Deep Blue Mediterranean

Imagine a place where the earth is carpeted with wild sage, thyme and oregano, where at the end of a long hike your shoes smell sweet from the scent of these herbs. Picture yourself drifting to sleep with the soft sound of the ocean in the background. Try to feel what it might be like to have your lungs breathing in fresh warm air that has traveled miles and miles across the deep blue Mediterranean Sea and to have every cell blend with the energy of rocks and mountains that surround you singing their ancient wisdom into your heart. Rest assured there is a place where your soul is soothed. It’s called Crete, and these simple but deeply touching experiences are what I felt being with Brant and his family at his yearly retreat in this magic land.

For the last ten years Brant has opened up his ceremonies and pilgrimages on Crete to everyone who wants to come. It has become one of the rights of springtime in my life each year since. It’s spiritual luxury to be able to walk through this land that was the birthplace of western civilization, taking part in pilgrimages and Deer Dances that honor the season of awakening and growth. It fosters clarity for me, giving me the chance to reflect on the important things about life and in my life. This retreat reminds me of what it must be like to be a bulb in the ground that germinates in winter, pushing up until it finally breaks through the surface to be warmed by the sun. I feel like that bulb, and Crete is where I finally break through the ground of winter feeling alive once more to reach for the sky.

This is a must do retreat at some point if you have yet to come. It will recharge your batteries. It will bring your life to a point of positive focus. It will soften the rough edges that can build up over time when the commitments of daily life build up. It will align your inner being with a sense of wonder.