Between 7 and 13 October at the Ecork Hotel Évora, “The Renewal” will take place in the Alentejo with a diverse programme that includes yoga classes, meditation in nature and a strong cultural and gastronomic component, through cooking classes and wine and olive oil tastings.

The founder of the event wants to create a unique experience, different from other retreats that she had attended. “I had the vision of combining wellness with the rich elements of Portuguese heritage, culture, and food. I knew we had to highlight the beauty of the country itself”, said Christine Moghadam, Founder/CEO of Corc Yoga.

Christine loves Portugal and the name of the retreat is a mirror of that. “The word Renewal means “rebirth or the condition of being revived”. For me, being in Portugal was the rediscovery of that adventurous girl that had been buried for so many years. In essence, this magical location enabled me to feel alive again. It was my renewal”, she told The Portugal News.

For this reason, Christine wants to share this feeling with others through “The renewal”. To experience the full benefits of a wellness retreat, according to the retreat founder, “it’s important to allow ourselves the time and space to put our stresses and worries away in order to be open to receive something new”, she highlighted.

“The Renewal” is an extension of her brand, Corc Yoga, and both share the same values, such as sustainability, mental health, and fair wages, among others that are in the base of the project.

“Our hope is to also play a small role in reviving tourism and supporting our local partners, family-owned businesses in the Alentejo region. All our teachers and partners have been carefully hand-selected for their connection and authentic contribution to the brand”, she said.

More than just a break for a few days of relaxing, “The Renewal” promises to offer tools for guests to be able to continue to use in the future. After the retreat, guests will keep wellness tools and resources that “will help them in their personal and professional life, while also empowering them to prioritize their own self-care needs to bring balance towards their emotional and physical well-being”, she summarised.

Among the activities included in this wellness retreat, there will be several moments of knowledge sharing that count on the participation of knowledgable people in areas such as leadership, emotional intelligence, meditation and alternative therapies such as Laughter Yoga or Sound Baths, check out the programme at https://eu.corcyoga.com/pages/corc-yoga-retreat-the-renewal.

Besides all these activities, “guests will have the unique opportunity to relax at the beautiful beach in Comporta, walk through a beautiful 540-hectare five generation owned cork farm on the foothills of the Serra D’Ossa, in the Alentejo region of Portugal, learning more about the heritage of this eco-friendly material as told by local cork farm owners, while also having the freedom to roam the nearby city of Évora or simply lounge by the pool. The purpose is not for our guests to be busy with multiple activities but simply to have enough opportunities to make this experience their own”, she explained.

To reinforce all those values and contribute to the society, five percent of each ticket will be donated to support a Portuguese mental health institution, “Teen Challenge Portugal”, that helps people in situations of social exclusion.

Author

Paula Martins is a fully qualified journalist, who finds writing a means of self-expression. She studied Journalism and Communication at University of Coimbra and recently Law in the Algarve. Press card: 8252

Paula Martins