As you have probably seen from my pictures, changing our base to Corfu turned out to be a permanent choice – and probably one of the best I ever made. Next to otherworldly beaches, a lot of sunshine and nourishing local food, the Island carries a very specific type of magic I want to introduce you to.
The first time I heard about Corfu, I was housesitting and looking after a beautiful garden at a place in the US. A friend of mine told me about her recent holiday at the Island, and something about the way she talked about it stuck with me: the fragrance of awe, contentment, and soulful inspiration. Since my life was taking other turns and I still had my base in Morocco, I didn’t act on my curiosity – but the colorful images her stories created within me, stayed deep in my subconscious, and came back to the surface just at the right time…
After the first hard lockdown in Morocco, it was clear to us that we didn’t want to be stuck here for however the whole Covid-thing would continue to play out. The idea about moving to Corfu became ever more present, and throughout the last months of 2020 we dared our new step well into the unknown. And without wanting to glorify the island into a paradise it is not, it has been the best decision I made since a long time (and, on some days, it does come very close to a Garden of Eden for sure ;))
Arriving in Arillas, the village that became our new base, felt like a homecoming. Being a place that attracts visionaries, seekers, and lovers of art – walking at and observing the spontaneous unfoldings on the local beach never ceases to inspire me. Women dancing with their hoolas, men drumming rhythms to honor the land, children running wild and free – and all of it carried by an element of fluidity and the sound of careless laughter…
What fascinates me most about the place is the way in which an invisible web of relational synchronicity seems to direct every encounter that is transpiring. As if the spirit of the island was whispering, “I know, I have seen the essence of your most intimate visions. If you are open, I will gift you with the most magical soul-meetings, so that you may take that next step towards making them an embodied reality…”
A dear friend of mine who moved here many years ago once told me that he viewed Corfu, and Arillas in particular, as the Heart-Chakra of Europe. Cheesy as all of this may sound – after having lived here for 2 years, and after having observed many people come in need for deep rest and leave with the same awe-inspired sparkle in their eyes that my friend from the States told me about years ago – I must say, I agree. The Spirit of the Island is rejuvenating on all levels – a deep re-aligning and clearing of our path. And all it seems to ask of us is that we come back and spread the word… or never leave, for that matter.
PS: Corfu taught me that synchronicity is not only a thing but turns out to be the most trustworthy guide. If this resonates, come visit me in Corfu or have a look at my upcoming retreat “Nature Nurture Me” that is taking place at the Alexis Zorbas centre in Arillas…