is. Meals are simple, fresh, and grounded in the flavors of the island. Local farm vegetables, just-baked bread, golden olive oil, sun-warmed fruit—food that’s as beautiful as it is nourishing.
This retreat is here for you. Want to take part in everything from morning to night? Great. Need a nap or time to wander solo? That’s welcome too. There’s no one right way to move through this experience. You get to listen to what you need and follow it, moment by moment.
You will learn and unlearn - letting go of what doesn't serve you any more.
This whole experience is healing, though we may not call it that in the moment. It happens in the walking, the laughing, the turquoise swims, the scent of wild herbs on the breeze. It happens when your hands are busy making something beautiful and your heart gets a little quieter. It happens in being together, not fixing or analyzing, just being.
And yes, we’ll offer you tools. Not because we think you need fixing, but because they’re helpful. Fear can chatter in your head no matter where you are. We will teach you how to quiet it so that you can be connected to the beauty inside and around you, no matter what.
We’ll show you how to come back to yourself, again and again.
You are the masterpiece you get to go home with.
About Mehera and Cari
Co-Directors
We’ve been coming to Paros—and the Aegean Center for the Fine Arts—for over 30 years. Every time we need to reconnect, restore, or rekindle our creative spark, this is where we return. Paros, with its ancient wildness and quiet beauty, grounds us and transforms us every time.
Mehera is an artist, somatic coach, and founder of Your Knowing Self. She has spent over two decades helping people come home to themselves. She brings depth, warmth, and a gift for making transformation feel both freeing and full of laughter.
Cari is a professional artist whose background spans decades of studio practice, exhibitions, and mentoring. Her teaching is intuitive, encouraging, and grounded in clear aesthetic guidance. She brings both heart and craft to every creative experience.
This retreat is the distilled essence of everything we love—art, nature, play, reflection, beauty, and the kind of community that feels real and nourishing. It’s the best of what we’ve spent a lifetime gathering, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Since 1966
The Aegean Center For the Fine Arts
Our retreat is held at the Aegean Center for the Fine Arts — a beautiful, light-filled space tucked into the heart of Parikia. With its neoclassical architecture, creative studios, and warm gathering spaces, it’s the perfect place to slow down, make art, and reconnect with what matters. The Center, and it's director's and teachers, John and Jane Pack, have welcomed artists and seekers for decades. You’ll feel the soul of that history as soon as you step inside. It’s not just a location — it’s part of the magic.
If you’re craving beauty, connection, and a place to breathe, this retreat is waiting for you.
IS this right for you?
If you’ve ever looked around at your life — the one you built so thoughtfully — and thought, Wait, why does this feel like it belongs to someone else?, this retreat is for you.
If you’ve been carrying everyone else's needs on your shoulders, and suddenly your own voice feels like a whisper — this retreat is for you.
If you are craving depth, connection, beauty, and a little bit of sparkle — not just in your schedule, but in your soul — this retreat is for you.
It’s for the ones who are done waiting for permission. For the ones who want to laugh until they cry and cry until they remember. For the ones who don’t need more information, but more experience.
We’re not here to fix you. You’re not broken. We’re here to welcome you home to the self you’ve always been — under the doing, the proving, the giving, the pleasing.
If this made your shoulders drop a little — we hope you’ll come.
Investment
Tuition: $2,800 ( Includes all programming, supplies, tea/coffee, treats + lunch, welcome & farewell dinners, and excursions.
Early Bird Rate: $2,500
(before December 31, 2025)
Deposit: $500 to reserve your spot
Payment plans available
Housing is not included — you’ll receive a curated list of nearby options, from luxury villas to cozy
guesthouses.
Optional 1:1 coaching with Mehera is available post-retreat to support your integration.
It changed my life!
''I left feeling alive again, with a sense of what's next, and of seeing possibilities I couldn't see before. I got out of survival mode and experienced what it was like to thrive again. It was amazing and now I know I am amazing too."
-Sarah M.
You are welcome
Come With Us
If your heart is whispering yes — listen. This retreat fills quickly because it’s intimate by design. We keep our group small so each person feels truly seen, supported, and held.
We would be honored to have you with us.
Reserve your space while there’s still room.
Register
True art
makes the divine silence in the soul
break into applause.”
- Hafiz
