In the realm of the lotus - Thailand / Koh Samui
An experience for life: How the Kamalaya Healing Resort caresses the body and the senses. And opens the heart to what is possible.
07/25/2024 Reading time: 1 Minute
You can still see them sitting alone at the tables, relaxed and with that smile that comes from within. Breathe in, take a deep breath, forget the outside world: Once their cell phones are switched off and stress gradually becomes a thing of the past, the calmer minds meet at the community table after the first, exhausted days of relaxation. It is a fairly typical feature of Kamalaya.
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This calls for a visit to the belly of Kamalaya: the best fresh fruit that Southeast Asia has to offer and light, vital, often vegetarian food pampers the palate at Soma and Amritá Café, while a fresh sea breeze is the very best accompaniment to breakfast or dinner. The brand new Luna by Clara, a pop-up restaurant from the award-winning Bangkok gourmet temple, also serves two different 7-course menus that focus on a contemporary interpretation of local, seasonal ingredients and can be accompanied by natural wines or non-alcoholic beverages. Detox, detoxification and purification, is the main pillar of the nutritional concept. Innovative, never-before-heard or enjoyed works of art made from plants, herbs and exotic spices will surprise the palates of cosmopolitan gourmets. Classics such as Thai curries or soups tingle with new nuances of flavor. You can also eat in the resort's villas. Cleverly planted and almost completely secluded, they offer the greatest possible privacy: an outdoor bathroom with an outdoor shower, comfortable mattresses, large terraces, the beach within a stone's throw and a picturesque tropical hilly landscape with a view of the azure blue sea would be reason enough for some to come here. The thoughtful way in which the landscape planning was carried out is also reflected in the way in which unspoiled nature has been incorporated into the use of the land - granite rocks, rivers and cliffs that have been here for centuries accompany guests at every turn.
The first step early in the morning is a challenge, of course, as the path climbs steeply uphill - and that after abstaining from coffee and before breakfast. Leaving the wellness center with its treatment rooms to the right, we bravely climb on up to the yoga pavilion. Morning meditation is the theme one day, qi gong and chakras the next. Yoga is a top priority every early morning and some evenings: Experts and beginners alike will all find their ommmmm here - be it with Therapeutic, Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyas or Ying. A Muay Thai class will wake up the tired. Stretching classes ensure back mobility. TRY suspension training, Pilates, aqua aerobics, meditation courses and seminars encourage mindfulness and correct breathing techniques: it seems as if there is nothing here that doesn't exist.
Structural Revival is perhaps Kamalaya's best offer for long-time desk jockeys or senators with too many miles on the clock. But it is also an excellent way to keep your joints, ligaments and muscles fit as you get older: the program offers a wonderful cross-section of Kamalaya's lifestyle in five, nine or even twelve days. Right at the start, an Indian doctor invites you to get a precise picture of your body's signs of wear and tear using a body bioimpedance analysis. Then it's time to get started: Leem, Cherry and their colleagues start by tackling the effects of the hectic life "out there" with massages: traditional foot massages, therapeutic Thai treatments, myofascial relaxation massages, an upper body relaxation treatment and - to top it all off - a "Traditional Herbal Compress". The latter uses hot herbal sachets, cleverly placed, to banish even the last remnants of back pain. The machine technology is also state of the art: the Pilates training equipment and a range of machines in the huge fitness area leave nothing to be desired, even for hardened athletes. Then Ginny and Poop, the Pilates trainers, show the novices the correct breathing technique before getting down to business on the "reformer": breathing correctly (into the flanks). The most back-friendly way to achieve a strong center. The perfect balance.
The endearingly strict Or - "Or like hearing" - doesn't waste any time either and puts on an aqua fitness session in the sports pool with the guest from Europe, dismissing any thought of water as a particularly accommodating element. The next day, Superstretching shows that flexibility can even be learned by office workers - and within an hour.
The big goal: self-empowerment
Enough sweating. Time for the journey into the spiritual. The unfolding of the spirit can only be achieved by letting go - and so everyone's journey should begin here with a big goal: Self-empowerment. "Unleash the power and seeds of the divine potential that lies within us all. Connect with nature, the elements and the energy of the universe. Connect with your self-healing powers and the visionary within you. Place your body, mind and heart in one bowl. Appreciate, cherish and nurture your personality. Feel life's potential. Let yourself be gently guided towards a more fulfilling life."
The two founders of Kamalaya, Canadian John Stewart and his wife Karina, the latter of whom has a master's degree in anthropology and TCM, have made it their life's purpose to convey this other life to their guests. Their Thai Eldorado was not only to focus on physical regeneration and well-being; it was to become a globally unique, holistic work of art for body & mind; an intersection of Orient and Occident, a perfectly complementary wonderland of Far Eastern healing methods and Western medicine: Tao meets Tibet, Ayurveda meets TCM and Thai herbs.
How this came about is a story in itself: in 1982, Stewart traveled to Koh Samui to recover from an illness. As he stalked through the undeveloped jungle and reached the beach, he came across a kind of cave that was used as a place of worship by a Buddhist monk. This is exactly where he and his wife wanted to realize their lifelong dream. They bought the land. And the grotto. The monk and sanctuary have been a spiritual center ever since - and probably also the secret of the founders' success: a sincere interest in any kind of healing, physical or spiritual, is close to Kamalaya's heart. As one guest wrote on leaving? "I felt healthier and happier here; peaceful, self-confident and truly alive."
Back to the community table. A person suffering from sleep problems did Reiki with Ronan, the therapist. A youthful, cheerful woman from California in her so-called "prime" is here for the seventh time, exclusively to combine individual yoga sessions and massages: "Definitely without children, husband and girlfriends" and to be able to listen only to herself once a year. The head of finance from Switzerland is having his annual all-round service - exterior paint and interior polish. The grandmother of three from Israel enjoys Kamalaya's beach and the lunchtime cooking class with inspiring, healthy recipes. Two guests talk about the new regenerative ozone therapies that have given their immune systems a boost.
The days pass, conversation partners become friends, overworked creatures become people with spirit and plans. It's a place of power, as the smart Dutchman, who was actually recommended here by his girlfriend, calls it. Now he doesn't want to leave. His head clears, his eyes regain their sparkle and diet and exercise do their work. "Forty percent of all guests come to Kamalaya again and again," Pierre Lang, the resort's General Manager and a "typical Kamalaya person" himself with his friendliness, will later say: The top hotelier with professional stations at Alila Hotels & Resorts in Bali, Park Hyatt Maldives and the Grand Hyatts in Dubai and Berlin first got to know the power place personally as a guest three times before the Stewarts asked him if he would take over the management. That's when he was hooked. This has been his workplace ever since.
The dawning night now gently covers Kamalaya like a blanket. Inhale... Exhale ... Serenity and peace. Svetlana in the yoga pavilion sets the pace once again with drums and singing. Concentration. Listening inwardly. There is strength in peace. And you can take it home with you as a remedy for everyday stress.
