MILIOU, Cyprus Dec 1 (Reuters) - Deep within the lush mountainous forests of Cyprus, survivors of the Oct. 7 music festival bloodbath in Israel practice yoga, paint and meditate as they try to come to grips with the trauma. Israeli businessman Yoni Kahana, who operates the retreat on the east Mediterranean island, is hosting survivors free of charge. Aided by an Israeli NGO, IsraAID, the Secret Forest retreat in the mountains above Paphos in western Cyprus has a steady rotation of festival survivors seeking solace. He said more than 1,800 Israelis had signed up to a programme which includes yoga, therapy sessions, hiking and meditation overseen by up to 20 volunteer therapists. Many trauma survivors turn to art in an attempt to externalise their feelings, painting with red, white and black, the colours of trauma, before adding rays of sun, a rainbow, or a flower, said therapist Lilach Galkin.

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Persons: Matan Madar, Dor, Neta Cohen, Yoni Kahana, Rahamim, Lilach Galkin, Hope, I've, Michele Kambas, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Hamas, Thomson Locations: MILIOU, Cyprus, Israel, Gaza, Israeli, Paphos