Healing in the Willows

CASTELLO GINORI DI QUERCETO
56040 QUERCETO
PONTEGINORI (PISA)
TUSCANY – ITALY

Phone: +39 3298456532
E-mail: info[at]healinginthewillows.com

At Healing in the Willows we pride ourselves for the authenticity of our Yoga retreats, offering courses that draw on contemporary as well as pre-modern styles of Yoga and place a strong emphasis on individual and collective healing. Our aim is to lead our guests towards a spiritual awakening and a deep reconnection with Nature. Whether you are looking to learn the foundations of Yoga, improve your existing practice, or undergo advanced training in the ancient system of ‘Yog’, our highly qualified teachers will lead you on an unparalleled journey of inner-exploration and self-revelation. Within the enchanting and restorative confines of a 1000 year-old medieval hamlet immersed in the magic of Tuscany’s largest national park, you will meet with Yoga like never before…

In this intermediate/advanced course you will learn deeply healing yogic practices that draw on the rare teachings and shamanic wisdom of the mystical Babas and Fakirs of India. The retreat wil take place during the powerful Super Full Moon in Taurus (November 14th) to seize the opportunity to work with some of the most powerfully revealing & healing cosmic energies of the last 60 years.

Healing in the Willows was born out of the vision of its founder, Kim Bizzarri, a nomadic activist operating internationally and consulting for major environmental NGOs in Brussels, including Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the Earth, ActionAid, and many others. In the millenary system of Yoga Kim discovered a powerful vehicle through which individual healing could lead towards a collective and expanded ecological consciousness. The idea originated in Berlin (Germany) in 2010, when Kim set-up a yoga collective in an economically deprived neighbourhood of the city offering classes on a donation-basis. The experiment worked well and expanded to a second location in 2013, proving that collective organization and non-profit motives can be economically successful and of high quality. Some of the teachers part of the collective are now involved in Healing in the Willows, whilst others are some of the best teachers Kim met on his travels around the world. The common denominator tying the teachers together is the authenticity of their practice and the embracing of ‘Yog’ as a way of life. The name ‘Healing in the Willows’ was inspired by Kenneth Graham’s children’s classic “The Wind in the Willows“, as the first retreats took place at Hardwick House (Oxfordshire) where Kim was living under the patronage of the Rose Family and which had inspired Graham for many of the locations and characters in the book. The Willow is also a powerful symbol of healing and purification in eastern traditions, whilst trees in general have become a symbol of the ecological crisis we face today.

In line with the teachings of Yoga, Healing in the Willows aims to offer retreats with a social and environmental conscience. As such, we source all of the materials and services required for the retreats as locally as possible, with the utmost respect for the environment and the local community. All products used during the retreats are organic and eco-friendly (including the pure-rubber yoga mats provided) and all our meals are vegan and free from palm-oil. Moreover, by sourcing as many goods and services locally, we support local business, including neighbouring family-owned organic farms (where we buy all the fresh produce used for the retreats’ meals), the local organic shops in the towns of Cecina and Volterra (for most of its dry food and bread), and local transport companies for picking-up our guests from the local train station.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

A number of additional activities can be organised according to the group’s needs and interests. These can be booked separately by the participants and paid for individually, but they will need to be arranged with sufficient notice.

COOKING CLASSES: FUN & EXOTIC

We can organise cooking classes for groups of minimum 4 people (and no more than 8). Cooking classes range from Italian dishes (mainly home-made pasta), to vegan or sattvic dishes, as well as macrobiotic cusine.
Classes usually last around 4 hours and involve preparing the dish under the cook’s guidance and consuming the dish together at the end of the class. Prices vary depending on the type of cuisine and the number of people (typically €60 per person for a group of 4).

GUIDED TOURS: WHERE BEAUTY MEETS HISTORY

Guided tours of the area can be arranged with the resident tour guide in Querceto.
Querceto is located on the Etruscan Coast, with Etruscan ruins dating back to almost 3000 years – UNESCO world heritage sites. These can be reached easily by car and tours can be arranged either with our local guide or on the sites themselves.
All around Querceto can be found wonderfully intact medieval townships and villages, like the famous town ofVolterra, San Giminiano, Bolgheri, San Gargano… amongst many others.
As well as being famous for their beauty, many of these towns are also known for their excellent wine, like Sassicaglia and Ornellaia which are produced in Bolgheri.
The price of the guided tours varies according to the location and the number of people, but typically it ranges between €15 and €30 per person.

WINE TASTING: QUERCETO’S SCENOGRAPHIC CELLARS

Tours of the hamlet’s wine cellars, which include a short tour of the hamlet and its history, and a wine testing session, can also be arranged by appointment. The tour takes about 2 hours and costs vary according to the group’s size. Please inquire for a quote.

MEDITERRANEAN BEACHES: RESTORATIVE & SECLUDED

The mediterranean sea can be seen in a distance from Querceto itself. On a clear day it is possible to see not just the various islands laying just a few miles off the coast, but even Corsica!
The closest beaches are just 20 minutes away by car; long stretches of golden sand with dunes and pine woods for shade.

WALKS IN THE WOODS: WILD & SUGGESTIVE

Perched on a hilltop on the verge of Tuscany’s largest national park and reserve, Monte Rufoli, there are plenty of beautiful walks one can set off on from Querceto. Ancient woods filled with wild animals, including dears, roes, wild bores, marmots, porcupines, and even wolves (in the depth of the forest)!

HOT SPRINGS: A TASTE OF NATURE’S BLISS

Because the entire region is geothermal, many natural hot springs can be found a short distance away from Querceto. In Sassetta (half an hour drive from Querceto) there is a beautiful SPA with indoor and outdoor hot springs of various temperatures.