MOUNTAIN WELLNESS

Nepal, with its tranquil settings and ancient traditions of both healing and spirituality, affords you excellent opportunities to experience absolute wellness.

While you’re travelling here, be sure to take that long-needed break that will melt the stress away as you relax, revive, revitalise, and rejuvenate in pure bliss.

You can choose from an array of specialised natural treatments and activities based on old Himalayan traditions of care and respect.

Discover your own boundless energy through personalised yoga, Reiki, pranayama or meditation; be pampered with different Ayurvedic massages, traditional baths or indulgent spa treatments.

Most retreats that offer these wellness alternatives are concentrated around Pokhara and Kathmandu (Dhulikhel too has some fantastic resort and spa experiences if you’re looking for a blend of luxury and wellness), which are the most popular tourist destinations as well.

So if you are in Nepal and would like to experience any of these getaways, you will very easily find one without having to travel a long way.

AYURVEDA AND HOLISTIC WELLNESS

For holistic health – that harmonises mind, body, and spirit – experience the healing therapies and purifying treatments of Ayurveda.

Born in India some 5000 years ago, Ayurveda, the science of life and longevity, is the oldest healthcare system in the world.

Ayurveda is a completely naturalistic system that depends on the diagnosis of the body’s humours – vata, pitta and kapha – to achieve the right balance.

Ayurveda is especially ideal for those who prefer non-invasive methods of diagnosis and healing, and Nepal has several centres that specialise in the practice.

PANCHAKARMA TREATMENTS

Some Ayurvedic centres in Nepal offer the Panchakarma treatment.

A Sanskrit word that means ‘five actions’ or ‘five treatments’, Panchakarma is an extremely effective healing experience that detoxifies the body, strengthens the immune system, and restores balance and well-being.

You can choose from Ayurveda therapy packages which range from an hour to 14 days long. You can also opt for Panchakarma programs which could be anytime from one to four weeks duration.

After an initial consultation with an expert Ayurvedic practitioner, the Panchakarma treatment will take you through a range of therapies that include herbal oil massages, dry skin brushing, herbal steam baths, herbal enemas, herbal steam inhalation, and other deep cleansing and detoxing massages.

YOGA AND MEDITATION

If yoga is your path to rejuvenation and revival, Nepal has several Yoga centres and institutions where you can perform yoga daily in an ambience that is a perfect blend of harmony and well-being.

Apart from basic yoga postures, you will also be introduced to the practice of pranayama (the art of breathing), meditation, the chanting of mantras, and discourses on the philosophy of yoga – all intended to enhance your experience of wellness.

You will also enjoy specially prepared food made from ingredients that are always naturally and freshly sourced – keeping in mind that your diet is core to the principles of absolute wellness.

In Pokhara, you have options to choose different retreats where you can practice yoga and meditation in a residential setting. The location is also breathtaking.

Some of these offer special courses like the Sunrise Yoga Tour and Reiki Course.

REIKI

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that utilises energy healing.

A simple, natural, and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can learn and use, Reiki is administered by ‘laying on hands’ and is based on the idea that an unseen ‘universal life force energy’ (also known as chi/ki or prana in various cultures) flows through us at all times.

OSHO TAPOBAN

The famous Osho Tapoban is an international commune and forest retreat centre situated in the Nagarjuna hills, well away from Kathmandu city.

They offer various courses on yoga, meditation, psychotherapies, and alternative healing techniques.

Spiritual tourists from over 90 countries come here every year.

VIPASSANA MEDITATION

Vipassana Meditation offers a unique meditation opportunity.

Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of the most ancient techniques of meditation. Rediscovered by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago, it was taught by him as a way of self-transformation through self-observation.

Vipassana Meditation is taught at ten-day residential courses.

There are no charges for the courses – all expenses are met by donations from people who have completed a course and wish to give others the same opportunity and experience.

However, the course length and schedules are inflexible – you are expected to stay for the entire duration of the course and there are strict codes of conduct you are expected to follow.

FINDING CALM IN NEPAL

When you make a trip to Nepal, first or next, do remember that your travel experience in this beautiful mountain country need not be only about adventure and spectacular natural beauty but also about rejuvenation and calm – making you contemplate life in a different light altogether.

With such a rich and diverse range of experiences for wellness of mind, body, and spirit, Nepal beckons.