The retreat centre created with the idea of promoting Peace internally and externally through the practice of traditional relaxation and healing techniques.
This land is ideally situated in the mountains with the picturesque views of the valleys and mountain ranges. The sound of the flowing water, the cool breeze humming through the surrounding nature makes one feel relaxed the moment one enters this peaceful center.
Organic farming, cultivation of spices and a variety of medicinal plants is done in this land. There are many nature trails around the Center for leisure walking. A special trekking programme called “Peace Path” is organized to develop goodwill amongst different cultures and to enhance peace and Harmony.
Close your eyes and try to picture the word ‘relaxation'. What do you visualize?
Most of us would picture an easy chair, sea waves, palm trees, water stream in the mountains, fresh air mingled with the fragrance of flowers, birds and butterflies.
What does that picture convey?
To most of us relaxation is a state when the muscles in the body are at repose, the mind is unperturbed by disturbing thoughts and the soul is at peace.
There is a peaceful and joyous feeling in the heart.
In a heightened state of relaxation a person is able to feel at the top of the world. He senses a joy in living and experiences euphoria. There is heightened awareness of the surroundings and a great sence of well being that accompanies total response.
The lack of relaxation can lead to many physical and emotional problems. For most of the people relaxation could mean just physical repose but total relaxation is not just about the body being at rest. It is an all encompassing state of repose where the body, mind and soul are in harmony because resting one element without affecting the other is of little use in other words, relaxation is the state at which a person is at total rest.
Yoga
Certain forms of exercise increase the body's energy, but this is futile if we continue to waste energy by constantly keeping the muscles in a state of readiness when there is no need to do so. Some people find they have trained their muscles to be so tense that they cannot relax them even at night creating constant energy drain. Yoga Asana's are a technique for retraining the muscles to be able to relax. People who practice Asana's often find that they need less sleep and feel more rested. Some people are consciously choosing gentler yet equally or more effective forms of exercise to help to keep themselves healthy and productive so that they can live life to the full. Of the various types of Yoga practiced all over the world, “Hatha Yoga” or the Yoga of Health is the most popular. It consists of “ physical' exercises known as “Asana's” or Postures, breathing exercises collectively refer to as ‘Pranayama' and various concentration, meditation, visualisation and relaxation techniques.
The postures are non strenuous, stretching and strengthening exercises done in synchronisation with regular breathing to provide the working muscles with oxygen> They take each joint through its full range of motion to keep it freely movable. The postures also condition the muscles supporting the joints to keep them firm and strong.
A popular misconception is that because Yoga postures are generally slow moving they do not develop stamina. In fact it requires more muscular strength to execute a posture slowly than it does to perform it rapidly. Practice of Yoga will help to heal and restructure damaged tissues, revitalise mind and body and restore balance and harmony. It will help you to conserve rather than waste your energy so that you can use it more advantageously. It will provide you resources for coping well with a variety of stresses and enable you to live to your full potential.
Meditation
When the mind is constantly bombarded by stimuli it becomes overloaded and exhausted. We may be unaware that we are doing it, but by thinking and worrying we are using up tremendous amounts of energy. The tension put on the mind by worries whether real or imagined can use more energy that physical work.
When worries get out of hand, energy resources are strained. Mental fatigue sets in, often resulting in wear and tear on the physical body as well. It is important to set aside some time each day for the mind to unwind and recoup its energies.
Mental relaxation would mean the ability to free the mind from nagging worries, fears, greed and disturbing thoughts. It should mean the moving away from negative thoughts and emotions
to the positive ones. This leads to an experience of inner peace.
During an experience of meditation, we are calm, aware, focussed, happy and loving. We let go of the burden of ourselves and enter into a wider state of consciousness. Having achieved this wonderful state, we can then learn to transfer these same attitudes to all our interactions. It is possible through the regular practice of meditation to live each moment untroubled by negativity and the stress that inevitably builds up.
Ayurveda Massage
Perfectly in tune with the newly awakened Manthra of return to nature Ayurvedic herbal massage brings to you one of the oldest known therapies for rejuvenating the body. The medicinal value of the herbal oils used in ayurvedic massage has multifarious advantages over normal massage.
• Massage exercises the whole body
• Tones up the muscles
• Improves blood circulation
• Repairs worn out tissues
• Removes toxins
• Knocks off fat
• Improves the complexion
• Body posture
• Nourishment of the inner self
Besides the massages which promote general good health and tone up the muscles, there are special massages for treating ailments. These massages have been noticeably successful in treating rheumatism, Arthritis, Hypertension, Migraine, Nervous debility, Obesity and Depression. While undergoing these therapies a positive attitude is essential for proper results. Regular massages protect the body from falling prey to ailments, arrest per-mature ageing and tone up the skin. They relieve stress and help to promote a long and healthy life.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy acts in accordance with holistic principles. It awakens and strengthens vital energies and self healing capabilities of the patient. Essential oils can deeply influence our psychic equilibrium or psychological well being and regulate physical imbalances. In addition, essential oils invite one to appreciate the beauty and wonders of creation providing us inner contentment.
Essential oils have the ability to directly affect the brain and from there many psychological and physiological processors – most notable in the treatment of depression, sleep disorders, stress symptoms and anxiety.
Essential oils absorbed by the skin can reach the organs to be treated through the connective and lymphatic tissues and the circulatory system. Essential oils greatly support the skin, the largest organ of our body, in its main functions. Applied in diluted forms they are used for massage, in therapeutic baths and for compressors. But again, the effect is a holistic one – body and mind benefit at the same time.
Why are fragrances able to move us-to-touch our hearts? What magic key do they seem to possess that opens the secret door to our soul? Generations of researchers have been searching for the mechanism that triggers our sense of smell and the feelings it evokes.
Reiki
Reiki is a system of healing carried out by placing hands on or over a person with the intent to channel healing energy. It can be performed in the form of massage as well. To experience Reiki is to experience the communication of love from the universe to all beings.
Whether your life seems lacking or you live it to the full and whether you are a spiritual seeker, a single minded materialist, experiencing a period of depression or adapting to change. Reiki embraces and enriches. It transcends time and space and all religions. It is enjoyed by people of many faiths and of no faith and promotes positive living and compassion for all. In many different ways, Reiki shows us the happiness we can feel by living in harmony with the laws of the universe.
To experience Reiki is to experience the communication of love from the universe to all beings. The origin of Reiki is the same loving universe that gives us breath each second. Reiki invites us to open up to this great love, trusting it and allowing it to flow through us. “Rei” can be translated as universal and “ki” is the energy of life force present in everything. It blesses all it reaches, the physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Reiki brings comfort from pain, creativity when we feel stifled and love when we feel separate. Whether your life seems lacking or you live it to the full, whether you are experiencing a period of depression or adapting to change, Reiki embraces and enriches.
T'ai Chi
T'ai Chi practice combines with slow, deep breathing from the abdomen to produce relaxed stances that are effective in eliminating stress and tension from both the mond and body.
Breathing with the diaphragm helps to lengthen and deepen the breathing, increasing the bloods' oxygen supply and benefiting the internal organs.
The slow turns from the waist performed in Tai Chi are mentally and physically calming and slow sunken movements lead to inner resilience in addition to the physical benefits of stronger muscles, balance, flexibility and a well aligned body.
Chikung
The purpose of chikung is to release and purge strong toxic energy flows that are literally trapped in the body's tissues. When we hold back our feelings, we block our natural chi flow which creates stagnant pools of toxic energy within our body. For the healing process to work, there can be no separation between body, mind, emotion and spirit. All must be in balance to maintain a healthy body.
Chikung trains the person to focus attention equally on their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual functions. There are many styles of Chukung training most of which involve all the individual's physical senses. Specific application is focussed on breathing, hearing, visualisation, concentration, muscle relaxation, massage and movement to develop and control the body's intrinsic energy.
Shiatsu Massage
A system of manipulating the body to restore, balance, shiatsu draws strongly on the ancient Chinese practice of acupressure and is based on the same theory of life force energy flowing through the body in channels known as meridians. When performed with a relaxed body and an open and sensitive frame of mind, simple shiatsu movements can be used safely on ones self and others to help revitalize the body, mind and emotions. Shiatsu Massage is a truly holistic therapy enhancing and uplifting our physical, mental and emotional states and contributing to an overall sense of well being. Developping an awareness of the physical systems of the body and the balance of energy within it will increase the positive effects of the massage.
