Tina Grigoriou and Dimitris Spiliotis, who have worked together in private practice in London for 15 years, talk to Kathimerini about the conception and realization of an idea that could be described as “the awakening of Delphi.”
A new seminar developed by two Greek psychologists with extensive professional experience abroad can be described in three words: “Awakening at Delphi.” The five-day program combines meditation and Greek philosophy with modern psychology and exercise.
Tina Grigoriou and Dimitris Spiliotis, two counselling psychologists in private practice in London for the past 15 years, as well as friends and collaborators, talk to Kathimerini about the conception and execution of the idea, and about their upcoming seminar called the “Delphi Awakening Retreat” (delphiawakening.com).
It is rather surprising that two “classical” psychologists with long careers in London would organize and hold a seminar in Delphi combining psychology, meditation and ancient Greek philosophy. What prompted you to decide to undertake this endeavor? Do you think that psychological techniques and philosophy can complement each other?
Tina Grigoriou: Mindfulness, ancient Greek philosophy and psychology go together very well. Mindfulness is mostly based on Eastern philosophy, but it was also present in Ancient Greece in various forms. The Ancient Greeks did not practice it in the typical way, such as concentrating on raisins, but they appreciated beauty, music, theater, and emotional experiences that are generated and expressed in the moment, the present. I think that Ancient Greek philosophy was necessary for the birth of psychology. It is no coincidence that Freud and Jung developed their theories inspired by Ancient Greek myths and tragedies.
Dimitris Spiliotis: The idea and goal of this retreat was to create a program that accelerates fundamental processes that take much longer in traditional therapy. In fact, you can think of it as 40 hours of work in total over five days compared to seeing a therapist once a week. The same process would take 40 weeks (almost a year). Also, the retreat has three leaders who guide the other participants, but all the other participants also participate in the process. Anthropologist Joseph Campbell wrote about the hero’s journey, a journey into the world that leads to the exploration and revelation of our true self. It’s a metaphor. We can say that the revelation of our true self happens through true contact with ourselves and with others, and this “revelation” is activated and accelerated by participation in this intensive experience.
What is the seminar about? What can attendees expect?
“When you walk or meditate in Delphi, you encounter symbols that are archetypes and manifestations of the collective unconscious.”
TG: For me, a main pillar of “Delphi Awakens” is the focus on connection: with ourselves, with others, with nature, the temple, the olive tree, history, mythology, and with what came before us, and with what will continue to come after us. This is achieved through the activities and initiatives within the program.
DS: We will be facilitating a series of interventions that are focused on the body (movement) and on the mind (meditation). This means that there will be hours of meditation and hours of movement in space. It is also fair to say that ideas and experiences will come to life through a combination of the synergy of the participants and the energy of Delphi and the surrounding area.
Why Delphi? Do you believe there is an energy field that helps participants get closer to “knowing themselves”?
TG: I believe there is an energy field in Delphi, but I am not in any position to explain its origins. I can only comment on the incredible synchronicities that occur in Delphi. In a previous retreat, I observed how collaborators unwittingly provided images, stories and events that gave life to our work and to the experience of self-awareness that unfolds simultaneously in each of us. For Jung, mental illness has to do with the separation of the ego from the whole, that is, the collective unconscious. When you walk or meditate in Delphi, you encounter symbols that are manifestations of archetypes and the collective unconscious. These remind you of our true humanity and the common history of all humanity. The symbols blend with the place and evoke archetypal patterns and memories that people do not know they have within themselves.
DS: Standing in a valley where olive trees over 1,000 years old still exist and bear olive fruit, or looking at the ancient walls of the temple at Delphi, where each stone is uniquely shaped and positioned to preserve the integrity of the entire wall without the use of binders, gives you access to a wisdom that is ineffable and timeless. The energy of Delphi is not an abstract concept, it is literally in the field of that particular place.
What do we not know about ourselves that we will learn through this seminar?
TG: If there is one thing I can say, it is that our retreats help you discover your own Delphi and your own oracle; to ask yourself questions and get closer to the answers; to understand deeply that your life is calling you to live purposefully, consciously and with awareness.
DS: What is achieved is a sense of living full of joy and creativity; a conscious and deep connection with ourselves and others; the achievement of being firmly centered in the present, as well as a reinvigoration of the mind through the wisdom and essence of our cultural and spiritual roots.
Delphiawakening.com, Delphi Retreat, June 4-8.
