The Bigger You: A yoga retreat to relax into your full potential
from sunday 10 to 17 MAY crete
Inspired by The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level.
This retreat supports the expansion of your full potential on all levels — body, energy, mind and expression — through a carefully curated combination of embodied practices and shared experience.
Yoga
To create space in the body and train the nervous system to stay relaxed while you expand. You learn to feel safe being more of yourself.
Qi Gong
To support the free flow of life energy, soften blockages and allow expansion to arise from within, naturally and organically.
Workshops inspired by The Big Leap
Offering insight into your personal upper limits: where you may unconsciously hold yourself back, and what it takes to remain relaxed and present as your potential begins to open.
The power of the group process
A small, supportive group creates a field of safety, recognition and shared wisdom. Expansion is not only an individual journey here — it becomes something you experience, explore and grow into together.
A location that supports expansion
We gather in an environment rich in life energy, space and stillness. A place that offers breathing room — supporting you to open, integrate and embody your potential.
“You will begin to see the exquisite wonders in the simplest of things and live in the ecstasy you deserve.” ”
This retreat is an invitation to stop holding yourself back — gently, consciously, and from within.
Throughout the week, we work with the body as the main gateway. Expansion is approached as something you can learn to ground into, feel, regulate and integrate, rather than something you need to force. By building a larger inner container, more life energy and abundance can be held with ease.
“When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator.”
the place
The retreat takes place along the most pristine beaches of South Crete, in a small, family-run hotel by the sea. A place that feels warm, simple and held — where you can quickly feel at home, and where rest comes naturally.
The hotel offers a yoga studio with sea view, exclusively reserved for our group throughout the week. A light and open space where movement, breath and stillness meet, and where the horizon continuously invites a sense of space and possibility.
In the surrounding landscape you’ll find natural caves and open-air temples, places where we can meditate, walk, or simply be. The life force flows so freely here that it naturally invites your own energy to move more freely as well. The power of the natural environment mirrors and awakens your inner strength.
Encircled by mountains, the land offers a sense of safety and containment. The area is infused with ancient myths and natural rhythms. The elements — earth, water, fire, air, wood and metal — are still present here in their pure form.
In spring, the land bursts open into a vibrant display of wildflowers. Spring is expansion. In combination with yoga, Qi Gong and presence, this place invites you to relax into your own colourful expansion and allow your full potential to unfold, at your own pace.
the CRETAN rhythm
Week program: Step into your next level.
This retreat is a week-long journey of gentle expansion, designed to help you connect with your full potential in all areas of life — body, energy, heart, creativity, and presence. Through yoga, Qi Gong, workshops, and the supportive energy of the group, you will learn to open, flow, and integrate — all at your own pace. Every day builds on the last, guiding you from groundedness to emotional flow, inner power, heart-opening love, wisdom, and stepping into new horizons.
Arc of the Retreat Week
Each day builds upon the previous, guiding you into a deeper connection with yourself, your energy, and your potential.
Day 1 — Welcome as you are We begin by arriving fully, setting intentions, and opening to presence. The first day is about creating a safe container, settling into your body, and connecting with the group.
Day 2 — Expanding your roots Building a sense of rootedness and stability. Yoga and workshops set out the foundation, supporting further growth.
Day 3 — Expanding your capacity to feel Like a river flowing through its riverbed, you allow feelings to move while remaining anchored in your body and presence.
Day 4 — Expanding your power You cultivate inner power, clarity, and gentle leadership over your own energy.
Day 5 — Expanding the love Love, warmth and connection become alive through movement, group experiences, and shared presence.
Day 6 — Grounding into the bigger you Integration day: all previous elements—rootedness, feeling, power, love—come together, so you enjoy your next level, from a deep rooted presence, abundance, and authenticity.
Day 7 — Expanding your wisdom Reflection, insight, and embodied learning deepen. Through release, integration and expression, you anchor the experiences.
Day 8 — Expanding into new horizons A gentle closure, stepping forward into your next chapter with clarity, presence, and embodied expansion, carrying the experiences and insights into your life beyond the retreat.
Go to the day by day program
YOUR GUIDE
About Nathalie
Hi, I’m Nathalie.
I’ve been teaching yoga since 2012. Over the years, I began to notice that the effects of yoga reached far beyond just feeling better. When combined with heart and mind, yoga slowly found its way into every part of my life — my work, my choices, my relationships. And that has been deeply nourishing. So nourishing, in fact, that I felt a strong desire to share this way of living with others.
At the same time, I became aware of how often I was still holding myself back. I noticed patterns of staying within familiar limits, supported by all kinds of reasonable excuses. Until, through Soul Worx, I came across the book The Big Leap.
Something clicked.
I saw myself holding back around my upper limits — and I also felt the possibility of moving beyond them, not by pushing, but by leaning in, by relaxed, staying present and embodied while expanding, something I learned from yoga.
I truly believe that the combination of The Big Leap, yoga, Qi Gong and the safety of a warm, supportive group creates a powerful and gentle container for transformation. A space where you can stop holding yourself back, soften what blocks you, and allow your beautiful potential to unfold — in all areas of your life.
This retreat is for you if…
You feel that there is more of you waiting to be lived, and you’re ready to stop holding yourself back.
You resonate with the idea of expansion without pushing — learning to grow while staying relaxed and grounded.
You are curious about The Big Leap and want to embody its insights, rather than just understand them intellectually.
You value body-based practices such as yoga and Qi Gong as gateways to awareness, regulation and growth.
You are willing to take gentle leadership over your own energy, patterns and potential.
You appreciate depth, simplicity and presence over quick fixes .
This retreat may not be for you if…
You are looking for a fast, high-pressure breakthrough or a strictly performance-driven experience.
You like a retreat that is fully scheduled and tightly structured from morning to night.
You are not open to self-reflection, embodied practices or group processes.
You are currently seeking a purely physical holiday without an inner dimension.
Kavos Melissa with the yogastudio and sleeping accomodation
writing session in he outdoor space of the yogastudio
at the restaurant of agios pavlos
accomodation
You can choose to stay in Kavos Melissa. All bedrooms have a terrace with a sea view, kitchen and bathroom. And for those who want even more luxury, there are several villas with private pool, built in the slope of the mountain, on a 5 minute walk from Kavos Melissa. The yoga studio is in Kavos Melissa and has an indoor and outdoor area with sea view.
kavos melissa
A studio with A view
Simple, pure, authentic
Kavos Melissa is named after the famous rock formation. The yoga studio is part of the building. So you can literally get out of bed and come to the morning session. The studios have their own kitchen, bathroom and a terrace with a sea view.
Here are the different options.
A shared studio with each a separate room and shared bathroom, for €1185.
A shared studio for €1095 per person. The studio has two separate single beds. You share the bathroom.
A studio all to yourself, with your own kitchen, bathroom and terrace for €1275.
Varkotopi
a villa with a view and a pool
Pure luxurious nature
The "Varkotopi" villas are embedded in the rock that overlooks the sea. The villas each have their own private pool, kitchen, bathroom and overlook the Libyan Sea.You can share a one bedroom villafor 1420 € per person. Or ask me the price for the villa just for you.
What’s included
7 nights accommodation in a small, family-run hotel by the sea
Daily yoga (except one free morning) and Qi Gong sessions
(taught in English and Dutch)6 breakfasts in a sea-view restaurant
7 nourishing Greek dinner buffets in a sea-view restaurant
Guided walks along pristine, mythical beaches and through spring flower fields
3 in-depth workshops inspired by The Big Leap
A small, supportive group container allowing for connection and shared experience
Spacious time for rest, integration and embodied expansion
An energy reset at the beginning of spring, supporting renewal and growth
What’s not included
Flights to and from Crete
One meal per day (lunch)
Local transportation from and to airport and on group excursions (around the 100 euro maximum)
Optional excursions outside the retreat program
Scholarship
One place is available for someone who feels a genuine call to join this retreat but has limited financial resources.
If this resonates with you, please send an email to Nathalie sharing why you feel drawn to this retreat and how you would love to contribute to the week — for example through assisting, photography, logistics, or by offering your own unique skills and talents. We welcome openness, sincerity and a spirit of mutual support.
Apply here
Join the retreat
This retreat is limited to 12 participants, creating an intimate and supportive group setting.
To apply, please send an email sharing your room preference and why you feel called to join this retreat.
You will receive a personal reply confirming availability or suggesting an alternative option.
Apply here
Payment
The total retreat fee is paid in three parts:
Part 1 — a deposit to confirm your registration and room reservation
Part 2 — due on the Spring Equinox (March 21)
Part 3 — paid during the retreat
Once your room preference has been confirmed, you will receive further detail.
Questions?
If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail Nathalie with your questions, or request a connection call. You’re very welcome to reach out — I’d be happy to connect.
SOME impressions of the previous retreat
The elements (earth, water, wood, fire and metal) helped me on my quest for balance; the peace and space brought me back in touch with myself; the sun, the good food, the nice group and the caring attention of Nathalie for each of us brought me very close to my inner bliss.
Nathalie has the special gift to bring out the best in me and to let me uncover who I truly am and what I truly desire. I found back the key to my own heart.
I am so grateful that I was able to experience something like this! Found the right path. Stones grind into sand, waves rock the sea, pure water feeds the source.
Paint box, paint brush, speak with images, discover yourself again. A yoga retreat with people, with nature, the sun, the sea, in short all elements to cherish for a lifetime.
Disclaimer
This retreat requires a certain degree of fitness and ability to walk on uneven terrain such as beaches with rocks and stones and to do steep climbs. This retreat is for (wo)men with an adventurous soul who love pure nature. This retreat is for those who can deeply enjoy the taste of fresh Greek tomatoes and feta. There may be nice warm weather (there is a good chance that it will in May), but there may also be a storm passing by. We do not guarantee good weather all the time. But we do guarantee of deep ecstasy that welcomes all natural elements and weather conditions. We look forward to experiencing this journey with you.
