home / retreats / In Transylvania, Romania, last secret garden of Europe

Saturday 23 - Friday 29 September 2023 - In Transylvania, Romania, last secret garden of Europe

The power of time off. A journey to fully recharge & find inner-peace in Transylvania, Romania, Europe’s last secret garden.

Escape to the heart of the Carpathian Mountains, virgin forests and unspoilt nature of Transylvania, Romania. Embrace the privacy of a truly wild environment and reconnect with (your) nature. 

Understanding people and creating connections, including with ourselves, is one of the most important new aspects of life. Top performers often face information overload and time pressure and there is always a high pressure to deliver the best results. A common – unconscious – strategy is to work and live without compassion and disconnected from others and out of touch with ourselves.

Short-term dissociation is a very useful strategy to deal with a time of crisis. Long-term dissociation leads to possible disconnection from ourselves, disconnection from the ones we love and from the ones we work or partner with.

To reconnect with yourself (and with the people around) you need to become still inside. This retreat offers the best of both worlds; the world of the power of time off: taking a pause to fully recharge and find inner-peace, and the unspoilt nature of Transylvania at the foot of Dracula Castle.

 

Origin

We developed this retreat after 25 years of creating experiences in order for our (corporate) clients to live and work more conscious, with more compassion and creating a deep connection with themselves and with the people around them. These skills are more relevant than ever before.

This retreat is now open to anyone who understands the impact of self-awareness and self-care. It contributes to a more compassionate world and it is thé way up towards health&happiness, peak performance and sustainable friendships and partnerships.

This the power of time off retreat will be led by Daniella Konopasek and Ingrid Valks, facilitators for conscious leadership and international certified yoga and meditation teachers. Daniella is  a certified nature therapy guide and coach. Ingrid is the initiator of the power of time off and she brings over 20 years of expertise in creating experiences with impact to reconnect people and organisations.

 

The power of time off

A the-power-of-time-off retreat is a complete internal reset. A journey to boost the senses and to become still inside. The retreat forces introspection and for the mind and body to reach a distinct state of clarity. The retreat gives you the opportunity to lose yourself and to find yourself..

‘The title the power of time off refers to my belief that we need to make time for mind and body to fully recharge and to develop a heightened consciousness and a deeper understanding for oneself. From the day I started working I took time off regularly. Ten minutes every day, one hour every week, one week every year and one year every seven years.’ Ingrid Valks, initiator

 

About the retreat

Attendees will be invited to detox digitally, to refrain from reading books and participate in sessions of silence. Finding time to do nothing and be still gets more and more challenging each day. But stillness helps to calm and tame the weary mind. Daily meditation- and yoga practices will help heal mind and body. One will take a journey up the spine and take the seven steps to stillness to rebalance the energy centers in mind and body. Restoring and re-aligning the natural and necessary curves of the spine helps release tension and generates a fresh aliveness in how you move, feel and think.

These days we escape to Europe’s last secret garden, in Transylvania Romania, at the foot of Dracula Castle. No-one as far as the eye can see except some local villagers, cows in the fields and deer in the rolling hills. Bears and other iconic wildlife at a distance in the third longest mountain range of Europe; the Carpathian mountains. Nature and daily nature-experiences immediately bring you into harmony and give you a deeper sense of place, peace and purpose.

‘Keep close to nature’s heart … and break clear away, once in a while spend some time in the woods and wash your spirit clean.’ John Muir, naturalist, author, environmental philosopher. Attendees will participate in a solo-in-nature experience in the wild to feel at one with nature. When you take time off to spend time in nature away from distractions it will improve your general well-being and improve the ability to connect with nature, yourself and others.

 

Collective practice

The retreat fosters a sense of collectivity as we do it together with others. The retreat is centered around attendees’ individual journeys but the group will be an important tool and support too.

There will be time for reflection and attendees will participate in activities that are revitalizing, unleashing the potential to fully recharge and find inner-peace. Egos will be left behind, inner wisdom will arise to realize your objectives and dreams in life.

When you're done searching for answers in the city ...

'The best vegan food at the foot of Dracula castle'

- Ingrid Valks | initiator the power of time off

Escape the noise and let nature do its work.

Location

Keywords to describe your retreat location are hospitality at the highest level,  a warm loving home designed for meaningful connections inspired by nature, personal attention, professional massage therapists, vegan food at the foot of Dracula castle and the immense beauty of the last secret garden of Europe, Transylvania Romania.

The retreat center itself is a sympathetic large wooden house with eleven stylish rooms. All the rooms have twin beds and from the terrace and sauna you have amazing views over the rolling hills. Step out of the door and enroll in a picturesque scenery calming mind and body at once.

The kitchen prepares three plant-based meals daily that are gluten- and sugar-free and made mostly of organic, seasonal local produce. An explosion of flavours and colours. Even non-veggies rave about the food.

Suggestion: Travel by train via Vienna and Budapest to Brasov and slow down the rhythm of life.

Costs

Room for single use € 2255,-

Room for double use € 1995,-

For companies prices are excl BTW

This investment is all inclusive. Including the power of time off retreat program, a journey to fully recharge and find inner-peace. All vegan food at the foot of Dracula Castle and accommodation of your choice are included. You only have to arrange your travel to/from the retreat location. We will help you with the transfers to/from Bucharest or Brasov airport or trainstation.

 

Details

  • The retreat dates are from Saturday 23 – Friday 29 September 2023
  • Retreat activities include (easy to grasp) meditation and yin yoga practices, deep relaxation exercises, journaling, nature experiences, sessions of silence
  • It’s recommended to switch off cellphones and other electronic devices or choose fixed time(s) of the day to connect with the outside world.
  • Gentle detox with (fantastic) vegan meals. 

 

Here you can read personal stories from participants in the power of time off experiences

Book this retreat

To book your place in the retreat in nature is very easy; select your date, room and payment. Fill out your name and contact details. Agree with terms and conditions and pay online. If you never make time, you never have time!

More retreats