Since 2016, sharing free wellness in the heart of Maspalomas.
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Sessions open to all ages, cultures, and levels.
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Teachers, artists, and volunteers from around the world co-creating WIP.
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Our story
The Story of WIP
A Walk in the Park
WIP (A Walk in the Park) was born almost 10 years ago — in January 2016 — from a simple, sincere intention: to offer space for healing, movement, and connection.
It began in the heart of Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, when its founder, Lilly Rikhter, held her very first free outdoor session in Parque del Sur. At that time, it was just a soft stretch on the grass, shared between a few souls. Lilly barely spoke English, and she never planned for this to last. And yet — the people kept coming.
The initiative, supported from the very beginning by The Canary News, kept growing and never stopped — not even during the global pandemic. During lockdown, Lilly led free online sessions every week, bringing peace and vitality to people’s homes. For this work, she was nominated for a community social impact award.
Every Sunday since, no matter the season, people of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds would meet at noon in the park to breathe, to move, to meditate — and to remember what it means to feel alive.
In 2017, WIP became an officially registered non-profit association, with a mission to promote health, culture, preventative wellbeing, and brain health — including the prevention of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other neurodegenerative conditions that can be delayed or softened through movement, breathing, and outdoor practices.
For many years, Lilly invited guest teachers, artists, and wellness practitioners to offer free sessions, co-creating a beautiful, evolving rhythm of service. From 2016 to 2024, over 8,000 people joined WIP events, both in person and online.
The project began to echo beyond the island — it was mentioned in Belgian publications, spoken about at the Cannes Film Festival, and shared in dozens of TV and radio interviews that Lilly gave to spread the message of this humble, yet powerful movement.
It began in the heart of Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, when its founder, Lilly Rikhter, held her very first free outdoor session in Parque del Sur. At that time, it was just a soft stretch on the grass, shared between a few souls. Lilly barely spoke English, and she never planned for this to last. And yet — the people kept coming.
The initiative, supported from the very beginning by The Canary News, kept growing and never stopped — not even during the global pandemic. During lockdown, Lilly led free online sessions every week, bringing peace and vitality to people’s homes. For this work, she was nominated for a community social impact award.
Every Sunday since, no matter the season, people of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds would meet at noon in the park to breathe, to move, to meditate — and to remember what it means to feel alive.
In 2017, WIP became an officially registered non-profit association, with a mission to promote health, culture, preventative wellbeing, and brain health — including the prevention of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other neurodegenerative conditions that can be delayed or softened through movement, breathing, and outdoor practices.
For many years, Lilly invited guest teachers, artists, and wellness practitioners to offer free sessions, co-creating a beautiful, evolving rhythm of service. From 2016 to 2024, over 8,000 people joined WIP events, both in person and online.
The project began to echo beyond the island — it was mentioned in Belgian publications, spoken about at the Cannes Film Festival, and shared in dozens of TV and radio interviews that Lilly gave to spread the message of this humble, yet powerful movement.
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Our story
From a Local Gathering
to a Global Pulse
In 2025, Lilly Rikhter felt the calling: it was time to expand.
A decade of dedication, service, and silent growth had matured into a living organism — a movement carried by more than just one soul. Lilly began inviting volunteers, and over 20 beautiful beings joined the mission in just a few months — artists, healers, yoga teachers, and everyday people with open hearts. Each day, the list grows.
New WIP points began opening in the Maspalomas area:
El Faro, San Agustín, and more coming soon across the Canary Islands.
In September 2025, WIP celebrated a historic milestone — the Opening Ceremony of the WIP Meditation Center in Maspalomas.
This sacred space, created in collaboration with BODHI PRODUCTION and supported by patron Christophe Mazzola (expert in IT and cybersecurity), became the heart of the association.
The center is not just a physical location — it is a temple of transformation.
Here, we host:
• 🌕 Retreats of silence and self-discovery
• 📡 Online broadcasts & global teachings
• 📹 Filming of educational content and interviews
• 🧘 In-person classes in yoga, wellness, meditation, breathwork, sound healing
• 🎨 Creative workshops and community offerings
The vision is growing stronger every day. But our mission remains the same:
To make ancient and modern knowledge of health and consciousness available to all.
A decade of dedication, service, and silent growth had matured into a living organism — a movement carried by more than just one soul. Lilly began inviting volunteers, and over 20 beautiful beings joined the mission in just a few months — artists, healers, yoga teachers, and everyday people with open hearts. Each day, the list grows.
New WIP points began opening in the Maspalomas area:
El Faro, San Agustín, and more coming soon across the Canary Islands.
In September 2025, WIP celebrated a historic milestone — the Opening Ceremony of the WIP Meditation Center in Maspalomas.
This sacred space, created in collaboration with BODHI PRODUCTION and supported by patron Christophe Mazzola (expert in IT and cybersecurity), became the heart of the association.
The center is not just a physical location — it is a temple of transformation.
Here, we host:
• 🌕 Retreats of silence and self-discovery
• 📡 Online broadcasts & global teachings
• 📹 Filming of educational content and interviews
• 🧘 In-person classes in yoga, wellness, meditation, breathwork, sound healing
• 🎨 Creative workshops and community offerings
The vision is growing stronger every day. But our mission remains the same:
To make ancient and modern knowledge of health and consciousness available to all.
Wellness Insights
Wellness tips, events & community stories
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