sofia fotina chatzikokoli and partners

Sofia Fotina Chatzikokoli is a holistic psychotherapist. She is one of Constantin and Maria Fotinas’ long term students and colleagues and, also, one of their children.
She is one of the founder members of the Café Ecole and has dedicated her thirty recent years of her life to this method’s idea.

Studies:

• Business Administration, at the Athens University of Economics
  
  
• Pedagogies, at the Pedagogic School of Athens.
  
  
• Full training in the theory and practice of the Café Ecole method under the guidance of Professor Constantin Fotinas and the auspices of the University of Montreal.
  
  
• She was trained as a facilitator in accordance with the “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole” method.
  
  
• She was trained in ethnographic research.
  
  
• She followed her Master, Constantin Fotinas, in his spiritual path and was trained by him in “Minimal Movement and Meditation” and “Accompaniment”. (assisting people in their final phase of earthly life)
  
  

London: Pedagogies in accordance with Montessori’s method at the St. Nicolas Training center.
Paris: Pedagogies in accordance with Rudolf Steiner’s method for children in preschool age at the “Ecole Perceval” Chatoux.
Kyoto: Classic Japanese dance (Buyo) by Mitsuko Nakata and Anti-Dance (Butoh) by Ono Casua, who inspired Constantin Fotinas to create the technique of Minimal Movement. Sofia founded and managed a nursery school called “Our school” in Glyfada, Athens and functioned in accordance with the Café Ecole method, especially adapted for children. During the same period, she coordinated workshops for primary school children who were experiencing learning difficulties as well as a workshop for parents.

Within the premises of Café Ecole, she coordinated self – awareness, psychotherapy and minimal movement workshops, but also workshops for parents, teenagers and primary school children. Today, assisted by her colleagues, she coordinates the activities of the Organism “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole”, located in Athens, - on 189 Patission Str -, on the 2nd floor.

She is the author of the book “Our life...a fairy tale” and of various articles published in the daily press and various magazines.

She has two daughters and three grand children and she considers the members of her family, both men and women, as her trainers. She is dreaming of people who will feel part of the Universe and will experience a world full of love and sympathy for their fellow human beings.

Chrysanthi Fotina – Kissadjekian is the sister of Constantin Fotinas. She was born in Cairo – Egypt, lives in Athens since 1960 and has two sons. She graduated from the Commercial Department of the Immaculate Conception School of Cairo. She then studied Journalism, Short Story Writing and English Literature at the Regent Institute of London. She was employed by large multinational and Greek companies, as their administrative assistant.

She was trained in the theory and practice of the Café Ecole method, as well as in ethnographic research, under the guidance of Professor Constantin Fotinas and the auspices of the University of Montreal.
She followed her Master in his spiritual path and was trained by him in “Minimal Movement and Meditation”.

She is a member of Harry Oldfield’s research team, in London, and has been trained in Polycontrast Interphase Photography by him.

Under the guidance of Constantin Fotinas, she studied all the modern Laughter Therapy methods, practiced around the world, as well as clowns’ behaviors in the hospitals, for about six years. And she resulted in her own avant-garde version, the “hug-clown”, who stands by the sick child’s side. She has voluntarily worked with the “ΟΝΑR – art for the sick child” team and offered her services and her experience to the “Aglaïa Kyriakou” Children’s hospital and the “Floga” association (association of parents with children who have cancer).

Today, she coordinates Laughter Therapy and Minimal Movement workshops in the premises of the Organism “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole. “Café Ecole” editions have published the following books written by her:

      - “...and I asked the Master...”
      - “Faggalah, the house of love. Lies and truth are all fairytales” (this       book was written both by her and her brother.)

Dina Desalermou was born in Cephalonia and she graduated from the School of Matrons of the Evangelismos Hospital.

She was trained in the theory and practice of the Café Ecole method, as well as in ethnographic research, under the guidance of Professor Constantin Fotinas and the auspices of the University of Montreal. She was also trained as a facilitator, in accordance with the “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole” method.

She has worked for a long time as a co-facilitator in Self-awareness & Life Style workshops and seminars. She is in charge of the Café Ecole Editions and the presentation of our books in major exhibitions.
Along with Chrysanthi Fotina – Kissadjekian, she collaborated with the “ΟΝΑR– art for the sick child” team. Dressed as a clown, she used to visit children at Children’s Hospitals.

Her love for human beings is also expressed by the fact that she and her husband, Petros Desalermos, offer indefatigably their services to the “Support Children of Ethiopia” Association.

Petros Desalermos was born in Cephalonia and has graduated from the Faculty of Law, of the University of Athens.

He has worked as a legal adviser for a large Greek bank.

He was trained in the theory and practice of the Café Ecole method, as well as in ethnographic research, under the guidance of Professor Constantin Fotinas and the auspices of the University of Montreal. He was also trained as a facilitator, in accordance with the “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole” method.

He is the author of two books, “Before the feasts” and “The humorous aspects of life”, published by Café Ecole Editions. He collaborates with his wife, Dina Desalermou, in the Café Ecole Editions department and is in charge of the books reduction.

Olga Ntelou Pappa was born in Yaoundé - Cameroon. She lives in Athens; she is married and has one son.

Olga has studied French Literature.

She was trained in the theory and practice of the Café Ecole method, under the guidance of Professor Constantin Fotinas and the auspices of the University of Montreal. She was also trained as a facilitator, in accordance with the “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole” method.

She has been employed as a French teacher and by various tourist agencies, as a freelancer, representing them as their airport or port supervisor, as a group leader, for incentive groups as well as the person in charge of conference coordination.

She is a co-facilitator, along with Sofia Fotina Chatzikokoli, in the Erotic Identity workshop. She also coordinates seminars and workshops for children, teenagers and young people.

Panayiotis Fotinas Voinas is one of Constantin and Maria Fotinas’ children. He was born in Kalamata, he is married and he has a daughter and a son.

He has graduated from the Chatzikou School of Cinematograph - Television.

He was trained in the theory and practice of the Café Ecole method, as well as in ethnographic research, under the guidance of Professor Constantin Fotinas and the auspices of the University of Montreal. He was also trained as a facilitator, in accordance with the “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole” method.

Presently Panayiotis works for public and private television channels.

He is a co-facilitator, along with Sofia Fotina Chatzikokoli, in the Life – Family Workshop and he is in charge of all our feasts and reunions.
We owe Panayiotis our fully video-recorded archives of all the Café Ecole events.

Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati
Yoga, Vedanta and the Buddhist teaching of Mindfulness (Satipatthana) are all part of the teachings of the Great Himalayan Masters.

The Himalayan region has brought forth many of the greatest teachers, such as Shankacharya, Patanjali and even the Buddha himself, not to forget the Tibetan and Taoist Masters. In more recent times great Beings like Tapovaji Maharaj, Shivananda, Chinmayananda and Swami Rama and his disciple M.M. Swami Veda Bharati and even lesser known ones like Nityananda of Ganeshpuri walked these Mountains immersed in a wisdom, that is not limited by religious bias, cultural boxes or styles of Yoga – but aims at a much subtler and universal Truth.

It is this pure and universal wisdom, the deeper meaning of “Yoga”, which attracted Swami Nityamuktananda to dedicate her life to it. She took samnyasa (becoming a yogic monk) in 2003 from Swami Anubhavananda and confirmed her vows in the traditional Vedic ceremony with Swami Veda Bharati in the Himalayan Tradition in 2007.

Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati (Dr. Christa-Maria Herrmann), German by birth, naturalized British, originally studied Theology her university studies soon expanded to Education, Psychology, Philosophy and Art and Design (Ceramics). Different teaching jobs (in colleges and universities) in various countries followed. At the center of her studies (as well as her teaching) was always the subject of 'Self-awareness'.

Extensive travel and life in Asia (Australia and America) awakened her interest in Eastern Philosophy (Taoism and Zen) and led to the Zen-arts of Raku (as a potter she exhibited worldwide) and Shiatsu (one of several complementary medicines she studied and practiced).

Deep involvement in Meditation, the practice of Sattipahana (mindfulness) and Ngal So and other Tibetan Buddhist practices finally led her to Yoga and Vedanta.

She worked with several great spiritual Masters among them Zen-Masters, great Siddhas, the Tibetan Lama and Tulku T.Y.S. Gangchen, the great Yogi Swami Maheshananda and H.H. Swami Anubhavananda (Acharya of Vedanta) and finally M.M. (Mahamadeleschwara) Swami Veda Bharati, disciple of Swami Rama of the Himalayas.

In 1997 she made her Doctorate in Eco-philosophy on the subjects of the Mahabhutas (Five Great Elements) and has since contributed world-wide in conferences and workshops especially in two areas: 'the Five Elements' and Yoga Philosophy in its widest sense. These include international congresses on World Peace (UN) and complementary Medicine as well as new ethics. Presently she teaches mainly on topics related to Yoga philosophy (incl. Meditation) and "The Five Elements" in many countries from Spain to New Zealand, from Germany to Mexico; from Singapore and Australia to Ireland and that, in independent programs of Yoga Teacher Training as well as within the Himalayan Tradition.

She has been teaching for many years in Kaivalyadhama, Yoga Research Institute, Lonavla/India as well as SRSG (Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama).

In 1997 she was awarded a 'World-Peace Prize' for contributions to World Peace (LGWPF/ NGO of UN).

She is the author of several books (an easy to read commentary on the Yoga Sutras and the Guru Gita; and an encyclopedic book on the Five Elements.) She writes continuously articles on Swami Vedas website and her own.

Marina Katsaouni was born in Athens. She is married and has two sons.
She graduated from the Faculty of Law, of the University of Athens, and the French Institute of Athens. She is employed as a French teacher.

She was trained as a facilitator, in accordance with the “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole” method.

Since 2008, she is being trained as a co-facilitator in the Mild Body Movement Workshop and in the “Minimal Movement and Meditation” workshop (since 2010).

Mary Bandouna was born in Athens; she is married and has a son.

She has graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences of Athens and the English department of the Faculty of Philosophy of Athens. She has also attended Tuition Methodology courses, in London.

She has also attended seminars related to Public Relations, Administration, Management of Time and Stress Treatment.

Mary has been trained in the basics of the theory and practice of the Café Ecole method.

She has been employed as an English teacher. She has worked for both small companies as well as a large multinational company in the marketing research department.

Since 2008, she is offering her services to the Organism “Constantin Fotinas - Café Ecole” and

      Α. She is being trained as a co-facilitator in the Live – Family & Mild
          Body Movement Workshops.
      Β. She organizes seminars for companies addressed to managers.
      C. She is in charge of Café Ecole public relations.
      D. She offers her services to the Café Ecole editions department.

We heartily thank Christo Kissadjekian for the digitization of the archives of Constantin Fotinas’ lectures, and Petros Vakarolis for the digitization of sound archives. We are grateful for this contribution for the maintenance of the work of our Master Constantin Fotinas that they performed with great love and immense care.

We also thank Dr. Nicole Henri, Constantin Fotinas’ first disciple and closest colleague in the University of Montreal, in Canada, because she has stood by our side like a true sister, translating our texts in English or forwarding material from the Café Ecole of Canada to us.