In Ancient Greece, was it “divine madness” that bestowed creativity? 

Socrates and Plato wrote that inspired thoughts originated when a person was beside themselves – in a state of divine madness. Reason was suspended. So, Plato considered that art was an imitation of an imitation – twice removed. In Poetics, Aristotle championed art as a valuable way to experience emotions, integral to tragedy and poetry.

Myth and religion, art and architecture, philosophy and science, theater and music – it would take a library to delve into all this from ancient Greece. What would be the impulse or common ground for all this? 

In the eyes and minds of ancient Greek people, it would have fallen under the umbrella of what they labelled mousikē: the sphere of the (usually nine) divine Muses who had their abode on Mount Helicon – where famously poet Hesiod claimed to have actually met them. It was Muses too that Homer invoked at the start of both the Iliad and Odyssey – as the cause of his poetic inspiration and craft. The Muses each had their individual circle of expertise and interest, but all operated literally under the sign of Memory (Mnemosyne in Greek), because that was their mother’s name. 

Their father was Zeus, though his role was more that of one-time progenitor than of cultural mentor. I wrote ‘almost all’: two significant exceptions were (visual) artworks and architecture, and in a different way philosophy. Philosophers had no one divine inspirer – they might look at different times towards Athena, Apollo or even Zeus for intellectual aid. Craftsmen in metal, stone or wood (kheirotechnai) were thought to need a different kind of inspiration from ‘makers’ (poiētai) of words, and this came from either Athena or Hephaestus (Homer’s lame craftsman god, maker of Achilles’s arms and armour) or both.

To revert to the Muses: epic poetry was taken care of by Calliope, love poetry by Erato, lyric poetry by Euterpe, sacred poetry/hymns by Polyhymnia, tragic drama by Melpomene, comedy by Thalia, and dance (manifested in the dramatic or singing chorus, a word which originally meant ‘dance’) by Terpsichore (‘she who delights in the dance’). 

Something of an outlier – or an uplier – was Ourania, meaning literally ‘heavenly’ and so the presiding Muse of astronomy. Astronomy – literally the disposition/arrangement of stars – was not an original Greek specialism. Rather, it was a manifestation of another key aspect of the ancient Greeks’ creative genius – their ability to borrow and take over something already very finely developed or crafted by another culture and then re-make it something new, and often something superior.

Greece remains a natural home for anyone drawn to mythology, a place where ancient stories still echo through real landscapes. Past and present, legend and reality, meet constantly here, giving every site a quiet sense of wonder. This selection highlights ten places where those old tales still feel close to the surface.




Delphi – The Oracle’s Sacred Sanctuary


@dermaierhofer

No place could open this list more fittingly than Delphi, perhaps the most iconic mythological site in Greece. Set against the slopes of Mount Parnassus, the sanctuary once drew kings and travellers seeking guidance from the Oracle of Apollo. Even now, the ruins hold a quiet intensity, as if the echoes of those ancient prophecies still linger in the air.

Mount Olympus – Home of the Twelve Gods


@denis_du

Mount Olympus follows naturally, the legendary home of the twelve Olympian gods and the highest peak in Greece. Rising sharply above the northern plains, it has long been imagined as the place where Zeus ruled and the gods debated the fate of mortals. Walking its trails today, the mountain still carries a sense of grandeur, as if the old divine presence has never entirely faded from its slopes.

Knossos – Palace of the Minotaur


@tdaniel.henson

Knossos, the legendary palace on Crete long linked to the myth of the Minotaur and the labyrinth, remains one of the most evocative sites in Greek mythology. Once the heart of the Minoan civilisation, its sprawling ruins and vivid frescoes still hint at a world rich in ritual and symbolism. Walking through its corridors today, it’s easy to see why this place inspired one of the most enduring stories of Greek myth.

Ithaca – Homeland of Odysseus


@themisdk

Ithaca carries a special resonance, long celebrated as the homeland of Odysseus and the symbolic destination of his arduous journey. Quiet, green, and rugged, the island still feels shaped by the spirit of return and perseverance that defines his story. Standing on its hills or along its coves, one quickly senses why this small place has held such a powerful place in the imagination for centuries. A visit to the Cave of the Nymphs, traditionally linked to Odysseus’ return, offers a particularly atmospheric glimpse into the island’s mythic past.

Ikaria – Island of the Icarus Legend


@nick.halj

Ikaria carries the quiet allure of the myth of Icarus, whose fall is traditionally linked to the waters surrounding this rugged Aegean island. Known today for its slow rhythm of life and striking landscapes, it feels like a place where time stretches differently. A walk to the dramatic cliffs near Nas, overlooking the sea where the legend places Icarus’ descent, offers a particularly evocative way to connect the island’s natural beauty with its long‑lived myth.

Cape Sounion – The Cliff of Aegeus


@valentina_ronchi_

Just an hour from Athens, Cape Sounion offers one of the most striking mythological settings in Greece, crowned by the Temple of Poseidon overlooking the Aegean. According to tradition, this is where Aegeus leapt into the sea, believing his son Theseus had died on his return from Crete. The headland’s sweeping views and the temple’s gleaming columns make it an ideal place to reflect on the blend of beauty and tragedy that runs through Greek myth.

Mount Parnassus – Realm of Apollo & the Muses


@letsgohiking5280

Mount Parnassus holds a special place in Greek mythology, long regarded as the sacred domain of Apollo, the Muses, and the arts they inspired. Its slopes, covered in forests and threaded with ancient paths, have been associated for centuries with poetry, music, and divine inspiration. Walking here today, the landscape still carries a quiet creative energy, especially around the springs and viewpoints traditionally linked to the Muses’ presence.

Psychro Cave – Birthplace of Zeus


@ninatraveljournal

The Psychro Cave on Crete holds a special place in Greek mythology, often identified as the birthplace of Zeus. According to certain traditions, the infant god was hidden here to escape Cronus, who feared being overthrown by his own children. The cave’s cool chambers and dramatic stalactites create an atmosphere that feels naturally steeped in myth, especially for visitors who make the short hike up from the Lassithi Plateau to explore this storied site.

Necromanteion of Ephyra – Gateway to the Underworld


@camerawork.at

The Necromanteion of Ephyra stands as one of the most atmospheric sites in Greek mythology, long regarded as a gateway to the Underworld and dedicated to Hades and Persephone. This ancient sanctuary was believed to be a place where mortals could communicate with the dead, guided through dark corridors and ritual chambers meant to evoke the journey beyond. Exploring the site today, with its subterranean passages and stark stone walls, offers a vivid sense of why this location became so closely tied to the boundary between the living and the world below.

Lake Stymphalia – The Sixth Labour of Heracles


@lenaparis

Lake Stymphalia, set in the mountains of the Peloponnese, is forever tied to the sixth labour of Heracles, where he confronted the man‑eating Stymphalian birds. Surrounded by reeds, wetlands, and quiet hills, the area still carries an air of mystery that suits the tale of those fearsome creatures. A walk around the lake or a visit to the nearby environmental museum offers a vivid way to connect the landscape with one of the hero’s most memorable challenges.

All that remains now is to set off and let these legendary places work their magic on you, just as they have for generations of travellers, writers, painters, and even filmmakers who still draw inspiration from Greek myth today. Whether you feel the strength of Heracles awakening or the cunning of Odysseus whispering in your ear, these landscapes have a way of stirring something unexpected. Somewhere out there, a myth‑soaked corner of Greece is simply waiting for your footsteps to awaken your own inner hero!

In Ancient Greece, public life was at its most vibrant in the agorá! It was a public space that played a significant role in every aspect of social life - it also served as a marketplace where merchants kept stalls or shops to sell their products.

 

It is this idea that inspired us to create our own Agorá in the form of an open digital space on our trusted platform where the international community can gather, navigate, and discover the stories and products of local Greek businesses, designers, food producers, artists, authors, and independent creators.

Telling your story and sharing your products in the Agora Marketplace is free of charge. If you would like to share your story, please get in touch with us.

 

Our Agorá was created with the intention of connecting the international community with local Greek products, and the stories of their creators. We strive to bridge our readers with the local community in order to enhance their experience of living in Greece, while also supporting local businesses. The Agorá is a digital marketplace where our community of global citizens can gather and explore local Greek products of quality, value and authenticity. 

Everyone. Our Agorá is a space dedicated to supporting local businesses and local creators by telling their stories and sharing their products; while giving Greece’s international community the chance to discover local products and support local businesses. In other words, this unique space on XpatAthens benefits both our readers and local Greek businesses. 

Sharing your story and your products in our digital marketplace means that you’ll be seen by our unique community of readers who follow us both locally and internationally. Our Agorá is about connecting people with local Greek products and we do this with the intention of sharing and connecting our readers with local businesses.

Note, products are never purchased directly from XpatAthens, they are simply showcased (shared) in our Agorá.

 

Learning Greek doesn’t have to feel intimidating or academic.

At XpatAthens, our Greek Language Lessons are designed specifically for those who want to feel more confident, connected, and at home in Greece. Whether you’re ordering coffee, dealing with paperwork, or chatting with neighbours, we focus on real-life Greek you can actually use.

To thrive in today's dynamic business world, it's crucial to know how to adapt quickly and embrace change. Excellent planning and organizational skills are fundamental to navigating the business world smoothly. While it's easy to assume that success will come quickly by simply working hard, the reality of starting and growing a business is far more complex.

No matter what type of business you're running or planning to start, here are some helpful tips for your journey to success!

1. Get Organized



One of the best ways to succeed in business is to stay organized. Being organized helps you complete tasks efficiently and stay on top of your responsibilities. A practical approach is to create a daily checklist. As you complete each task, cross it off your list. This not only ensures you don't overlook any crucial tasks but also gives you a sense of accomplishment as you see your list of completed tasks grow.

2. Know Your Competitors



Gaining insights from your competition is invaluable. Don't hesitate to study and learn from them. They might be implementing strategies that could inspire you to differentiate your business. By understanding what works for them, you can adapt and improve your approach, staying competitive in your industry.

3. Understand Risk



Taking sensible risks is a golden key to business growth. Always ask yourself, "What's the possible downside?" Understanding the worst-case scenario allows you to take calculated risks that can lead to significant rewards. This approach helps you make informed decisions that can propel your business forward.

4. Maintain Consistency



Consistency is crucial for maintaining long-term success in business. Always strive to provide top-notch service and high-quality products. Staying true to your core values and differentiators will help you build a reputation for reliability. This consistent performance fosters trust and loyalty among your customers, leading to sustained positive results.

5. Think Outside The Box



Always be on the lookout for ways to innovate and improve your business. Embrace the motto: "Think like there is no box." Keeping an open mind to fresh ideas and new methods can set your business apart from the competition. Continual innovation is essential for staying relevant and ahead in the market.

6. Focus on Customer Experience



A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all. Prioritize exceptional customer service and create memorable experiences for your clients. Listen to their feedback, address their concerns promptly, and go the extra mile to exceed their expectations. Happy customers are more likely to return and recommend your business to others, driving growth through positive word-of-mouth.

7. Invest in Continuous Learning



The business world is constantly evolving, and staying updated with the latest trends and technologies is essential. Invest in continuous learning for yourself and your team. Attend workshops, enroll in courses, and participate in industry conferences. This commitment to ongoing education will help you stay competitive and innovative, ensuring your business remains at the forefront of your industry.

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Whether you’re starting a new business, strategizing a website build, expanding your products and services, or figuring out what’s next for your business, we love helping businesses and their leaders gain clarity and thrive!

 

Learn more here about how our business professionals can help you.

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How do I set a new goal?

Of course, you’ve heard that it is necessary to have goals. The goal is a buzzword, practically what drives us to go further. It can be small and immediate or grandiose and long-term. It can be magical and fulfill your deepest dreams, it can also be something simpler and possible. In any case, it is useful and if we set it correctly, it drives us, creates a way forward, and fuels our dreams. A goal is a vision for the future that we desire.

Of course, you will have set goals in the past, but there is a high chance that you did not achieve them. What do we do wrong and most importantly, how can we correct it?

Here are some ways to get it right, using all the functions of the brain, conscious and unconscious, to achieve what you want from now on.

For maximum achievability, your goal must be:

• Well-formed. Proper goal setting achieves the upgrade of our quality of life to multiple levels. A not-so-successful goal slows us down, reduces our self-confidence, disorients us, and at worst fills us with doubts and procrastination.
• Inspirational and alluring, and motivational to you. How do you imagine your life a month, a semester, or a year from now? If you had all the tools and power, what would you want to achieve?
• Challenging, stretching us a little. Our brain wants the challenge, we need to get out of our comfort zone, dare new things, and see what we can achieve. If the goal is very easy, the subconscious mind achieves it immediately and then does not deal with it anymore. If a goal is not realistic, there is no hope, but if it’s not challenging, there is no motivation.
• Toward a positive direction. If you are thinking: “I want to leave this job”, then all your attention is where you want to leave from. But if your goal is stated positively: “I have a job I’m in the flow, I feel passionate about, a job that motivates me”, your brain looks at your goal.
• SMART – including various “technical characteristics to succeed”.
• Starting from and ending with you. If you are responsible for the success of the goal and only you (e.g. to run in the next marathon), then you have a much better chance of achieving it. If your goal depends on others (e.g. World Peace), then you are more likely to not be able to control the outcome. This does not mean that you will not do your best to achieve all the goals, just don’t be disappointed if you do not achieve what you want immediately.
• Ecological. To help/promote our “ecology”: our family, our work, our environment, and society in general. A goal that works in line with the needs and wants of others is much more readily achievable.
• Certifiable. How will you know that you succeeded? What will you see, feel, hear, and say to yourself when you achieve it? What is your own evidence procedure? The subconscious brain moves on until it receives this confirmation, and when it receives it, it moves on to the next goal you set for it.

For example, if your goal is a trip that you really want, you write it as follows: “It is August 5th. I am on a beach in South Crete, I feel calm, relaxed, and happy. I hear the wave and feel the heat on my face. I put on my swimsuit and read my favorite book. Life is beautiful!”

Last but not least, your goal that is specific, that is well-formed, that meets all the specifications, should be installed in your subconscious brain. There are two brains, the conscious brain works intelligently, logically, and linearly and gives us commands. We use this brain in deciding what goal to set (goal-setter). There is also the unconscious or subconscious brain, which has stored all the knowledge, all the tools, and all our psyche and is constantly at work. So, we install the goal in the subconscious mind to collect the data that are suitable for this purpose, that help us to go in the correct direction. The subconscious brain is the one that manages to achieve the goal (goal-getter). There are various ways and techniques to install the target in the subconscious brain and activate it to achieve our goal much more easily and directly.

Finally, on the way to achieving the goal, we need to calmly and realistically change course if necessary. We take in all the information, asses it, and if necessary, adjust accordingly.

The help of an expert can help in this process at all stages, from concretization to targeting, overcoming obstacles and limiting beliefs/behaviors, and of course implementation.

Do not forget, we are talking about your life. Insert passion, and imagination and kick-start your dreams!

Originally published on: christinadrakopoulou.com

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I help outstanding individuals get unstuck from personal fears and limitations and fast-track to the life of their dreams. I specialize in the problems of modern life in urban environments: a job we do not love, dead-end relationships, lethargy, burnout, inability to live in stereotypes, excessive stress, a general feeling of “blockage”, “helplessness” and “entrapment”. For more information about me and my work visit my website.

You’ve probably heard of SMART goals and the proper goal setting. The initials from the word SMART form an acronym and provide “technical” characteristics to a goal to make it more achievable. The original SMART traditionally formed the words Small, Measurable, Accurate, Realistic and Timed, or variations of them, to help create attainable goals. With newer insights in the neurosciences and an improved understanding of the functioning of the human brain, the landscape around the use of the subconscious mind has changed. Thus, the newer, “smarter” goals that emerged allows us to have even greater accuracy and therefore success in what we want to achieve.

Based on Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) and the science of Coaching, there are other concepts that are good to include in the right goal setting that make the goal much more achievable, so that SMART is enriched. So what is SMART targeting with the latest data and how can you use it to your advantage?

S for Specific, Sensory-based, Simple, Small

Specific: your goal must be specific in order to be measurable (eg date, exact proof that you did it)

Sensory-based: What you will see, feel, hear, what do you say to yourself when you achieve your goal? The more you use your sensory system (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Olfactory, Gustator, using all of our five senses - VAKOG) to describe the goal, the better it is recorded by your subconscious

Simple: simple, not simplistic

Small: even if the goal is big, we break it down into small steps

M for Measurable, Meaningful to you

Measurable: exactly how much money, what exactly will I look at, exactly how much will it be to know that I did it

Meaningful to you: the goal must have been set by you for you, so that it matters and is something that motivates you.

Α for Achievable, As if now, All areas of your life

Achievable: even if not now with the tools and knowledge I already have, in the future with what I will acquire

As if now: think of your goal as if you have already achieved it

All areas of your life: in successful goal setting, achieving a goal improves the overall quality of life of the individual.

R for Realistic, Responsible / Ecological

Realistic: can the goal be achieved, is it realistic, have others achieved it? If so, we measure our skills / abilities / knowledge, acquire those we do not have or ask for help, and resolve situations and views that keep us blocked. If not, reassess the goal so that it is achievable.

Responsible / Ecological: achieving the goal improves our ecology, i.e. the environment where we live / work / relationships / the natural environment etc. Does our goal promote the greater good? Is it positive and does it positively affect other areas of our lives and life in general? The better for our ecology, the easier it is to achieve the goal.

T for Timed, Towards what you want

Timed: when exactly do I want to have achieved it? The use of specific time frames helps and informs us about our course

Towards what you want: all your attention should be where you want to get and not where you want to get away from. If your focus is on poverty, you will never be able to reach abundance.

Other acronyms that can help you clarify what you need in order to set successful goals are:

PURE: Positively stated Understood Relevant Ethical / Ecological

CLEAR: Challenging Legal Environmentally Sound Appropriate Recorded

Let’s set goals properly and achieve what we long for!

Originally published on: christinadrakopoulou.com

I help outstanding individuals get unstuck from personal fears and limitations and fast-track to the life of their dreams. I specialize in the problems of modern life in urban environments: a job we do not love, dead-end relationships, lethargy, burnout, inability to live in stereotypes, excessive stress, a general feeling of “blockage”, “helplessness” and “entrapment”. For more information about me and my work visit my website.