Soukya Holistic Health Centre

Michael and I spent a night at Soukya Holistic Health Centre. I blogged about it a few weeks ago when I went there on a tour with the OWC. I was impressed with the entire facility and intrigued enough to want to try it out. Whereas most people go there for a minimum of two weeks, we only went for two days. Still it was an interesting experience into a different way of looking at preventitive and acute health care.

We arrived at 7:15am and were each given a gorgeous flower garland, quickly shown to our room and then whisked off to the yoga hall for an hour of "loosening of the joints" and asanas led by a Naturopathic Doctor.

Breakfast was followed by a Dr.'s consult and an ayurvedic massage. Since we were there for such a short time and we are relatively healthy there was not much feedback from the Dr.

Many of the other people staying at the Centre were there for medical/wellness reasons: MS, chronic backpain, arthritis, digestive problems. Some were on a "medical tourism package" and had surgery in Bangalore and then were at the centre to recover and take advantage of holistic post op treatments. They were staying anywhere from two to five weeks and many had been there before. Those staying for long periods would have a full holistic workup done and treatments specific to their condition.

Being an OR Nurse, I found it fascinating and couldn't help compare this highly individual treatment to our western highly impersonal treatment. In the west a patient is commonly known as "an appendectomy", cancer of the stomach or "the gallbladder." Patients wait all day to see the Dr. and are given as little time as possible because there are so many others the Dr. must see.

Here at Soukya, Dr.s know your name, they teach yoga.. Oils and herbs and treatments are made to suit the individual and time is given to each person on a daily basis.

Diet is also important. No meat, no alcohol, no coffee. Michael may have found this a little difficult as he asked me if I had packed any chips or cookies, and talked about steak and coffee far too much. One would have thought he was going through the DT's...and that was just the first day.

Yoga meditation at 4:30 - 5:30 was different. We sat cross legged for the entire hour and did breathing and eye exercises. Michael lasted 1/2 hr and left feeling neaseous and unable to sit in that position so long. Even I had a difficult time and my right leg fell asleep - I had to keep crossing and uncrossing.

The second day was a similar routine but our treatment was reflexology and mud packs to the eyes (for the eye muscles?)and abdomen (for digestion). I must say Michael enjoyed the treatments more than the yoga and infact he didn't go to yoga the second day. Too bad because I know he would have loved the afternoon meditation session which turned out to be yogic sleeping!

We lied down the entire time and did breathing and visualization. One is not actually supposed to sleep, but in this state when done properly, it is supposed to be the equivalent of six hours of deep sleep - it was wonderful!

All in all a really unique experience, highly recommended for anyone who has a medical condition or has a family history of a particular disease (they also treat eating disorders etc. etc.). For those who want to try a different type of health care - preventitive or acute.

The rooms are lovely, it is calm and relaxed atmosphere. The grounds are well kept with lots of flowers and trees. Food is limited in choice but vegetarian and healthy: they grow all their own organic herbs and vegetables. The ayurvedic oils are made on site as well. Two thumbs up from both of us.