Tuscany Italy Retreat 2025
Osteothai & Thai Training Retreat | Rhythm & Stillness
June 18th - 23rd 2025
Rhythm & Stillness THAI MASSAGE and OSTEOTHAI RETREAT “DIVING INTO THE FASCIA” (ita/eng)
This is in-residence cross cultural experience. Join us for Thai massage training in the warm loving culture of Tuscany region in Borgo San Lorenzo with other like-minded local and regional bodyworkers.
We will focus on multiple levels of touch exploring Traditional Thai Massage (Nuad), Dynamic Thai Massage and Osteothai; the personal practice of mindful movement, meditation; the spirit of welcome and community (sangha). In this fourth edition we will focus on the Fascia.
Intention
QUIET, AWARENESS AND THE ETHICS OF KINDNESS.
There is no stillness of mind without stillness of body, there is no stillness without awareness, there is no awareness without concentration, there is no concentration without discipline and ethics.
The stillness we want to cultivate is not the absence of, but rather the presence of something. It is the fruit of the practice of being present to ourselves and to what surrounds us. Awareness is the energy that allows us to stay in touch with the present moment, and to cultivate it it is necessary to have a practice of concentration, meditation or exercise, such as that of breathing. Usually our body is here but our mind is somewhere else. The Buddha was the first to teach us to touch the present moment through breathing, which thus becomes a bridge between body and mind. We become more aware of what is happening inside and outside of us and in this way we can offer a better quality presence to ourselves and others.
Our Focus
Meditation
PEACEFUL STEPS IN THE WOODS
We are inspired by the practice of walking meditation by Thich Nath Hanh and the techniques of Shinrin Yoku (forest immersion). On these occasions, we nourish ourselves with the contact with the elements of nature and enter into resonance with the abundance that it offers us: physical, symbolic, spiritual and energetic resources. We cultivate peace at every step.
Yoga/Movement
THE PRACTICE
The practice is based on the personal integration of Hatha, Yin and Vinyasa Yoga techniques, Qi-gong, Thai Massage, meditative practices inspired by the Zen Buddhism of Thich Nhat Hanh and the monastic community he founded (Plum Village). In this synthesis you will find powerful antidotes to physical and respiratory ailments and to an agitated mind.
Thai Training
Rhythm and Stillness
FOCUSING ON THE FASCIA
The fascia constitutes the architecture of our body, it is a multilamellar structure of dense connective tissue that forms a continuum throughout the body, it performs a structural
support function that envelops and penetrates all organs, muscles and nerve fibers. (Stecco C. 2018).
The fascia is a dynamic, vascularised and innervated tissue, which forms a network of multi-directional myofascial continuity throughout the body. Thanks to the presence of hyaluronic acid there is a sliding, between the various fascial planes that allows the muscle to contract optimally. The fascia allows directional motor control, coordination, synchronization, through proprioception (Vitali A. 2018). Furthermore fascial tissue is closely linked to our emotional world. Emotions can manifest themselves through tensions and contractures in the fascia. Massage thus becomes a precious ally capable of promoting the release of these emotional tensions trapped in the connective tissue and paving the way for a profound transformation, a global well-being that unites body and mind.
​
RHYTHM AND QUIET IN THAI MASSAGE AND OSTEOTHAI:
THE CHANGES OF RHYTHMS
Being able to adapt and change the rhythm of your treatment to the different needs of the receiver brings greater therapeutIc effectiveness, creativity, fluidity as well as playfulness and intuition in the practice.