1 – The Call of an Island
The Call of Corfu
There are places that captivate us for the duration of a trip, and others that continue to live with us long after our return. Corfu is one of those places.
When we left the island last year, we already knew, without really admitting it to ourselves, that we would return. It wasn't just a crush on the beauty of the landscapes or the gentle Greek way of life. It was a more subtle feeling, as if this island had welcomed us with a particular quality of presence, leaving us with the desire to continue a conversation that had only just begun.
This year, when we were planning our holiday, many destinations could have tempted us. Yet, it was towards Corfu that our hearts led us back. Some lands seem to call to us at the moment we are ready to receive what they still have to offer.
Travel differently
Over time, our way of travelling has profoundly evolved.
We are no longer just looking to discover new landscapes. We travel to meet, to learn, to be inspired, to break our routines and, sometimes, to find ourselves.
Every journey becomes an invitation to slow down enough to listen to what is transforming within us. Places touch us, of course, but it is often human beings, conversations, silences, and shared experiences that leave the most lasting imprints.
We love to return from our journeys with more than just photographs. We bring back stories, emotions, new ideas, and encounters that continue to live within us and naturally enrich our way of accompanying others.
In the Footsteps of Ulysses
It’s impossible to be in Greece without sensing just how much mythology continues to permeate the landscape. Personally, when I was a teenager, I used to devour stories inspired by Greek mythology and fictionalised versions of Homer’s epics. So what a joy it is to return today in the footsteps of one of its most iconic heroes: Odysseus. Travelling through this land steeped in stories and symbols suddenly adds another dimension to the journey, as if the legends were coming to life before our very eyes.
Corfu is traditionally associated with the final stage of Odysseus's Odyssey. After twenty years of wandering, battles, storms and trials, the hero finally finds refuge on this island before returning to Ithaca.
We love this story because it far exceeds the ancient narrative.
Deep down, each of us knows their own Odyssey.
We are going through periods of doubt, change, loss, and rebirth. We sometimes drift away from ourselves before gradually rediscovering what constitutes our truth.
The Odyssey reminds us that the journey is not just about travelling the world. It is also the long road that brings us back to our own centre.
Nausicaä or the Power of Welcome
Before returning to Ithaca, Ulysses is welcomed by Nausicaa.
She doesn't save him by force. She offers him something much more precious: a space where he can finally lay down his armour, catch his breath, and regain his dignity.
This step touches us deeply.
In a society that so often values action, performance, and self-improvement, we sometimes forget the power of welcome, gentleness, and rest.
Tantra reminds us precisely that the opening of the heart is not achieved solely through what we do, but also through our capacity to receive.
Perhaps this is what Nausicaa comes to teach Odysseus: before returning home, he must first return to himself.
Arillas, a village where a different spirit blows
We chose to stay in Arillas not just for the beauty of its bay or its sunsets.
For several decades, this small village on the north-west coast of Corfu has been attracting an international community in search of meaning, simplicity and a reconnection with themselves. Here, you’ll meet enthusiasts of yoga, dance, meditation, personal development and spirituality from all corners of Europe. The atmosphere here is unique: more peaceful, more open and more mindful too.
Arillas is also intimately linked to the history of the Osho community. Many sannyasins have settled there over the years, helping to create a culture of welcome, meditation, and celebration that still permeates the village today. It is also here that world-renowned artists like Deva Premal and Miten took their first musical steps, long before reaching millions of people worldwide with their mantra chants.
This story imbues the place with a very special vibe. Without being cut off from the world, Arillas seems to have retained a soul. Here, you are far from the bustling seaside resorts solely driven by mass tourism. Encounters happen naturally, conversations linger facing the sea, and there is that rare feeling of belonging, for a few days, to an international community where curiosity, kindness, and a joy for life create a common language.
Then there is the rhythm itself.
The mornings begin gently. The olive trees lead down to the sea. The cicadas accompany the hottest hours. The sunsets seem to last an eternity, inviting everyone to pause for a few moments to contemplate the light disappearing behind the Dragon Island.
In a world where everything is accelerating, Arillas reminds us that there is another way to inhabit time. To breathe, contemplate, converse, dance, meditate... and simply savour the beauty of being alive.
Gravias, the Dragon's Isle
From Arillas beach, our gaze kept returning to a small rocky island placed on the horizon: Gravias.
The locals call it «Dragon Island».
According to local traditions, it has protected the bay for centuries. Others also mention the presence of an energy axis running through this part of Corfu. Everyone is free to believe it, or simply to be touched by the poetry of these tales.
For us, the explanation ultimately didn't matter.
Every evening, as the sun slowly disappeared behind Gravias, we felt a deep sense of calm.
As if this silent presence reminded us that there is another way of inhabiting the world: less in the hustle and bustle, more in listening.
The dragon, in many traditions, symbolises not only power. It also represents a creative, protective, and profoundly living force.
Faced with Gravias, this image made complete sense.
When landscapes become masters
As the days went by, we realised that Corfu had more to offer us than just wonderful memories.
She was teaching us something.
She reminded us that slowing down is sometimes an act of courage.
Let the myths continue to live when they resonate with our own existence.
What certain landscapes can become silent masters.
And that the true journey often begins the moment one stops simply wanting to discover a place... to accept being transformed by it.
It is in this state of mind that we joined the Colibri Spirit Festival, without imagining that the encounters that awaited us would give a new dimension to this inner odyssey.
2 – Letting yourself be transformed by the encounter
A little Bali in the heart of Greece
A few days after our arrival, we joined the Colibri Spirit Festival, an event that we were looking forward to with great enthusiasm.
Situated on a magnificent estate overlooking the bay, the setting is simply spectacular. From the very first moments, a hard-to-describe sensation takes hold: lush nature, open spaces and a community from all corners of the globe.
On several occasions, we looked at each other and smiled. «It feels like you're in a little Bali... in Greece!»
And this impression is no coincidence. Having had the good fortune to participate in Bali Spirit Festival, Here we find this same international outlook, this same curiosity for life, and this same joy in celebrating together. With nearly 2,000 participants, the Colibri Spirit Festival is a true meeting point, where everyone comes as much to recharge as to be inspired.
Arillas is often considered the little bohemian village of Corfu. You'll find an international community passionate about yoga, meditation, dance, and spirituality, with its own recognisable codes, aesthetic, and sometimes even its «dress code». Some speak of it with humour, referring to the Spiritual Barbies. This is not necessarily a universe in which we fully recognise ourselves, but beyond appearances, what touches us remains essential: the quality of the encounters, the openness of the exchanges, the richness of the practices, and this incredible desire to celebrate life.
Festivals as human laboratories
For several days, we let ourselves be carried along by the rhythm of the festival: concerts under the stars, somatic practices, meditations, ceremonies, Ecstatic Dance sessions, seaside rituals, swims, impromptu conversations, and inspiring discoveries. Each day was an invitation to explore, to feel, and to marvel.
This experience also allowed us to take a step back and reflect on what, in our eyes, makes a festival rich.
The Colibri Spirit Festival brings together nearly 2,000 people and offers a diverse programme. Its format allows for participation in the day or just the evening, offering great freedom to everyone. This creates a very open dynamic, where participants come to experience the moments that attract them the most.
By observing this organisation, we also became aware of what is particularly important to us in the creation of the TantrÂmour Festival.
We have chosen a festival on a human scale, where participants experience the adventure together from start to finish. Beyond the workshops, we want to create a real container, a space where trust is gradually established, where bonds can form over the days and where everyone feels safe enough to open up to themselves and to others.
This difference in format profoundly changes the quality of the experience. Workshops become stages of a shared journey, meals transform into moments of connection, evenings extend the day's discussions, and gradually, a true ephemeral community comes to life.
Ultimately, this stay confirmed our intuition: while festivals are wonderful sources of inspiration, what most profoundly transforms an experience is not just the quality of the programme. It is also the quality of the human connection that is built between participants, the team and the speakers.
This is the dimension we are dedicated to cultivating, year after year, at the TantrÂmour Festival.
The joy of reunion
One of the great joys of this week was meeting up with the organisers of the Cocoon Festival, as well as several friends I met a few weeks earlier in Crete.
Barely arrived, familiar faces appear. Smiles are exchanged, hugs replace introductions, and conversations resume as if we'd parted the day before.
It's always astonishing to see how quickly genuine bonds can form when sharing intense experiences. In just a few days, certain encounters can take on a depth that sometimes takes years to build elsewhere.
Throughout the festivals, we feel a genuine international community emerging. A community where connections are forged not around nationality or language, but around shared values: curiosity for life, a taste for inner exploration, kindness, and the.
These reunions remind us of something obvious: the most beautiful memories of a trip are not just the landscapes we contemplate, but the people we meet along the way. It is they who give soul to places and make us want to return there one day.
Captain Sab takes the helm
Every trip is an invitation to live new experiences, and it was my turn.
When the idea came up to rent a small motorboat with our Austrian friends, I didn't really hesitate. I saw it as a great opportunity to jump in at the deep end... both literally and figuratively!
Even though I had never helmed a motorboat before (despite having my boating licence!), I wasn't entirely unfamiliar with navigating. Between the ages of twenty and thirty, I was fortunate to spend a lot of time on sailboats, memories which naturally resurfaced as I took the helm.
A few minutes later, we left the port with our cheerful little team. Very quickly, the apprehension of the early moments gave way to pleasure. Sailing along the cliffs, discovering coves only accessible by sea, dropping anchor for an impromptu swim, sharing a smoothie or a good beer… everything seemed to celebrate this day of freedom.
And as often happens during the most beautiful moments, a nickname was born spontaneously: Captain Sab.
This experience reminded me of something precious. We sometimes wait for all the conditions to be right before daring to embark on a new adventure. Yet, it's often enough to accept the invitation of the moment, to trust one's experience, even if it's imperfect, and to go for it. It is very often by moving forward that confidence grows... and that the most beautiful memories are made.
Speaking English… or learning to dare
Another, more subtle challenge accompanied this stay.
During this stay, our meetings were held in English.
For me, it was an opportunity to continue to overcome an old belief: that one must be excellent before daring to speak.
And yet…
Nobody expected perfect grammar.
Nobody judged the hesitations.
Conversations were built with simplicity, kindness and a lot of humour.
Little by little, the sentences became more fluid, the conversations more natural, and a new confidence slowly took its place.
This experience goes far beyond learning a language.
She reminds us how much we sometimes wait to be «ready» before daring to have certain experiences.
Life rarely asks us to be ready.
She's simply inviting us to start.
3 – Come back more alive
Find Ishvari before the Tantramour Festival
Among the lovely surprises this trip had in store for us, one in particular brought us great joy: finding Ishvari at the Colibri Spirit Festival.
Her presence was not expected. That is precisely what made this meeting so precious.
For several days, we have had the pleasure of sharing simple moments, taking the time to get to know each other better, and discussing our journeys, our vision of Tantra, and what deeply inspires us in our respective practices.
This shared time has given a new depth to our collaboration, long before we met at the TantrÂmour Festival.
We are particularly delighted to welcome her this year, as her approach resonates deeply with what we wish to convey. She connects Tantra to devotion, to rituals, to the beauty of gesture, to symbolism, and to this way of making the sacred a living, embodied, and profoundly human experience.
We already know that the workshops she will offer will provide participants with a unique, sensitive and inspiring journey.
When travel fosters transmission
We often tend to say that our travels are an integral part of our development.
Not because we accumulate techniques or new concepts there, but because they constantly remind us that life is our first teacher.
Every festival we attend, every person we meet, every practice we discover, every conversation over a meal enriches our perspective and fuels our approach to supporting others.
We deeply love the idea that transmission is never fixed.
It remains alive because we ourselves continue to learn, to question ourselves, to marvel, and to be inspired.
The TantrÂmour Festival was born from this desire: to create, in France, a space where the most beautiful inspirations gathered during our travels can meet, while remaining deeply faithful to what drives us.
What we really bring back from our travels
When returning from a trip, we often bring back some souvenirs, photographs or objects that remind us of the places visited.
But with time, we realise that it's never these material memories that last the longest.
What we really bring back are sights, conversations, bursts of laughter, music, dancing, silences, landscapes that continue to live within us long after our return.
We also report more confidence.
The confidence that arises when you dare to steer a boat for the first time.
The confidence that grows when speaking a foreign language without waiting to be perfect.
The confidence that sets in when you realise you can always learn, regardless of your age or background.
Essentially, every journey changes us a little.
Sometimes discreetly.
Sometimes deeply.
But still lastingly.
Keep walking the path
Perhaps one of the most beautiful lessons travel offers us is this: there is no final destination.
Every encounter opens a new door.
Every experience gives rise to a new question.
Each challenge overcome simply invites us to continue on the path.
We feel immense gratitude for being able to have these experiences together, as a couple, but also for being able to share them afterwards with our community.
Because, deep down, we're not trying to pass on a method.
We wish to share a way of being in the world.
One way to stay curious.
To dare.
To let oneself be touched.
Treating the unforeseen as an invitation.
And to continue to learn with humility.
We deeply believe that the most beautiful teachers are those who remain students of life themselves.
At heart, the journey never stops
Leaving Corfu, we felt we were leaving behind more than just an island.
We were leaving a place that had reminded us of the beauty of myths, the power of encounters, the joy of challenges met, and that quality of presence which transforms a simple stay into a true initiatory experience.
Yet the journey did not stop.
It was already continuing within us.
In our gaze.
In our way of living out our daily lives.
In the practices we will be suggesting shortly.
In the spaces that we will open at the TantrÂmour Festival.
Perhaps that, ultimately, is the true legacy of travel.
They don't take us away from our lives.
They're bringing us back there.
A little more present.
A little more open.
A little more confident.
A little more lively.
And perhaps this too is the true return to Ithaca: not returning to the place from which one departed, but returning to the person one has become along the way.
As we boarded the plane to fly back to France, one thing became clear to us.
We're not just leaving with wonderful memories.
We left with renewed energy, fresh inspiration, and a deep gratitude for all these encounters which, each in their own way, will continue to enrich our lives and all that we have the joy of passing on.
But before being therapists, teachers, or the creators of the TantrÂmour Festival, we are simply two beings on a journey.
And perhaps that is what we wish to convey more than anything: the joy of continuing to walk, with an open heart, on this marvellous odyssey that is life.
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