“Namaskar” chorused six smiling hotel staff members as I stepped out of the luxury transfer vehicle and into a balmy night in Mauritius.
A string of Rudraksha beads was then ceremoniously placed over my head as an official welcome to Shanti Ananda resort and my first taste of Ayurveda. These beads have been used in this ancient Indian medicine system for thousands of years and are said to promote tranquility and health, and reduce the effects of stress, hypertension, and depression — although as I took in my candlelit surroundings I couldn’t help but think that just spending a couple of days in such a serene setting would probably do the trick too.
This trip was to be more than just enjoying a gorgeous resort in a beautiful tropical location, however, and I was determined to really get into the holistic approach to health and wellbeing Shanti Ananda offers.
I started my first day with a yoga class, wearing the pair of cotton kurta pyjamas provided, as I’d noticed the other guests had traded in their clothing for these comfy white suits too. The open-air yoga studio is set in Shanti Ananda’s spa gardens, with an incredibly supple young instructor whose classes are designed to suit all — so don’t be afraid to give it a try, even if you’re new to yoga, as I was. For more experienced yogis, you can also arrange one-on-one sessions, or even a specialised yoga package, to enhance your experience.
The first step of my individualised spa programme was a consultation with the resort’s Ayurvedic physician, Dr Pramod Mane. He asked about my lifestyle, stresses, personality traits, my friends and family. This wasn’t really what I was expecting, but Dr Mane explained that Ayurvedic theory believes that health results from harmony within oneself. “To be healthy, harmony must exist between your purpose for being, your thoughts, your feelings, and your physical actions,” he said. “If your thoughts are fearful and your emotions negative, these will impact your general health. Pain or disease are often physical manifestations of psychological or emotional imbalances, and can serve as a wake-up call to make lifestyle changes.”
Dr Mane also took my blood pressure, pulse and weighed me as part of his assessment and used this, together with the lifestyle-related information, to determine my Ayurvedic dosha (type). He then recommended specific spa treatments, as well as diet and exercise advice, to help me restore a healthy balance in my body.
The diet he recommended was predominantly vegetarian, although I was allowed a small portion of fish at lunch if I felt I needed a little more protein. He passed my dietary requirements onto the hotel’s restaurant, so they knew exactly what to serve me. Everything on the menu was delicious, although by day five I was craving meat. Not that I wasn’t allowed to order any — the restaurant has a full conventional menu too — but I chose to follow my Ayurvedic plan and see how I felt by the end of it.
Besides morning yoga, I also attended meditation classes in the afternoon and Vedanta lectures in the evening, presented by Swapnil Gupie, a senior disciple of Swami Parthasarathy, an internationally acclaimed master of Vedanta. Literally translated, Vedanta means a culmination of knowledge, and it addresses the principles of life and living that enable one to achieve mental peace and harmony, based on wisdom derived from ancient Indian texts.
The lectures focused on practical topics for modern-day living, such as stress management, developing self-control, and finding happiness. These sessions provided ample food for thought and contemplation during my down-time sessions on the coral-ringed beach or by the poolside, particularly one quote by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer: “It is difficult to find happiness in oneself, but it is impossible to find it anywhere else.” We spend so much time and energy chasing our external goals that these often seem inextricably linked to happiness, but deep down we know this isn’t the case. My stay in Mauritius allowed me the space and time to re-evaluate my life.
Shanti Ananda also offers special workshops and private sessions with visiting masters in different areas of wellbeing, and I attended an incredible stretching workshop by Terry Liew, an international Shiatsu expert. At the beginning of the session, Liew asked me to reach down and touch my toes, but I couldn’t get anywhere near them. He then taught me a couple of simple breathing and movement techniques designed to improve flexibility without putting strain on your back, and by the end of our 15-minute session, I could miraculously touch my toes with ease.
Dr Mane also recommended I try a Watsu session in the spa’s heated outdoor pool to help me switch off from mental distractions. Watsu is a water-based combination of Shiatsu, massage, stretching, and floating, and your therapist will guide your body through specific movements to boost circulation, relieve tight muscles, and improve your breathing until you’re lulled into an almost trance-like state. Watsu turned out to be my favourite treatment at Shanti Ananda, and one of my all-time favourite spa experiences. Note that this is a very up close and personal treatment, and you’ll have to really let go and trust your therapist as your body is guided through the water.
I also loved the Sirodhara spa treatment, whereby a warm oil, chosen to complement my Ayurvedic type, was dripped onto my head in a constant, soothing rhythm to reduce stress and tension in my mind, improve memory, and relieve insomnia.
My verdict on the Ayurvedic approach at Shanti Anandar In Sanskrit, the words Shanti and Ananda literally mean “peace” and “bliss” and that is exactly what I experienced during my stay. My energy levels were boosted, and I felt lighter, brighter and happier by the time I returned home. Dr Mane gave me a list of ways in which to incorporate Ayurveda into my everyday eating and lifestyle and I am planning to continue with yoga and meditation to maintain that all-important harmony between body, mind and spirit.
*Other specialised packages offered at the resort include stress management, anti-ageing, weight management, detoxification, yoga, and fitness programmes.
Contact the hotel for more info on rates and packages on 00230-6037200, e-mail reservation@shantiananda.mu or go to www.shantiananda.com
What is Ayurveda.
Roughly translated, Ayurveda means the “knowledge or science of life” — ayus means “life”, “life principle” or “long life”, and veda, refers to a system of knowledge. As the traditional Indian system of healing over 5000 years old, Ayurveda helped lay the foundations for Chinese, Tibetan, Greek, and Arabic medicine.
According to Ayurveda, every person is a unique entity made up of the same five elements as everything else in the universe: earth, water, fire, air, and space. Your Ayurvedic type or dosha comprises a combination of two of the above elements to form one of three types: vata, pitta, or kapha. According to Ayurveda, your dosha is formed at the time of conception and this predetermines everything about you — from your physical body, mind and spirit, to your immune system, personality traits, and the diseases you’re likely to suffer from.
“It is important to understand your body type and constitution, and an Ayurvedic doctor will determine the diet, exercise, and spa treatment plan that is best suited to you,” says Dr Mane. “By eating according to your body type you will improve your digestion, and this will have a positive effect on your energy levels and immune system.”
Traditionally, Ayurveda is a generational practice passed down in family bloodlines over the years, and strictly speaking, it’s not something that can be learnt by outsiders. Shanti Ananda’s spa therapists who practise Ayurvedic treatments are all from India, and have gained first-class experience working in Shanti Ananda’s sister resort Ananda in the Himalayas.
Ayurvedic eating tips for a healthy mind and body
Drink herbal tea - Instead of giving in to cravings for sweets and snacks, try drinking herbal teas such as apple and cinnamon, almond, or orange. The heat from the tea fills you up, and the aroma helps to satisfy your cravings.
Limit high carbohydrate foods - To maximise the fat-burning process, it’s best to gradually eliminate carbohydrates towards the end of the day. This minimises your chances of storing fat late at night.
Don’t drink alcohol - Alcohol contains too many empty kilojoules, which ultimately produce nothing but fat.
Motivate yourself - Try to find an incentive for getting in shape and burning fat. Write down your goal and put it in a location you see every day, such as on your refrigerator door or your dressing table mirror. Motivation really keeps you going.
Don’t starve yourself - This only promotes a bigger “rebound” effect, because your body likes to hold on to what it is deprived of. Instead, fuel the body every two to three hours with small meals.
Drink a glass of water ten minutes before meals - This is to help fill the stomach and give you a full feeling, and really helps to prevent overeating.
Be consistent - No weight-loss tip will work if you don’t give it a proper chance. Remember that it may take a while to see results, so hang in there. Consistency is the key to success.
Don’t use the scale - It can be misleading. For example, if you’re losing body fat but gaining muscle, the scale won’t necessarily reflect the difference between the two. Instead, monitor the centimetre loss — these never lie.
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