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Energyia holistic fitness
activity holiday retreats in Greece with Michele
Wilburn are taking place on the Greek Island of Zakynthos, until the end of October, 2008. Revive your
energy, fitness and vitality with Energyia holistic fitness activity
holidays in Greece! Energyia Holistic fitness activity holidays provide an
activity
holiday retreat in the Greek Islands, complete with daily workout sessions including
Energyia yoga flow, CardioKinetics and thalassatherapy self spa workouts.
The development in Greece of Energyia
Holistic Retreat fitness Holidays in the Greek islands on
Zakynthos, also known as Zante, this Summer, integrates the ancient Greek philosophy of the need for a strong
healthy body to house a strong healthy mind.
Men of ancient Greece spent time at local
'gymnasiums' with an emphasis on expanding the mind through discussion on
religion, philosophy, politics, and current events. The 'gymnasium' was
the real school of olden times. With high regard and admiration for beauty, and an understanding of
the importance
of health and fitness, the ancient Greeks believed that developing your body was
as important as developing your mind.
The Real 'Gymnasium'
The gymnasium
in Greece for Energyia Holistic Fitness Activity Holiday
Retreats is 'out and about' - back to
nature, on the Greek island of Zante - a unique chance
for personal
development of mind body and spirit - in the true sentiments of the
Ancient Greeks. What better chance for personal development - all the time
lapping up the mystical moods of the Ionion sea, the charming countryside
of Zakynthos, the wonderful spirit of the local people.
In Ancient Greece physical well-being and mental well-being went hand in hand, with the need for a strong, healthy body to
house a strong balanced mind. Energyia holistic fitness holidays with Michele
Wilburn in Greece this summer reflect this holistic fitness concept -
developing a strong flexible body to house a strong mind and free Spirit.
 Founding medical practitioners, including Herodicus, Hippocrates, and
Galen, influenced the growth of fitness throughout ancient Greece.
Gymnastics and music were considered the most important classroom topic;
"exercise for the body and music for the soul "
Spartans of Northern Greece valued fitness even more than the
Athenians, primarily for military purposes, which made it imperative to
maintain high fitness levels.
 In
ancient Greece athletics were an everyday part of all areas of life,
including religion, education, the arts, society and politics. Physical
practises were woven into the very heart of society.
This was unique in world history. Ancient Greece was
the birthplace of this conviction, and its practice died with it. Ancient
Greek society was very competitive, with a passion for sports. The Olympic
games, although the most prestigious, were just one of many athletic
competitions.
Athleticism in ancient Greece was not isolated into
mere sports and physical fitness; it was a blend of civic, religious,
educational, social, and moral fibre. The study of athletics was taken
very seriously. Personal trainers used textbooks with exercises and
fitness regimes and those who could afford it would hire specialists.
A
well-educated person in ancient Greece was instructed in all areas. An athletic victory was
considered a credit to the athlete's physical and moral virtues. Physical
training was valued for its role in the development of such qualities as
stamina and patience. The philosophy was motivated by the fact that
the success of democracy depended on the moral character of the people; a
goal that commanded a holistic training of mind, body, and spirit.
 Religion
was also closely linked to athletics, with athletic competitions in those
days being religious in character.
All
athletic festivals honoured a patron god, believed to bestow on the
athletes the physical prowess that enabled them to perform.
This spiritual dimension to exercise and athletic performance has been
entirely lost by the masses.
The 'gymnasium' in Ancient Greece was the real school of olden times.
The word "gymnasium" became one and the same with the word 'school'.
The word "academy" was the name of an Athenian gymnasium where the
philosophical school of Plato was situated.
 A 'palaistra' was another athletic facility, which was
an 'members-only' club, with a focus on combat sports such as wrestling;
some of which also contained lecture halls.
In addition to education and religion, athletics had strong ties to the
arts with poets promoting the athletic ideal with their odes. Ancient Greeks understood that music created a link
between the spiritual and physical.
All of these elements and ideals were embodied in the Olympic games which
were religious, social, and intellectual. Famous orations were delivered
to the crowds at Olympia.
 The
Greeks combined medicines, surgery and dietetics (regulating the whole
life-style) in their treatment of ailments. Surgical skills were developed on the battlefield, whereas training for
the army and athletic competition (e.g. the Olympics) created specialists
who focused on exercise, bathing, massage and regulation of food and
drink.
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Michele Wilburn London UK Tel(0044)(0)(207)2841918
email: michele@energyia.com
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What is Good Life?
Socrates concluded that a 'good life' is a
life devoted to the pursuit of excellence - physical, intellectual and
ethical. Are you developing your potentials to the full? In ancient Greece
athletics and exercise were an integral part of everyday life - including religion, education, the arts, society
and politics.
 No other civilization held
fitness in such high regard
as ancient Greece where the ideal of physical perfection was
embodied in society. Physical and mental well-being went hand in hand with
a strong, healthy body housing a strong balanced mind.
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 The actual exercise system presented by
Joseph Pilates was
not known as Pilates, but as 'Contrology'.
Influenced mainly by the early
Greeks, he emphasised their balance and coordination of body and mind.
The roots of his exercise system came from his study of
yoga, Zen meditation and ancient Greek and Roman fitness regimes.
Joseph Pilates clearly advocated that one of the major results of his
exercise system 'Contrology' was in
gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control of your body.
 A healthy mind in a healthy body, the ancient Greeks believed, was
linked to the
development and balance of mind, spirit, and body. Zakynthos provides an idyllic, 'back to
nature' retreat location, ideal for fitness holidays designed to
revitalise mind, body, soul.
Whether travelling alone or with a group of
friends to enjoy an Energyia holistic fitness holiday retreat™, you'll find the island of Zakynthos provides a haven
for transformation, inspiration and relaxation.
Energyia Holistic fitness Holiday Retreats™ provide a unique holiday retreat.
You have time and inspiration to pause and reflect - pamper, strengthen
and revitalize your body, mind and spirit in a variety of beautiful
location bases.
Retreat in the pure sense of the word, to treat yourself to some
well-deserved time.
Lap up the
mystical moods of the Ionion sea, the charming countryside of Zakynthos,
the wonderful spirit of the local people, and a wealth of activities
designed to enhance your well-being, revitalize your energy with Energyia
fitness holidays.
 Hippocrates
of Kos (c450-370 BCE), the ‘father of medicine’ whose school produced over
60 medical texts (the Hippocratic Corpus), claimed that the four humours
must be balanced, with a person’s environment and lifestyle being
responsible for imbalances.
Treatment consisted of a prescription of diet, exercise and limited
medicines.
 The basis of Greek medicine was the body’s natural ability to heal itself
(pepsis), so diet and exercise were more important than taking medicines.
Over centuries, the spirit of athleticism began to falter with the decline
of the moral values of the athletic ideals, and monetary prizes became
common, leading to the rise of the professional athlete. The bond between
religion and the athletic ideal was broken.
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Energyia Holistic
Fitness Activity Holiday Retreats in Greece, with leading fitness
professional, author, presenter, and producer, Michele Wilburn, on the
glorious island of Zakynthos,(Zante) will be held throughout the entire
summer in the Greek Islands.