Nourishment for Mind, Body and Spirit
“Peaceful is the one who’s not concerned with having more or less. Unbound by name and fame, he is free from sorrow from the world and mostly from himself." Rumi
If you are longing for a transformative wellness experience that will rejuvenate your mind, body, and spirit, please allow me to share my recent journey with you.
Our health is our wealth, and a happy life is a balanced life; sadly it is taken for granted by the vast majority until it is absent therefore making our health and a balanced life our greatest priority. This is what will best serve us all including our families, loved ones and our health services.
"The moon stays bright when it doesn’t avoid the night." Rumi
Thus whilst researching ingredients and the ancient healing wisdom of Ayurveda in India, I embarked on a remarkable 14-day Panchakarma retreat in the enchanting village of Dharamkot, nestled in the heart of the Himalayas.
Dharamkot, Dharamsala, North East India is a rich cultural hub, home to Indian families, Tibetan monks, and the esteemed Dalai Lama. This captivating village draws visitors from around the world seeking tranquillity amidst the majestic Himalayan landscapes. From cosy cafes to yoga and meditation retreats, learning new skills like Indian singing and music, jewellery making, pottery, art, macrame, joining ecstatic dance and singing kirtans, hiking and paragliding in the foothills, visiting waterfalls, or unwinding with daily yoga and Panchakarma treatments, Dharamkot offers a diverse range of experiences to nourish your soul.
"Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder." Rumi
My daily routine in Dharamkot began with 3 hours of yoga, followed by a blissful massage at the nearby White Petal Panchakarma Retreat. Nestled in a secret garden, this peaceful retreat provides a sanctuary where birds sing constantly, and you can indulge in rejuvenating treatments. The daily massages, steam baths, herbal scrubs, and emotional clearing rituals were truly exceptional, leaving me feeling deeply relaxed and rejuvenated.
Personalised Panchakarma Journey
My Panchakarma journey at White Petal began with daily consultations with the caring and knowledgeable Dr. Anandni Rehela and Dr Raymond Wanniang. Their dedication to natural healing was evident in the personalised meditations introduced, including an emotional release technique involving tapping that programmes the mind, body, and spirit for the release of toxins. This created a calm, nurturing environment for those seeking balance and restoration.
Preparing the Body and Targeted Treatments
This was followed by the receiving of rebalancing herbal medications and a daily dose of medicated ghee to prepare my body for toxin release. In the afternoons, I received blissful full-body herbal massage treatments, herbal steam baths, and powdered herbal body scrubs with Arti, an amazing Ayurvedic specialist, all tailored to address my specific needs.
A few days into the journey, I underwent a thorough colon cleanse and emotional detox, as Ayurveda emphasises the colon as the "queen of all organs" whose care reciprocates by looking after us, with the gut recognised as holding the key to our emotional and mental wellbeing - a profound and deeply nurturing experience.
Rejuvenating Final Days
The final 4 days were truly rejuvenating, each morning starting with an enema, followed by a full-body oil massage with Arti at 12:30 pm and then 30 minutes of Shirodhara, the deeply purifying and restorative Ayurvedic therapy where warm, medicated oil is gently streamed onto the forehead. This induced a state of profound relaxation and meditation that left me in a deep, calming stillness as the stresses and anxieties of daily life melted away.
"Silence is the language of god, all else is poor translation." Rumi
In addition to the Panchakarma journey, I also engaged in a three-week yoga programme at the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre. Led by master teacher Sharat Arora and his wife Maria, known for their compassionate and insightful guidance, the classes emphasised precision and alignment in postures. Their therapeutic approach to yoga, especially for those with injuries, provides a safe and supportive space for healing and growth, catering to people of all ages and abilities.
"The wound is the place where the Light enters you." Rumi
My decision to incorporate yoga into my healing journey stemmed from a series of injuries I sustained during 2014 and 2015 - a frozen shoulder, whiplash, and a twisted ankle. Despite a year of physiotherapy, these issues persisted, prompting me to explore alternative remedies. It was then that I discovered the power of my own blends of Turmoringa and Turmerichai, which assisted greatly in my recovery.
The yoga programme at the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre, with its focus on alignment and therapeutic applications, proved to be a crucial complement to my Panchakarma treatment, offering a safe and nurturing environment for my body and mind to heal and grow.
"What you seek is seeking you." Rumi
The Essence of Yoga
Yoga, at its core, is about union - the alignment of mind, body, and spirit. It is the harmonious interplay of the lunar feminine, with its softness and receptivity, and the solar masculine, with its active, penetrating energy.
At the heart of this practice lies the awareness of the empty space in-between each breath - the sacred pause where nothing resides, yet everything is contained.
"Everything in the universe is within you. Ask all from yourself.” Rumi
Take a moment now to witness your own breath. In the busyness of daily life, how often do we truly pause to be present with this fundamental rhythm? Yet it is in these magical moments, in the space between inhalation and exhalation, where deep peace can be found. Yoga invites us to cultivate this state of mindful awareness, allowing us to reconnect with the essence of our being and the interconnectedness of all things. It is a journey of self-discovery, where the wounds we carry become the portals through which the light of our true nature can enter.
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about." Rumi
The Art of Alignment in Yoga
Each yoga posture, known as an asana, is like a prayer when the body is in perfect alignment and balance between the opposing forces of the lunar feminine and solar masculine. It is a harmonious experience when the breath flows freely through the trunk, which remains free and passive, while the hands and feet are active and engaged.
However, what one often finds in many yoga classes, especially in health and fitness centres, is a vigorous, quick, and sometimes even violent approach, straining the mind, body, and spirit, leaving little time to truly enjoy the meditative aspects of the practice.
In contrast, my recent 3-week yoga immersion in India was a vastly different experience. We spent the majority of our time either grounded in our feet or in deep, restorative meditation. The importance of proper foot alignment and the meditative elements are often overlooked in yoga classes I have attended in the UK, yet it is from the foundation of the feet that we can truly build a stable and sustainable practice.
"If you build a house on wonky foundations, the house will soon go out of shape and break eventually. However, if you build your house on aligned foundations, it will stand strong and tall for many years. The feet are our foundations in yoga." Maria
The intense, alignment-focused Himalayan Iyengar yoga practice I experienced over the past 3 weeks, guided by the compassionate teacher Maria Arora, has left me feeling grounded and strong, with a deep, peaceful breath and an acute awareness of my feet and posture at all times. This transformative journey has truly changed me.
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it, and embrace them." Rumi
Yoga for All, Guided by Compassionate Teachers
Master teacher Sharat Arora and his wife Maria have assisted thousands of students over the years, helping them transform and heal themselves through their compassionate and knowledgeable understanding of the body. They have worked with people ranging from 17 to 80 years old, from the very fit to those with limited mobility. The yoga they teach in this safely held container is for everyone - they have even guided those who cannot walk to find their way in the practice.
You don't need to be flexible to do yoga; you can begin wherever you are, at any stage of your life. Yoga is not exclusive to the bendy and lithe.
I'm excited to share that Maria will be offering workshops for both beginners and advanced students in the UK this July and August. Everyone will deepen their practice and improve, though it's probably best to come with an open mind to gain the most from the experience. After all, we're all beginners in some way, and each day is another opportunity to shine and choose the road less travelled. Here, in this video, you can hear Maria explain what makes this yoga practice unique.
"When you feel a peaceful joy, that’s when you are near truth." Rumi
My greatest challenge with all the wonderful opportunities life offers is to prioritise and keep this practice alive daily. Every time I step onto my yoga mat, it's a celebration of the choice I've made to make space for union and vitality. Discipline is key!
This transformative wellness journey allowed me to release a stone in weight and experience a profound detoxification of my mind, body, and spirit. I wholeheartedly recommend the White Petal Panchakarma Retreat and the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre to anyone seeking a gentle yet deeply transformative healing experience. Embrace the beauty and serenity of the Himalayas, hike through the mountains, and embark on a journey that will leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and truly alive.
This immersive experience, including flights, food, yoga, and accommodation, cost me less than £1700, offering a unique opportunity to revitalise my entire being.
For more information and bookings head to:
https://www.whitepetalayurveda.com
So much Love
Emma
Owner/Founder
"When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy." Rumi
