Jardin de Luz is Love and Enlightenment

I felt I had several personal issues to solve: feeling unbalanced energies, quite disconnected from the old friends I used to hang out with, looking for more clarity in my life to transcend memories from the past, a feeling of being stuck in the traffic, the need to find a different perspective.

I have always danced for fun but two years ago I discovered Chakradance and I attended the online course, almost always alone at home, in times of lockdown. Soon I realized that Chakradance is much more than fun, it’s a journey of self-discovery, a powerful way to rebalance energies and get surprising insights, a healing practice.

Meditation, free dance, Mandala art: I absolutely wanted to go deeper and practice Chakradance in live sessions with an expert facilitator, so when I found this retreat in beautiful Spain I was so happy!

The program is intensive but there is also time to rest and reload: it was really what I was looking for. So I arrived at Jardin de Luz full of enthusiasm and with a strong intention to move on, ready to make the most of this experience. Everything was absolutely amazing, far beyond the best expectations!

First of all, the hosts: Pingel and her husband Peter are fantastic, they welcomed with warmth, created a connection as if we were longtime friends and always made me feel at ease, totally safe and free to be myself. Pingel is a wonderful teacher, first because she is a real expert in somatic well being, from Chakradance to NIA to Feldenkrais and much more, but mostly and most of all because of her extraordinary sensitivity that gently allowed me to realize, release and share my deepest emotions, feelings, memories from the past, unexpected shifts of points of view.

Peter supported the whole retreat by cooking delicious vegetarian food, always varying recipes at lunch and at dinner, according to the Chakra colour of the day: a feast for the eyes and the palate! He is a great chef as well as a great conversationalist and an expert in many other fields.

Jardin de Luz is a magnificent location: a typical Andalusian Finca surrounded by various plants, fruit and olive trees (they make an excellent olive oil). There is also a beautiful pool to relax and refreshen during the hot summer days.

My accommodation in the luxury room in the guesthouse with a private bathroom was the top: tastefully decorated, comfortable bed, heavenly silent and cool enough to sleep even in hot Andalusian summer nights. By the way, the weather was always sunny but often quite windy, the Finca is about 650 m above sea level and it was never too hot. They made me discover the Alpujarra area, which is really gorgeous with its mountains, barrancos, historical white villages like Pampaneira and its chocolate farm and Orgiva with its local markets. Last but not least: the animals!

Pingel and Peter take care of a lovely tribe of cats, a super cuddly dog and a roaming free group of hens who return very fresh eggs. It was not in the program but, as an animal lover, I deeply enjoyed the pet therapy deriving from cuddling the dog and the more extroverted cats in the group. I fell in love with Jardin de Luz and enjoyed every single moment of this retreat.

Other than Chakradance, I could practice NIA and Feldenkrais that have been a true revelations and helped me a lot to become much more aware of my body, my posture, my feelings, my emotions, my thoughts and the deep interconnection among them all.

Pingel gently and softly guided me during this journey within myself in a true catharsis that completely regenerated me. During the retreat I felt moved, I felt compassion for me and for all the living beings, I felt overjoyed and reborn. The final result is real enlightenment, a sense of peace and liberation, ready to keep on this journey of life with a lighter and brighter spirit, full of love and gratitude for the joy of being here and now.

Jardin de Luz is full of Love and this Love is healing, creative and empowering. Thank you Pingel and Peter!