Our Invitation To You

Would you like to explore the Mediterranean way of life with personal guidance and a welcoming community of like-minded guests?

Join us for an exclusive retreat where calm, discovery, and connection come together in one unforgettable experience.

Description of the Retreat

Program pillars

Medical Foundation
Macrobiotic Nutrition
Embodiment & Practice
Healing Treatments

This signature medical holistic retreat is led by experienced doctors and clinical nutritionists. Using advanced testing and precision diagnostics, the program looks closely at metabolic health and energy pathways at the cellular level. By identifying root causes, the retreat is designed to support your body’s natural healing processes and help restore balance from within.

This science-informed approach may support:

Greater vitality and energy
Balanced metabolism and healthy weight management
Reduced inflammation and improved cellular health
A lower risk of chronic illness, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, dementia, and more
A stronger sense of well-being and longevity

Nutrition is a key part of the healing journey. The macrobiotic-inspired cuisine focuses on:

Whole grains, seasonal vegetables, and legumes
Fresh, local, and organic ingredients
Natural, minimally processed foods
Balanced meals that support harmony between body, mind, and spirit

Each meal is thoughtfully prepared to help retrain metabolism, restore equilibrium, and support cellular renewal.

Daily embodiment practices are woven into the experience to help reconnect body and mind:

Restorative yoga and Yoga Nidra for deep relaxation and nervous system reset
Guided meditation and mindful walking to cultivate presence and inner stillness
Gentle Pilates-based movement sessions, offered optionally, to support strength and alignment

These practices help the body receive and integrate the benefits of the medical and nutritional work more fully.

To complement the overall framework, the retreat also includes holistic therapies that nurture both body and spirit:

Swedish deep tissue massage to ease tension and support circulation
Tibetan sound bowl healing, a vibrational therapy designed to release energetic blockages and restore harmony

Water Readings

Nature is alive and conscious. When we listen, it reveals what we need to know. Connecting with water is also a way of connecting more deeply with yourself. It can be a powerful reminder that we are more than the physical body, and that water can help restore our most joyful and empowering expression.

Breathwork

To breathe well is to live well. Many of us rarely notice the quality of our breathing, even though it shapes our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. During this retreat, you will discover simple and beautiful breathwork techniques for relaxation, increased energy, deep transformation, and freediving.

Freediving

Freediving is the practice of moving underwater on a single breath. Whether in the pool or the open ocean, it offers an intimate encounter with yourself as you deepen your relationship with breath and water. It invites presence, slows the pace, and strengthens breath control while supporting the mind-body connection.

“Freediving is not only a sport, it's a way to understanding who we are” - Natalie Molchanova

Mermaiding

Mermaiding is a creative form of self-expression that invites participants to embody the mythical mermaid or merman. This unique experience blends underwater performance, costume design, swimming with a mermaid tail, and artistic expression. The journey begins with inner calm, breath-hold skills from freediving, and the full transformation into an aquatic fantasy.

Mermaids appear in mythology, symbolism, and folklore across the world. Often portrayed as half-human and half-fish beings with supernatural powers, they are seen as figures that connect land and sea. For some, they are guardians of the ocean and symbols of balance within marine life.

Short Biography of the Teachers

Meet your Lifestyle Medicine Guide

A Few Words from your Hosts

Sisters Sung Nghiem, Phuong Nghiem, and Trai Nghiem are monastic Dharma teachers at Plum Village, ordained by the Venerable Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. They are dedicated to sharing the teachings of joyful, compassionate living through mindfulness and interbeing.

Retreat Experiences

Retreats usually last three or six nights, although shorter and longer stays are also available by arrangement for guests who wish to join the daily yoga, Pilates, and Zen meditation schedule. The teacher is either Zen Rocks owner Vivi Letsou or a trusted member of her international teaching team. A typical day includes morning Zen meditation, an Ayurvedic healing drink, a two-hour yoga and/or Pilates class, brunch, rest or yoga therapy training, followed by an evening restorative yoga or Pilates class, dinner, sunset meditation, and a late-evening Yoga Nidra, music, relaxation, or Zen meditation session.

YOGA AND YOGA THERAPY

Vivi Letsou selects yoga teachers who are calm, centered, and highly experienced. Guests can expect to practice Abhaya Yoga, created by Vivi to help align with the wisdom of the heart and live fearlessly, as well as Dynamic Vinyasa Flow, Therapeutic Alignment, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Nidra. Classes last around two hours and usually take place from 9 to 11 am, after meditation and an immune-boosting drink of lemon, ginger, honey, and turmeric, as well as after dinner.

Vivi is also an Anusara-certified yoga therapist. Her deep anatomical knowledge is valued by yoga teachers worldwide and is especially helpful for anyone wishing to improve alignment. Sessions may focus on a specific area of the body, such as the feet, the roots of the body, or the many complexities of the shoulder joint.

MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION

Zen Rocks offers several types of meditation, including Viloma Pranayama, which gently expands the breath and lung capacity through soft holds, and Nadi Shodhana, or Alternate Nostril Breathing. Guests can also expect an introduction to Zen Buddhism meditation, both seated and walking. Meditation is generally offered first thing in the morning and lasts about 45 minutes, depending on the teacher.

Zen mindfulness meditation is part of the daily program, and guests are encouraged to bring mindfulness into every part of their stay, from conserving water in the shower to taking only what is needed at mealtimes. Special mindfulness retreats are also offered throughout the year.

TREATMENTS

Treatments include reflexology, deep tissue massage, and Shiatsu. Guests are also invited to experience Thai Yoga Massage with Betty Papadopoulou, a deeply soothing treatment that feels like being moved by ocean waves.

An Ayurvedic doctor is available for consultation and massage on request. Treatments are offered in your bedroom or in the yoga shala and usually last one hour or more.

NATURE AND BEACHES

Fragrant rosemary, thyme, and oregano line the grounds, creating a peaceful setting for a gentle walk. Enjoy the gnarled olive trees, the clay-red earth, a stone Buddha, or a sun lounger with views of whitewashed walls and terracotta roofs in the distance. Guests may borrow a bike or head out on foot toward the mountains, or walk six kilometres to a secluded beach on the far side of the bay.

The nearest larger beaches are Kitries, 10 minutes away by car, and Kardamyli, 30 minutes away; both are stone and pebble beaches. Another 10-minute drive leads to the long sandy beaches of Stoupa, the town that inspired the setting of Nikolas Kazantzakis’s Zorba the Greek, and St. Nicholas Beach is a further 10 minutes away. The Zen Rocks minivan offers daily rides to the beach, and more active guests can enjoy bicycling, mountain trekking, beach walks, and water sports, including canoeing.

PILATES

Zen Rocks offers dedicated Pilates retreats and Pilates teacher training weeks. Private and public Pilates classes are also available on request.

Events in Mani

Events in Mani