Mel – Day Spa Manager
It is officially Autumn and we can feel that first little chill in the air, even up here in our little slice of sub-tropical paradise. When the days are becoming shorter, you know it’s time again to slowly wander inward and take extra care of yourself, your soul and your body.
Naturally, the change of seasons before we head into Winter with its drier climate puts more emphasis on nourishing our largest organ, the skin. Gaia’s Day Spa has you covered, offering some wonderful treatments to improve skin hydration.
A wonderful addition to any Gaia treatment for both men and women is our 30min Body Polish. We use a nourishing combination of a hydrating yet exfoliating volcanic Pumice stone and raw cold pressed Macadamia oil to exfoliate the body and get rid of dead skin cells. This process will leave your skin feeling smooth and extra soft.
Create some extra ‘me time’ and indulge in Gaia Retreat & Spa’s wonderful, extensive menu of massages with specialty rituals. A visit to the Spa is an opportunity to try something different.
Deeply restorative throughout the cooler months is our 90min Hot Stone Massage, using both hands and smooth, warmed basalt stones to massage the body. This is such a blissful treatment during the change of seasons as the heat rejuvenates tired muscles allowing the therapist to work on a deeper level.
Remember, a little self-nurturing trip to the Day Spa offers ample opportunity to replenish and indulge in all other Gaia facilities on offer as well, including our hot rock Sauna. Most guests spend about 10-20min in the Sauna to enjoy all of its benefits – stress release, detoxification, relaxation, serenity for your mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. It is such a holistic experience with a vast variety of positive impacts.
Mother’s Day is just around the corner and our popular Gift Voucher for Day Spa treatments or Vouchers for a replenishing Retreat weekend away might just be the perfect gift. On the other hand, why not give yourself permission to treat yourself as the special person you are! Order your Gift Voucher today – www.gaiaretreat.com.au/product-category/gift-certificates
Craig – Fitness & Wellness Coach
Using the change of season to go inward can also provide a fantastic platform to shift out focus on Breath & Movement connection.
The Power of Breath has been well studied and documented and some key points suggest that our breath has the power to:
- Control emotions (anger, anxiety, nervousness, fear)
- Enhance recovery from physical exertions (lowering heart rate, removing toxins)
- Regulate Body functions (core temperature, lower PH levels, boost immune system)
- Quickly restore calmness and clarity in neurological function
There are a multitude of advanced breathing methods available from a wide array of experts and disciplines. However, when many of these are broken down and the general focus analysed, it can become quite simple. In essence it is about the ability to control your breath, that is the speed of both the inhale and exhale, the depth of breath and the targeting of the correct muscles for maximising the breath cycle.
The most effective and simplest way to learn to control your breathing is to match your breath with slow, flowing and repetitive body movement. It’s similar to basic Tai Chi moves, which focus on controlling the speed of the inhale and exhale to match full, flowing and repetitive movements. This provides the basis of strengthening breath regulation and the first step in mastering the control of your breath.
Here is a simple example of how easy and powerful breath control is when linked to movement:
- Stand relaxed, feet shoulder width apart, knees soft, arms by your side with palms facing outwards.
- Begin to inhale through the nose, lift the arms slowly outwards, control the speed of inhale (slower the more effective the exercise becomes) so that it lasts until your hands touch above your head, arms stretched, and rise slightly up on your toes (focus on your body feeling light)
- Exhale slowly through nose and mouth (sound of breath should be audible), control the speed of exhale so that it lasts until arms are taken back down (with palms facing down) by the side, knees slightly bent (focus on the body feeling heavy and a general release of energy through the feet)
- Repeat 3-5 times, this can be done several times throughout the day if possible
This basic exercise provides a foundation for breath control, the catalyst for re-oxygenating the body. A valuable tool for increasing the strength of your breath and a stepping stone to advanced powerful breath enhancement exercises in the future. Practiced often, this exercise can quickly restore a sense of calm and at the same time improving clarity of thought.
Breath is LIFE & Breath Control is POWER to control that LIFE
A variety of breath work is offered within various One-On-One classes at Gaia. Find yours here – www.gaiaretreat.com.au/day-spa/one-on-one
Danielle – Head Yoga Teacher
Autumn is a perfect time of the year to take stock after a hot summer and not only re-evaluate our diet, which most wellness articles talk about during the change of seasons, but also our yoga and meditation practice.
Throughout the hot summer months, I much prefer teaching a softer yoga practice suitable to the heat.
Now as we are stepping into the cooler weather, we can move to a stronger more cardiovascular routine with some extra standing postures, perhaps even starting the day with 10-20 strong Sun Salutations.
Moving from the more out and about days of Summer into Autumn provides us with a wonderful opportunity to start slowing down a little and create space for some nurturing indoor time. It is a perfect occasion to start our inwards journey, maybe with some time for reflection, practicing some quiet meditation or pranayama (conscious breathing). Start to quieten the mind.
For some extra me time, grab your mat and indulge in some lovely yoga in the comfort of your own home. Our much anticipated 2nd Yoga DVD Earth – Air – Fire incl. 3 x 20mins Vinyasa yoga sequences is designed to get you going each day.
The amount of positive feedback received so far since launching the new Yoga DVD has been absolutely overwhelmingly. Lot’s of guests comment that it’s just a fantastic way to take a little slice of Gaia home and keep up with their regular practice.
Order your DVD today, visit – www.gaiaretreat.com.au/product/new-yoga-dvd-earth-air-fire
But wait, there is more…
I am so thrilled and excited to finally open the doors to our NEW, absolutely stunning and beautiful Samadhi Yoga Room nestled the rainforest trees! I can’t wait to share more about my favourite hangout spot at Gaia. Bring on the Year of the Pig…!
