Brave new world: a retreat for post-pandemic healing
The pandemic has created a paradigm shift in the way that we function as humans, with people tuning more deeply into their consciousness and exploring alternative ways to make the most of their time on the planet. L’OFFICIEL IBIZA speaks to Ibiza-based wellbeing consultant Erin Knowles about healing, hope and a shift towards a happier and healthier future for all.
You are a retreat specialist. Where did your own wellbeing journey begin?
I started on this path after a long period of stress in my life - working in events and then the luxury concierge industry. My work-life was full-on, and my spare time was spent partying or recovering. I was carrying all kinds of trauma that I had never tried to unpack. The world of wellbeing and spirituality was completely untapped for me until a friend gave me an Anthony Robbins audio entitled Personal Power and I started to feel this sense of hope. I began to practice yoga every morning and have regular acupuncture. I went on my first yoga retreat with Jax Lysicia in Formentera and that precipitated a deep dive into energetic healing, life coaching and psychotherapy, followed closely by shamanic ceremonies and medicines. It’s been a life changing journey.
How has the pandemic shifted the global mindset?
People have simply stopped putting things off for a rainy day or for retirement - they are buying that house in the sun that they’ve always wanted, going on epic adventures, retraining so they can work from anywhere. They are living in the moment. During the lockdowns, life slowed down and we were able to really take stock of what is important. Having faced the threat of illness, I see people prioritising their health on all levels - physical, mental, emotional. Many have realised that their lifestyle simply doesn’t make them happy. People are investing more than ever in their living environment - planting vegetable gardens and building play areas for their kids. The pandemic has created a stronger and more mindful community.
How has that played out specifically in Ibiza?
We see life on Ibiza through a sort of microscope – as an example of what we hope to see playing out across the globe in a larger scale. I see a dedication amongst island residents to commit to an optimisation of self and to prioritise community living. There’s a huge shift toward regenerative farming. The island has always attracted changemakers and those with more open mindsets and value systems.
Your retreats focus on bringing people back into balance. Why is that so important?
My retreats give people the chance to take everything they have learnt from the pandemic and build the foundations they need to move forward. This involves establishing wellbeing rituals through which they can live a happier, healthier, more connected life. It is not always easy to make these shifts in your everyday life. It usually requires an immersive dive into Ibiza´s wild beauty and the support of an array of healing modalities. Our retreats offer the space to reconnect with oneself outside of our daily roles and duties. They are an opportunity to reflect, recharge and realign from the inside out. Guests come away feeling relaxed, revitalised and reconnected to what matters most, as well as grounded and open within the body, mind and heart.
What can people expect from a post-pandemic healing journey with you?
The key is Anusara Lineage yoga with my retreat partner Lauren Lee. I discovered this form of yoga with the teacher Suzanne Faith when I first moved to Ibiza, and it felt like a homecoming. Anusara is a tantric lineage, and it honours and integrates the masculine and feminine, so physically it aligns the body and brings it into its optimal blueprint. A key quality of this practice is to say ‘yes’ to life and to believe in the benevolence of the universe. Our aim is to keep turning towards the light and moving through the shadow – hence why this retreat is called ´The Light Within´. It is about stepping forward into this new space that we are all co-creating together.
Nutrition is also a profoundly important part of the process. We have these beautiful, perfect ecosystems (our bodies) that we pollute with toxins like stress and sugar. On my retreats we eat seasonal locally sourced plant-based foods which are so delicious and look so beautiful, prepared by our chef Hannah Lederer. This kind of eating deeply detoxifies the body and by the third day guests begin to visibly glow. We also work with bodywork practitioners like Elke Scior and Louka Leppard and the super-coach Zoran Todorovic, whose work is fascinating. We embrace meditation, breathwork and energy healing as part of the programme. If guests would like to opt into shamanic medicines, then this can be arranged privately with the facilitator Nuria del Sol. I have personally received very deep healing through this kind of work, and it has helped me to live with more connected life with more joy and less fear.
The final elements of the retreat are nature and space. We connect to these by hiking the coastal cliffs, forests and beaches with Toby Clarke, an expert guide who runs Walking Ibiza. We learn about Ibiza´s history and heritage along with local herbs and their uses. Living on an island, we can connect more with the elements - this is what we need as humans. To feel the sun on our skin, to walk in the rain, to look at the stars and the moon at night, to forage for healing herbs and pick wildflowers. To live in reverence and gratitude to the great forces that guide us.
The Light Within Retreat, Ibiza, October 1-8.
Erin also offers a personal wellbeing consultancy, providing transformational healing with guidance and support.
Portraits by Robbie Lanauze.
