What I Learned About Cave Yoga in Santorini

What the hell is cave yoga?! One workout I had to try while in Greece was cave yoga! I experienced what is called a “reconnection therapy” session, which takes place in a naturally balanced cave. The cave was like a cozy den, filled with calming candles and soft music. I felt completely free because no one was watching me. Guided by head yoga instructor at the resort spa, Elena, I was quickly on my way to ZEN and SERENITY!

I had been exercising throughout my trip in Greece using weights, running, and cycling, but between the heat and late night fun I needed a bit of detox! A combination of stretching and meditation was the perfect way to break up the vigorous workouts, hiking, and detox from the cocktails.

My Cave Experience

My cave experience was both a spiritual and mental one and in the end my body was left with a euphoric feeling. I started my yoga session with a front and back Thai Massage which is performed dry (no lotion). This ancient technique is influenced by Indian Yoga postures. My teacher worked through various stretches while applying pressure along my body’s energy lines. After about 30 minutes my body started to increase flexibility and I could feel myself becoming less resistant. I was finally starting to relax!

Following the soothing massage, Elena instructed me through some yoga poses sitting down. Most of them were in a seated position on a pillow emphasizing the importance of my posture. She spoke a lot about breath awareness and how it should be used. Breath awareness and breath practices are used in yoga to align the functioning of the entire body. During yoga (which means “to join”), postures (asana) and deep breathing techniques are used to conjoin the mind, body, and soul.

Deep stretching during our practice, Santorini (Kallos Spa)

The session wrapped up with a deep meditation, which Elena recommended I do daily. The meditation was very still and put me into a peaceful, Zen state, but helped to activate my mind and body. I carried this feeling throughout the remainder of the day and I found myself laughing a lot later on that evening because I was so relaxed! Elena was so extremely knowledgeable and understood how all of the muscle groups affect the body.