My name is: Marina Efraimoglou.
I live in: Athens and Mystras-Peloponesse, Greece.
I’m known for being: Founder & transformational healer of Euphoria Retreat.
I'm talking about: One of our signatures: The Odysseus Journey Retreat.
Before I created this, I was: Prior to founding Euphoria Retreat, I achieved success as an investment banker, serving as the president and CEO of Telesis Capital, while also establishing myself as a highly accomplished entrepreneur.
My interest was sparked when: The journey to establish Euphoria Retreat and reach the point I stand at today has been a challenging and transformative one. Having been immersed in the world of investment banking, driven by an unrelenting pursuit of success, I eventually found myself depleted by the demands of the industry. It was during my visit to the renowned Golden Door spa and healing retreat in America that the seeds of inspiration for Euphoria Retreat were planted. Confronting and conquering cancer in my late 20s served as a profound awakening, reminding me of the crucial need to restore balance and reclaim my life. This realization became the driving force behind my vision to create a sanctuary.
The idea behind it is: This retreat is unique and is not offered anywhere else in the world. It draws inspiration from the epic narrative of The Odyssey, Greek mythology, intertwining with the captivating backdrop of Greece. It seamlessly weaves together engaging discussions, guided sessions, calming meditation, expressive dance therapy, invigorating spa treatments and energizing movement practices. Mirroring the journey of Odysseus in the ancient Greek legend, participants are encouraged to reflect upon their life choices and contemplate the direction in which those choices are leading them.
This unique retreat represents a beautifully creative fusion of Greek Mythology, global healing practices and Euphoria Methods, culminating in the ultimate objective—gaining insight into the passage of our individual life paths. This retreat is an immersive journey of self-discovery, where we unveil the hero within and rediscover our own personal Ithaca. This transformative experience is led by myself and Mary Vandorou, our esteemed spiritual mentor at Euphoria Retreat. Together, over the past 15 years, we have passionately crafted and guided seminars and retreats dedicated to self-realization.
My favorite lesser-known detail is:
The favorite sessions during the Odysseus Journey Retreat are the drama therapy and the closing ceremony, taking place in the labyrinth and the amphitheater at Euphoria Retreat.
A moment of true retreat happened for me here when:
While leading the latest Odysseus Journey Retreat, during the drama therapy, I played the role of Achilleas who said, “I am ok that I am dead, I am sad that I am not alive.” This brought memories of the period of my illness and the possibility of facing death.
Escaping is so important for all of us because: Escaping and retreating is so important because it offers a dedicated time and space for rest, rejuvenation, stress reduction, self-discovery, education and connection. It serves as a holistic sanctuary where individuals can prioritize their well-being, cultivate healthier habits and embark on a transformative journey toward a more fulfilling life. Giving time to ourselves is very valuable. Connecting with nature helps our nervous system to calm, our soul to connect with the divine; it brings harmony and joy to our lives. That’s the reason why I personally believe that the place of a retreat has to be close to nature.
The words I live by are:
Live is worth leaving when you search for your Ithaca.
Searching for Ithaca at any given moment gives purpose to my life. I always try to be in contact with my soul’s yearning (nostos), being in touch with my humanity.
One truth that is so important, but people don’t always realize is: Euphoria Retreat represents my personal journey of transformation and is a vision which has been a lifetime in the making. What I believe is happening now is that we are learning that we need to heal ourselves in order to heal our world. We don’t realize how quickly time flies and that most of the times we are not present in the moment. We are always in a hurry. When we realize the importance of “the now,” then we will learn to live more meaningful and full lives. Being in touch with our emotions and with what is happening to our lives is what we try to guide people to do here.