6 day Kaisanji Zen & Yoga Retreat

Born and raised in Athens, Greece, Alexandra began practising Yoga in 1996 under the guidance of Derek Ireland and Kristina Karytinou in the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga system, at the Practice Place in Southern Crete. This marked the start of a lifelong journey that brought her immediate relief from physical and psychological pain. She completed two teacher training courses in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, with Kristina Karytinou in 2003 and David Swenson in Scotland in 2005. ​ In 2002, Alexandra enrolled in Yogic Studies 1 of the Satyananda Yoga system. She continued the practice of this powerful teaching by attending the Instructor's Training Course at Satyanandashram Hellas in 2007. Alexandra became very intrigued when she read Vanda Scaravelli's book "Awakening the Spine." Inspired by the author's poetic and articulate explanation of the method, and as she sought out a close student of Scaravelli, she came across Diane Long, a close student of Scaravelli for 23 years, and studied Scaravelli-inspired Yoga with her from 2008 to 2019. ​ In addition to her role as a dedicated Yoga Instructor at Zen Center Athens, Alexandra serves as the Coordinator and Teacher for the Kaisanji Yoga and Zen Retreats in the beautiful island of Serifos, Greece. She is dedicated to orchestrating immersive experiences that combine the wisdom of Yoga and Zen practices. ​ With three decades of personal practice and teaching experience since 2003, Alexandra is a 500-hour certified Yoga Instructor by Yoga Alliance International. She is fluent in English and specializes in Asana and Meditation, guiding others on their spiritual journeys with a deep sense of purpose and great passion.

Antaratma Theodore Chiotis was born and raised in Athens, Greece. He began his practice and study of Yoga in 1995, immersing himself in the Satyananda Yoga system under the guidance of Swami Shivamurti Saraswati. His introduction to Yoga occurred during a Satsang, where he was profoundly moved by the singing of Kirtan. This experience ignited his passion for Yoga, as he witnessed the powerful energy that is created when people come together to sing and dance, using mantras, music and rhythm. ​Kirtan, a form of Nada Yoga (Yoga of sound) and Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of the heart), became a central aspect of Antaratma's practice. In 1998, he began composing and singing Kirtan, recognising it as a powerful means to express and connect with the Self. The practice allows participants to transcend the mundane, fostering a deep sense of community and spiritual upliftment. Antaratma believes that Kirtan not only enhances individual practice but also creates a shared experience that resonates with the heart. ​In 1999, he enrolled in Yogic Studies 1, motivated by the encouragement of his teachers rather than a personal ambition to teach. He completed the Instructor's Training Course in Satyananda Yoga in 2000 and has since led numerous Yoga classes, Workshops, and Retreats for students and instructors. As an artist and musician, Antaratma's relationship with sound began at an early age when he started studying classical guitar. Music plays a significant role in his life, and he finds that Yoga allows him to explore sound on a deeper level. The magic of sound continues to inspire his teaching and connects him to the essence of Yoga, driving him to share the transformative power of Kirtan with others. ​Through his teachings and the practice of Kirtan, Antaratma invites students to experience the joy and liberation that comes from practising and singing together, fostering a sense of unity and connection that transcends individual differences.

Konstantinos Sgoumpopoulos was born and raised in Athens. He has been practicing Tae Kwon do since 1986, owner of 7 Dan and 3 Dan in the art of Iaido. Since 1998 he has been studying and delving into the philosophy and practice of Zen. In 1999 he goes Shaolin Monastery in China for the prequisite interview that would enable him to follow the three-months monk training there. He succeeds and is admitted for the practice-training in Zen meditation. By 2001 he therefore returns to China for the 100 days of meditation in the monastery, required to be able to continue his independent practice back in Greece. By completing this training he is given monk status and begins deepening his daily zazen practice. In 2010 he visits Fudenji, a Japanese Soto Zen monastery in Italy. There he makes a definitive decision to focus completely on the practice and teaching of Zen and the goal of establishing in Greece the first Soto Zen Monastery. In 2012 travels to Hosshin-ji monastery and is accepted by its abbot at the time, Koten Roshi as a novice monk and his student. By 2013 he becomes a Soto Zen monk and since then, he returns to Hosshin-ji uninterruptedly two times a year for intensive practice. In the meantime, in 2013 he establishes Zen Center Athens, where he is currently based as the Sangha teacher and Koten Roshi’s representative in Greece.