Sri Lanka Spiritual Holidays
Whether
it is Meditation or Yoga, they are all parts of the Science of the East. and it
comes with a total solution offer of healing not just of the body but of the
mind and soul too. Come experience the magic of the eastern way of life.
Ayurveda and Spa
Vacation in Sri Lanka
Health
and wellness tourism is now an international trend set by the health conscious
consumers seeking to enhance their well being through their travel experiences.
People seeks to look and feel better, to lose weight, to slow the effects of
aging, to relieve pain or discomfort, to manage stress, or to partake in the
use of natural supplements like vitamins and minerals to improve their health.
Resorts
and hotels are joining the health spa development craze, although only some resorts
are moving into the scope of services currently offered by destination spas.
Likewise, a growing number of day spas are adding health and wellness
programming options.
A
distinction is made between the health and the wellness aspects. Health tourism
refers to those clients with medical conditions who would travel to experience
healing therapies. A person who seeks a wellness travel experience, is
generally healthy to start with, and seeks therapies to maintain his or her
well being.
In
today's fast moving lifestyle, there is nothing more essential than caring for
our physical and mental well-being. SPA & WELLNESS HOLIDAYS offers wellness
renewal solutions to meet every need and budget.
Our
spa vacations cater to a full range of interests, from traditional medicinal
spa therapies and beauty treatments to resort programs and active spas
vacations with an eco-adventure flare.
Come
explore our spa holiday offerings and redefine your idea of a truly relaxing
vacation.
Ayurveda
in Sri Lanka.
Ayurveda
or a traditional medicinal treatment in Sri Lanka is practiced for many
centuries. Ayurveda or herbal medicine is also referred as alternative
medicine. Sri Lankan Ayurvedic tradition also follows its own indigenous
Desheeya Chikitsa.
The
word Ayurveda has derived from Sanskrit words Ayuh and Veda meaning life and
knowledge respectively. With Ayurveda treatments, diseases are cured and this
medicinal science practiced from ancient times also aims at preserving health.
In Sri Lanka the tradition of herbal treatment or Ayurveda has been followed
for generation after generation and it is believed this practice started almost
3,000 years back. Sarartha Sangrahaya written by famous Sri Lankan physician -
King Buddhadasa is often followed by present day physicians for ayurvedic
treatments. Many Sri Lankan kings were also known as reputed physicians. The
ayurveda practitioners and healers in Sri Lanka occupied respectable positions
in the Sri Lankan society. The ruin of Mihintale in Sri Lanka is considered to
be an ancient hospital.
Ayurveda
treatment in Sri Lanka besides healing also aims at rejuvenating the body. In
Sri Lankan Ayurvedic treatment centers, one can insist for ayurvedic body
massage, leg massage, arm massage, facial treatment, head oil application,
ayurvedic bath, steam bath and similar rejuvenating treatments. Nowadays the
Ayurveda hotels and health resorts of Sri Lanka have become popular to the
tourists.
Meditation
Meditation
is the attainment of a deeply relaxed state of mind and body. One's rate of
metabolism is said to slow down causing the release of anxiety, stress and even
pain control. Breathing exercises, repeating mantras, and sitting in silence
helps relax the mind and reduce focus on the stressful situations that surround
us. Meditation is a component of serious Ayurvedic treatment that helps bring
harmony to the mind and body.
Yoga
The
term yoga comes from a Sanskrit word that means yoke or union. Traditionally,
yoga is a method that joins the individual self with the Divine, Universal
Spirit, or Cosmic Consciousness. Physical and mental exercises are designed to
help achieve this goal, also called self-transcendence or enlightenment.
On the
physical level, yoga postures, called asanas, are designed to tone, strengthen,
and align the body. These postures are performed to make the spine supple and
healthy and to promote blood flow to all the organs, glands, and tissues,
keeping all the body systems healthy. On a mental level, yoga uses breathing
techniques and meditation to quiet, clarify, and discipline the mind.
We are beginning to discover nature thing’s through nature...
Massage.
Everyone enjoys massage from babies
to the elderly from sportsman and women to friends and lovers, all can benefit
from this powerful form of communication , an effective aid to relaxation
massage helps to smooth away stress unknotting tens and aching muscles,
relieving headaches and helping sleep problems . But massage is also
invigorating it improves the functioning of many of the body’s systems
,promotes healing and tones muscles ,leaving you with a feeling of renewed
energy.
The human touch.
The sense of touch is a powerful and
highly sensitive form of communication. It is a natural reaction to reach out
and touch , whether to feel the shape or texture of smoothing ,or to respond to
another person, perhaps by comporting them. A mother coddler her baby , family
pets are stroked ,sexual partners caress and if we accidentally knock a limb
,we instinctively “rub it better”.
To touch someone can mean various
things in different cultures. There are many social restrains which inhibit
touching in public. For us a formal hand shake, nod of the head, and even a
peek on each check are all recognized forms of greeting and yet you can carry
them out without showing any real
emotion. Indeed our rather formed approach to physical contact is
contrary to our most basic instincts and needs. Fortunately we are now
rediscovering the healing power of massage and other touch therapies which have
been understood in other cultures for thousands of years.
Aromatherapy.
The pure essence of aromatic plants
have been prized for thousands of years for their health-giving properties and
heady scents. Discover the ancient art of Aromatherapy , refined over the
centuries and learn how to harness the
therapeutic powers of essential oils in a relaxing ,restorative massage that
combines the sense of smell with healing value of touch. Use the beneficial
properties of the oils to treat common ailments, promote good health and
emotional well being, and to enhance every aspect of your life. These potent
volatile essences are nature’s gifts to mind and body.
An ancient art.
The value of natural plant, oils has
been recognized for more than 6000 years, for their healing, cleansing,
preservative and mood-enhancing properties as well as for the sheer pleasure of
their fragrances. Today these properties are being rediscovered as we look to
the wisdom of past eras and civilizations to restore the balance that has been
lost in modern day life. Stress, Pollution, unhealthy diet, hectic but
sedentary life styles- all these factors have adverse effects on our bodies and
spirits. The art of Aromatherapy harnesses the potent pure essences of aromatic
plants, flowers, and resins, to work on the most powerful of senses –smell and
touch to restore the harmony of body and mind.
We offer a highly recognize Ayurveda, Spa therapy course
with a view to provide participant and opportunity to improve both theoretical and
practical knowledge in relation to Ayurveda and Spa therapy.
This Practical guide to natural health promoting techniques .bring
together. The very best therapy for well-being, vitality and relaxation with detailed
and instruction from leading experts.
The long lower curve represents the dreaming state.
The upper curve stands for the waking state.
The curve which emanates from the center represents deep sleep
beyond dreams.
The crescent stands for the veil of material illusion.
The dot is the transcendental state.
MEDITATE ON THE MEANING OF THIS |
A Brief History of Yoga
Yoga has a long history, it is very
ancient. Yoga evolved on the Indian continent over a period of 5000 years. It
has its roots in the Hinduism and Brahmanism, yet our contemporary western
approach to yoga has little to do with any particular belief or religion.
However, it can be said that our contemporary western approach to yoga is only
a very small portion of what yoga is all about. Yoga is a deep well of
knowledge which helps quell our thirst for the truth. Yoga contains several
branches of learning which includes, Hatha Yoga, the physical branch of yoga
everyone in the west is most familiar with. Yoga, was developed by ascetics
living primarily in the southern portions of India. These ascetics led very
disciplined lives, they were vegetarians and they adhered to a nonviolent
philosophy. They lived close to the earth, they observed nature, the animals
and themselves. The first photo to the right is of Sri Yukteswar, Yogananda's
teacher, he was an enlightened master ascetic.
These ascetics would imitate many of
the animals they observed, their postures and habits, in order to emulate their
strength, grace and wisdom. The ascetics lived in harmony with nature,
exhibiting extraordinary health and endurance. Throughout ages, these ascetics
or monks would continue to add to their growing body of knowledge about
exercise and health as they tried to master their own bodies in an effort to
produce the energy for the realization of truth.
The word yoga is derived from
Sanskrit, and in it's simplicity means 'to bind together' and 'to reunite'.
Over time there has been a steady effort by many great Indian seers to develop
and perfect specific techniques with which they could unite the lower mind with
the higher mind or with what they called Universal Consciousness. Yoga is
India's greatest gifts to the world, and we here in the west have only recently
come to know and appreciate its many wonders.
Hinduism developed in India in the
same historical period that yoga did and these two rich and profound
philosophies have had great influence on each other, so much so, that until the
beginning of the twentieth century all yogis were devout Hindu priests.
Then in the early part of the
twentieth century, Hindu yoga masters or swamis, traveled to the west in order
to share their religious beliefs and practices. Yoga at this point was to
undergo another profound change as it's light was about to be filtered through
the prism of western existentialism and rational scientific materialism. These
teachers brought a new spiritual awareness to the west. To the right is a photo
of Yogananda one of the most influencial spiritual masters to come to America .
Our modern approaches to yoga have created a clear delineations between the
Hindu religion and the practice of yoga. Yoga as it has been developed in the
west is largely concerned with the physical exercises and health promoting
breathing exercises of yoga, it has moved away from it's original religiosity.
Yoga as practiced in the west is largely non-religious because the needs of
America's large culture of health and exercise which used it for its own
purposes.
How to Get Started
Yoga postures affect every part of the
body, stretching and toning muscles, joints, the spine, and the entire skeletal
system. All the vital organs and glands are affected by the postures which
stimulate and massage them. The whole body is benefited by yoga postures and
the deep breathing which is done with them. Hatha Yoga unifies mind, body and
spirit , bringing you to new heights of physical and mental well being.
To begin practicing hatha yoga, all you need is a quiet,
warm and ventilated room with soft or natural light. Practice on a comfortable
surface such as a carpet or a Sticky Mat, if you need help with your
flexibility you may also want to purchase some Yoga blocks or a Yoga Belt which
are available through the Yoga Boutique. You can wear anything as long as it
does not impede your movements or bind too tight.
In Hatha Yoga your breathing is deepened and synchronized
with the postures. The synchronized deep breathing allows you to relax into the
poses. The poses themselves will only evolve into their intended form as your
breathing deepens and your muscles begin to naturally relax, this breathing
effect is what makes Hatha Yoga distinctive from other forms of exercise.
Tension is released while in pose or during the exercise, therefore the
postures will not leave you feeling fatigued or over exerted after your
workout.
A Hatha yoga posture is called an Asana. There are three
stages to each Asana, coming into the pose, holding the pose, and coming out of
the pose. Come into the pose slowly and continuously, do not strain for the
pose, instead deepen your breathing as an aid. Hold the pose for as long as is
comfortable for you, the real work of an Asana is done while you hold the pose.
Once you are relaxed in the pose adjust yourself for maximum stretch. Then stay
quiet and motionless in the pose. When exiting the pose release very slowly,
exhale deeply as you release.
