barberyn reef · 88 newyou ayurveda illnesses ayurveda cures ayurveda is a popular and useful...
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86 new you
DEAL WITH IT“If I can just finish this project,”
mutters my ultra-busy husband, “I
can stop worrying.” He says this regularly no
matter how much work he ploughs through.
By the time it’s done he’s fixating on a
whole new crop of deadlines. I suppose
that in our achievement-obsessed society,
this is “normal.” Fortunately in the beautiful
resort with its 75 rooms furnished with hand
crafted wood, there is no business centre
and internet is patchy. Alleluia. I calm his
nerves and tell him that instead of fretting
There’s a lot to love about Sri Lanka. For starters, it’s much cleaner than its mammoth neighbour India, which has its
magic, but, also its chaos that can tarnish the shine from any holiday. The island of Sri Lanka is also excellent value for
money, geographically diverse, steeped in culture and rich in mouth watering cuisine. Replete with a heritage of Ayurveda
that adds an effective healing dimension to a form of travel – wellness tourism – that is growing exponentially worldwide,
Amanda Prentice-Lobb reviews the island’s oldest Ayurvedic retreat, Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort in Beruwala.
in Beruwala
Barberyn ReefAyurveda Resort
about getting everything done immediately,
why not simply accept that being alive
means having things to do and that these
can wait? Especially when we find ourselves
in the middle of a beautiful natural swimming
lagoon with a breath taking view, I then
suggest that we dive into full engagement
with what we are supposed to be doing at
this sea front resort with more than 40 years
of fine hospitality which is serene and calm
and then just let the worry go.
“But,” he says, “I can’t just cut my
anxiety loose. It isn’t under my control”
I empathise with his stance but I also
know it’s rubbish. To stop worrying about
something, simply direct your attention
towards something else. And in an
environment where treatments such as
body and head massage, facial treatments,
purgation therapy and full body fomentation
are available, the opportunities for more
appealing distractions are many. Personally
I joke with him, I like to interrupt my flow
of worry by imagining – vividly–what I’d do
if Spiderman walked into the room. See?
Distraction works.
87new you
ASK FOR HELPI used to be one of those people who
spurned assistance–from other people,
from God, from anything. Not anymore.
As I get older and my ability to recuperate
becomes slightly less swift, I realise that the
best way to stay healthy is to prevent illness
before it strikes. This is why a wellness
holiday that has Ayurvedic treatments
which not only treat the symptoms of a
disease but also helps strengthen the
immune system makes sense. These
days–whether I’m begging for divine
intervention or enlisting a colleague to help
me overcome my aversion to technology,
I pretty much walk around hollering, “Help
wanted.” And at this resort which provides
the level of care and comfort that is needed
to enjoy the well-being that comes from
within, that help comes in spades by the
various treatments they offer such as
breathing-oriented meditation and loving-
kindness meditation.
FACE, HIPS AND BOTTOMNo matter what pampering or aesthetic
treatment we try, there is always a tendency
to worry about our appearance; especially–I
hate to say it–with the passage of time.
I’ll put it into perspective: My teenage
daughter’s favourite pastime – aside from
watching TV reruns on her iMac – is to
snap photos of herself and upload them
on social media networks to share with her
friends. Is she vain? Not particularly, but I
suppose she’s enthralled with her budding
femininity and wants her radiance to
emanate in cyberspace. Whereas now I find
myself cowering away from the camera.
Not because I’m old, but because with age
my inner radiance has diminished a little.
This is what; I discovered, Ayurveda can
transform beautifully. After only two days,
the massages and the Sattvic vegetarian
diet had me looking so radiant – even
without makeup – that I grinned proudly for
the camera and looked like a schoolgirl…
only just. But radiant all the same…
PERFECTION DO OR DIEI have never met any perfect people, but I
know loads that worry about being perfect.
They exercise religiously and serve their
families home-cooked organic free-range
Tofu-laden recipes. They are sad. I love the
Buddhist concept of enlightenment as living
without anxiety over imperfection. However,
I can strain every fibre of my being trying to
be flawless, only to face inevitable failure–or
I can stop worrying about perfection, which
instantly makes everything seem great. I
have also never been to a perfect place.
This is what I found at this exotic resort set
on a long strip of beach with reef running
along its length. Whilst our experience was
not perfect; the season was hot (my fault
for not choosing a cooler time of the year
to visit), there could have been more daily
yoga lessons and evenings were a little
quiet; overall it was fantastic.
I refreshed my mind-body connection
and enlivened my soul in a way that I
am still getting the positive after effects
from. I rejuvenated myself through all the
treatments, massages and cleansing, I ate
well without putting on weight, relaxed and
even managed to get my husband to do the
same. So all in all it was a great experience
for holistic healing and for the overall well-
being of the mind, body and soul.
www.barberynresorts.com 〉〉
88 new you
Ayurveda
ILLNESSES AYURVEDA CURESAyurveda is a popular and useful
treatment that originates from India.
Aryurvedic treatments have the
ability to treat numerous illnesses
and disorders through focusing on
their underlying causes. Illnesses
Ayurveda can cure are:
• Migraines
• Heartburns
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Skin problems
• Heart Disease
• High Blood Pressure
• Arthritis
• Anti-Aging
• Hair Loss
• Rheumatism
BENEFITS OF AYURVEDAThe Ayurvedic approach to an illness is holistic and therefore after an Ayurvedic
treatment a person will find an improvement in their physical, mental and
psychological conditions.
• The ingredients used in Ayurvedic medicines are mostly derived from herbs, plants,
flowers, fruits etc. making it a remedy close to nature.
• There are practically no side effects for Ayurvedic medicine.
• Ayurveda has been found to be an effective cure for many chronic diseases.
• An Ayurveda treatment can bring about wellness to the entire body and will be in
effect for a longer time than Allopathic treatment.
• Ayurveda not only helps in treating diseases but also in preventing the occurrence
of diseases.
• Ayurveda gives guidelines on how to keep away diseases by means of simple
dietary and lifestyle changes.
• Ayurvedic medicines are good even for healthy people since they are restorative in
nature and helps in nourishing the body and enhancing mental ability.
• Ayurvedic treatment and medicines are comparatively cheaper than other systems
of medicine.
• Ayurveda recommends readily available herbs and spices for minor ailments.
• Ayurvedic therapies can give relief from stress and rejuvenating the body.
89new you
TOOLS OF THE TRADE• The focus of Ayurveda is on all of the five senses.
• The central practice of Ayurveda is hygiene. Hygienic
living involves regular bathing, cleansing of teeth, skin
care and eye washing.
• It stresses the use of plant based medicines and
treatments such as ginger, cardamom and cinnamon.
Some animal products such as milk and bones are
also used along with fats which are used for both
consumption and external use.
• The practice of Ayurveda stresses on eliminating toxins
from the body which is also known as panchakarma.
Body, mind and spiritual awareness are the holy trinity in
Ayurveda and so this practice focuses on yoga, meditation
and stresses the importance of maintaining a constant
balance in the body.
AYURVEDIC TREATMENTS• ABHYANGA involves massage of the body with large amounts of warm oil. The oil is often pre-medicated with herbs for specific
conditions and commonly used oils include sesame, coconut, sunflower, mustard and almond. Used for relaxation.
• SHIRODHARA involves gently pouring liquids over the forehead (the ‘third eye’). The liquids used in shirodhara depend on what
is being treated, but can include oil, milk, buttermilk, coconut water, or even plain water. Used for relaxation. Treats eye diseases,
sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, greying of hair, neurological disorders, memory loss, insomnia, hearing impairment, tinnitus, vertigo etc.
• TAN LEPA FACIAL Mixture of almost paste and coconut cream all over the face. Used to exfoliate impurities and clean the
pores on the face.
• TAN LEPA a blanket of coconut paste, almost paste and gram flower spread all over the body. Kept for 15 minutes. Removed
manually with gentle scrubbing movements. Exfoliates the skin and makes it look radiant and younger.