The Garden
A weeklong retreat in Samos, Greece
Your Invitation to The Garden
Nestled on the island of Samos, where the mountains meet the sea, The Garden is your home away from home: a week to slow down, listen inward, and let the body remember what it already knows.
We gather in a small circle for meals, for silence, and for conversation. Held by two guides and a landscape that asks nothing of you but your attention.
The Four Pillars Of The Garden
ONE
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TWO
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THREE
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FOUR
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Where You'll Stay
Where Mountain Meets Sea
Location: Samos, Greece
Duration: One week, plus a pre-retreat call and a post-retreat call
Dates: Summer 2027
Want the full brochure, or ready to talk it through? Contact Derick.
Which story are you living in?
In the ancient Greek world, the Athenian marketplace (called the "Agora") was the center of public life and commerce.
It was also where philosophers and their students would gather to engage in lively debate, to share their ideas with the public, and to draw new adherents to their schools.
The Agora was, in every sense, a marketplace of ideas, and the competition was fierce.
But there was one philosopher who chose not to spend his time in the Agora and compete for his voice to be heard over the noisy thrum of merchants and musicians and other philosophers.
His name was Epicurus, and this native son of the island of Samos chose to spend his time instead at his Athenian school known to all as "The Garden".
Because that's what it was – a walled compound filled with beautiful flowers, planted vegetables, and fruit trees.
And it's in The Garden where Epicurus and his students would gather to take refuge from the competitive demands and busy-ness of the Agora.
To slow down, to share meals, to drink wine, to rest, to wonder together about the world, and to pursue a life of happiness and inner tranquility.
Epicurus's word for this inner tranquility– and the feelings of joy and aliveness it would bring to anyone who touched it– was ataraxia.
This ataraxia was, in his view, the highest aim of life: to be completely at peace with oneself.
Who Is The Garden For?
While it is our belief that everyone deserves and could use more "Garden Time" in their lives, this experience is for you if…
You crave rest and renewal… but want more than just a conventional beach trip.
You'd love to spend a week on a beautiful island in Greece.
You'd love to meet new people and get to know one another on a deeper level (aka getting past the small talk).
You want more clarity and self-understanding but don't want to be intensively coached and up to your neck in worksheets.
You love to learn, but want the freedom and flexibility to direct the focus, depth and pace of your learning.
In the words of others…..
Your Guides In The Garden
Derick Deal
Philippe Danielides
Derick Deal is an educator, mentor, and philosopher whose work bridges somatic practice, ancestral wisdom, and lived experience. With a background in Focusing, experiential learning, and body-centered philosophy, Derick creates spaces that honor slowness, honesty, and the intelligence of the more-than-human world.
Phillipe Danielides is an TKTKTKTKTK
Join Us On The Journey
Use the form below to ask a question, request the retreat brochure, or express interest in joining.