I participated in the December retreat in Tenerife and I am happy to have had this experience and to have met wonderful people. I also took away some food for thought about mindfulness and self-reflection, which I will try to incorporate into my daily life.
I did not find the program distribution optimal. One day was so overloaded with activities that one program point was completely cancelled, while on another day a subgroup had the whole day free. However, I think that with further retreats, the program distribution can also be better assessed.
I personally found the group size of 27 participants too large. This meant that subgroups had to be formed frequently, which affected the group dynamics. I also found it disturbing that some of Oliver's and Anina's friends, who stood in as drivers, were allowed to participate in the group activities unannounced, sometimes without being introduced beforehand. This was not conducive to group intimacy.
I also noticed the lack of organization. Program points were changed spontaneously (you actually had to have your cell phone ready at all times because it was often only communicated via it). Drivers were sometimes only organized on the same day, there were not enough car seats, so that some had to sit unbuckled/on the floor of a van.
Regarding the rooms, there were big differences. Some shared a 2-room apartment with private bathroom in twos, others shared a 1.40 bed in twos, although each person paid the same price.
I found the yoga classes nicely varied in our subgroup (in the other subgroup, however, almost only quiet yin yoga, this could have been better coordinated among Oliver and Anina). I also found it nice that at the request of the group an additional yoga unit was integrated into the plan.
I thought the photographer was often able to capture the moments nicely without being distracting. I also liked that during more intimate moments, such as the sharing circle, no photos were taken. I would only have wished that perhaps in the run-up to the registration would have been a note that the retreat will be accompanied photographically, and also not only explained on demand that the photos are also used for marketing purposes and not only made for personal memory.
A highlight was the outstanding tasting and varied vegetarian and vegan food. Each meal was prepared with attention to detail. I would have liked to have more snack options at lunchtime sometimes, as the program actually included lunch, but then there was only breakfast and dinner.
I found the program very varied, and the passionate people behind it very inspiring. It was really fun to hear the stories behind the people. Whether it was the acro yoga workshop, the whale watching, the sound healing or the permaculture workshop, the journaling workshop, I was able to try out a lot of new things and take them with me.
I also found that Oliver and Anina succeeded in a very nice start to the retreat, adapted to the group. I found the exercises on the first day in smaller groups very pleasant, so I was able to engage well with the Sharing Circle in the large group, which was also a really nice new experience.
Even though Oliver and Anina were probably faced with new challenges due to the large number of participants in contrast to the last retreat, which were partly not solved well in terms of organization and communication, I found that all in all it was a nice experience. I also think that these are points that can be implemented for the next retreat and optimize the experience for everyone.
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thank you very much for your honest evaluation. Feedback, whether positive or constructive, is extremely valuable to me. I am happy to hear that you perceived my compassion and empathy during the retreat.
I would like to hear more about what situation you may not have been on the same wavelength as me. This would help me to continually improve my work and ensure that future participants have the best experience possible. Please feel free to contact me directly, either by phone at 0034 664 583 348 or by email at oliver@re-connect-yourself.com so we can discuss this in person.
Thank you again for your feedback, and I hope we can work together to find a positive solution.
With warm regards,
Oliver