Welcome drinks upon arrival at the hotel are expected, but the taste of a sharp and sour butterfly pea juice, without the slightest aid of sugar to be found, is just sheer agony. Here, you'd have to remind yourself that you're not out for an epicurean weekend, but rather, a wellness retreat. Fair enough then -- let them shackle up the sugar, salt and whatever else gives food a flavoured decency. We're here to get clean, rejuvenated and happy.
Kim White's mandala class.
JW Marriott Phuket has recently launched a four-day, three-night wellness programme that includes yoga classes, health talks, meditation sessions and spa treatments. With three renowned practitioners on site all weekend, it's the kind of getaway where you get to have both moments of mindlessness and mindfulness at the same time -- it's all relaxing and hunky-dory of course, but you'll be learning about the relationship between your mind and body as well. The one-on-one consultation session starts with Ken Rosen, an acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine specialist that will advise you, ever so patiently and kindly, about how to shape up mentally, spiritually and physically.
The friendly and humble New Yorker isn't one to brag (most refreshing), but he does confess to recently treating Jon Bon Jovi when he was in town for his concert. Rosen's A-list clientele is far too lengthy to spell out, but frankly, I'm not surprised, because the wonders he has achieved by simply pressing on a few of my joints to stimulate my immune system has kept my building sore throat at bay. Rosen gave a talk on traditional Chinese medicine, pointing out how the urban person is suffering from being tired and wired. He explains that yin deficiency is what plagues us.
"It's not like our energy levels, or yang, are getting higher. It's our batteries that aren't charging." A good reminder that we need both our yin and yang to function properly.
Ken Rosen's talk on Chinese medicine was hosted in an easy-going atmosphere.
As for the second practitioner, Kim White, yoga is something she's being doing since she was four, as it helped fix her bone and muscle issues that made walking difficult. Yoga is like breathing to her and she channels her knowledge and expertise into her classes seamlessly, offering vivid analogies that really help you understand the benefits of all the poses you are doing.
Case and point: a body that never stretches is like a bed that is never made -- unmade beds that keep getting slept in only get messier and more scrunched up without the routine clean up they need.
Coming from someone who's never done yoga before, the first class was a heart-pumping gig, but I felt at ease in the intimate group of no more than 10. The focus is never about pushing yourself too hard if you aren't there yet and the yoga expert does tailor what she teaches according to the skill levels of participants. As White keeps reassuring us all, "Rome wasn't built in a day".
She taught us Asana and Nidra poses, the latter we practised in a sleep-like state of yoga. Quite like lucid sleeping, it is one of the most deep states of relaxation that at the same time maintains a full state of consciousness.
In her mandala class, you'll be creating mandalas while stretching to do the yoga poses. This was particularly intriguing, as everyone ended up with a different picture that reflected their personality archetypes.
All of her classes are different and there's even an element of art to one of them
The programme also includes a mediation class by Nikorn Banjerdlert.
It's easy to dismiss wellness retreats as shams, but you're in good hands with Rosen and White, both of whom are definitely on top of their game.
Getting away for a weekend at the beach is a good body reset, but coupled with a light kick that also helps free your mind, improves your eating habits and stretches muscles you forgot really charges you up like no other. You'll get back to Monday feeling rejuvenated, strangely looking forward to the next retreat, even if you were deprived of butter all weekend.
The Wellness Workshop is priced at 30,000 baht per person in a single occupancy or 25,000 baht per person in a double occupancy at the Deluxe Sala Garden View room for three nights (inclusive of all meals, two evenings of treatments at the Mandara Spa and daily seminars and activities with the practitioners). JW Marriott Phuket will be offering this workshop for the third time early next year. For more information, contact linda.overman@marriott.hotels.com or call 07-633-8000 ext 3750.
