The chosen place is no ordinary location. The house is rented for up to 20,000 euros per week. It occupies an old13th-century monastery at the foot of Es Teix (The Yew), one of the highest peaks on the island and a mountain historically sanctified by artists, philanthropists, and mystics. It is also named in honor of one of the ancient revered trees, now almost extinct in Mallorca, symbolizing the ancestral union between life and death.
On those slopes that drop steeply into the infinite Mediterranean, carpeted with centuries-old olive trees, countless artists have found inspiration seeking spiritual peace, beauty, and the telluric strength of the mountain.
The poet and mythologist Robert Graves lived there. And there he stayed forever: his tomb is in Deià, the expensive and precious postcard-like village where Mike Oldfield, Richard Branson, Lloyd Weber, Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), and Julio Cortázar also sought refuge. The magical mountain was worshipped as a divinity by the group of abstract artists known as Els deu des Teix.
In the surroundings of this Eden, Michael Douglas spends his summers, producing his own white wine for his friends, labeled with an illustration of his estate.
It is one of the most expensive places in the Balearic Islands, where influencers get married for astronomical figures (just for renting a bridal suite for one night, 90,000 euros are requested) and has once again become popular as a place for spiritual retreats.
The trend has shifted from Marbella to Mallorca, where last year Kanye West and Bianca Censori also sought spiritual retreat for wealthy artists.
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Last weekend, the New York Post revealed that the wife of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the artist and illustrator Rama Duwaji, skipped the 4th of July celebrations and the Trumpist fanfare of the 250th anniversary of the nation to travel to Spain.
On social media, she was seen boarding a direct flight from Newark to Palma, a route that has made Mallorca popular among New Yorkers, reinforced by the invaluable publicity from the political muse of progressivism, Michelle Obama, a regular guest during the island's summers, staying at the luxurious villa rented by former ambassador James Costos.
The young Syrian-origin wife of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as reported by the media, chose to attend a Mediterranean retreat on the island for Muslim women. An event shrouded in secrecy organized by The Women Sanctuary, a collective founded by the artist and photographer based in Paris, Rym Nur.
The initiative is itinerant (held in Sicily, Corsica, Zanzibar), with reservations costing around 3,500 euros, presenting itself as "a retreat for women" inviting them to "immerse themselves in their spiritual realm, realigning with the source of life."
It aims to be "a journey to the fitrah," which, in Islamic tradition, is the original essence that God instills in all people, "a pure and innate disposition inclined towards truth, goodness, and an intimate awareness of the divine."
The Mallorcan edition, held at the Son Rullán estate, "ancient Islamic land," according to its organizers, took place between July 1st and 6th. The theme was the Plants of the Quran. "We explore the hidden wisdom, symbolism, and healing capabilities of these sacred plants," explains the event's own report.
"Every leaf, every seed, every fruit, and every fragrance becomes a reminder of the divine signs scattered throughout the earth, inviting us to deepen our connection with Allah and His creation." A kind of spirituality through the citrusy and olive-scented aroma on the hot summer nights in Mallorca.
The retreat brought together a small group of Muslim women, including artists based in Europe. Duwaji reportedly attended as a guest artist, in addition to her role as a practicing Muslim, like her husband, the first Muslim mayor in New York's history.
The event not only nourished the attendees' souls with spirituality but also allowed them to savor carefully seasoned vegetarian dishes, presented as an offering for inner peace in a paradisiacal setting, overlooking the sea, olive terraces, and a pool aligned with the horizon.
Duwaji did not publicize the event among her more than two million followers on social media, something that some of the attendees did. "One of the most profound lessons I take home is that pleasure and devotion can coexist," proclaimed one of the retreat participants to her followers on Instagram.
From some conservative sectors, the first lady of New York has been criticized for being absent during the 250th anniversary of Independence and even for traveling by plane when her husband calls for restraint with air conditioning.
Unaffected by it all, sheltered in the peace of the mountain, Duwaji lives her own independence.