Gea Viva

Gea Viva—the name means "the Earth is alive"—sits in a peaceful olive grove on the island of Brač, Croatia, fifteen minutes' walk from the harbour village of Milna and the Adriatic Sea. The retreat was founded by Sabine Engelhardt, a geomancer, yoga teacher, and eco architect who came to the island guided by a message in meditation. Engelhardt's spiritual journey moved her from cabinetmaking through eco architecture to geomancy, the art of communicating with the sacred realms of the Earth. She established Gea Viva as a sanctuary for people who hold the Earth sacred, designed according to permaculture principles and operating entirely off-grid, powered by solar panels and supplied by rainwater tanks.

The physical space reflects this philosophy. At the centre lies a stone circle auditorium called "Celebrating the power of the heart," created in collaboration with geomancy colleagues including Ivana Petan, Annette Frederking, Urša Vidic, Ingrid Tasch, Manuela Kaniški, and Margan Kalb. The thirteen hand-carved reliefs each embody a distinct impulse for transformation. The retreat also features a 100-square-metre dome tent with a timber floor for yoga and seminars, a shady pavilion, a giant mosaic dragon, and a permaculture garden in the shape of a Venus flower. The land holds olive trees, fruit trees, Mediterranean herbs, two donkeys, a dog, cats, and chickens. Accommodation ranges from a tiny house with sea views and wood-burning stove to glamping huts and camping spaces; all facilities use composting toilets and screened outdoor solar showers.

In 2011, Engelhardt co-founded the charity branch of Gea Viva with Alda Gerchi and Urša Vidic. The charity runs courses for local children and adults, offering yoga, workshops, retreats, a permaculture volunteering programme through WWOOF, and women's circles dedicated to supporting humanity's transition and rebalancing masculine and feminine energies. Engelhardt has also initiated Earth healing projects across the island, including work at Draceva Luka and the dragon's cave above the hamlet Murvica, where she sensed strong heart energy and the presence of priestesses in Neolithic times.

Programming at Gea Viva spans personal yoga and healing retreats available from May through October, women's retreats focused on reconnection with the sacred feminine and inner wisdom, dry-stone walling workshops teaching traditional building technique, guided meditations and energy healing sessions, and seasonal celebrations tied to equinoxes and solstices. Drop-in yoga classes occur Monday and Thursday evenings. Retreats emphasize vegetarian meals prepared jointly from fresh local ingredients, outdoor time in nature, and work with meditation, ritual, movement, and sacred circles. The retreat does not permit meat, drugs, or alcohol on site.