I came to Sri Lanka to sit an intensive
course in Ayurveda, the main focus for me being Ayurveda Massage. Along with
the course Barberyn Resort threw in 900 Euro worth of treatments, which enabled
us to experience first hand what we were learning.
Everything about the resort radiated relaxation.
The buildings are open plan allowing the breeze to circulate through, they have
high ceilings and feel spacious. The decor gives an oriental feel with several fishponds
and the sound of falling water. The rooms are located just in front of the
beach, some as close as 10m. They are very spacious, again with high ceilings
and a balcony or porch. My room was about 50m from the beach with a balcony overlooking
the ocean, through palm trees. Every evening I lay in bed listening to the roar
of the ocean, the wind through the trees and the sound of falling water from
the pools water feature – it was very relaxing. The service provided by the staff was
excellent. They were all very friendly and always on hand to make sure the
guests were being looked after. I took note of how the resort operated and
found myself thinking of how I could change my approach at work.
Each meal was served in a restaurant that
had rotating French Doors facing the ocean. Breakfast and lunch were buffet
style and dinner was from a set menu. I really enjoyed the food, but I can see
it causing problems for fussy or unadventurous eaters. If I would have known
that the food was mainly vegetarian with the only animal protein being white fish
and served at lunch, I would have been worried. As it turned out, I didn’t miss
meat until the final week and was more than happy with the selection of food on
offer. The majority was served in clay pots, which really defined meal times
and the Sri Lankan culture. Each food was labeled complete with a short description
of the nutritional value: Mixed Vegetable Curry – Rich in flavonoids, vitamin
A, B, C, E, zinc, magnesium, easy to digest, improves liver function, mild
laxative.
The way of life in the resort was calm and
peaceful; the other guests were friendly and always stopping for a chat, the pace
was slow and know one seemed to have any troubles or problems. It was nice to
chat with people of different ages and backgrounds – for the first time I
really felt more like my old self prior to my accident. I became good friends
with a girl called Nina. We were on the same connecting flight from Dubai and
ended up neighbours in the resort. I really enjoyed her company and have made a
good friend.
The main treatments offered were; massage,
steam bath, herb bath, acupuncture, fomentation (heated herb clothes that are patted
on the boy), and treatment in the herb garden (warm herb packs or pastes that
are applied to aching parts of the body and left in absorb into the skin). When
the doctor thinks your body is ready (usually after 7 day of the above
treatment) you can opt for more in depth oil treatments (Shirodhara or
Sarvangadhara) that focus on the mind/body and, or treatments to eliminate accumulated
toxins from the body by induced vomiting or diarrhea, enemas and blood
purification. To compliment treatments
and support further relaxation Barberyn offered daily yoga classes, several Tai
Chi classes and weekly meditation classes. I took all the classes and have discovered
new interests in yoga and Tai Chi.
The way I felt throughout my treatment was
a bit of a roller coaster ride and I experienced good and not so good days. By
the end of the fourth or fifth day I was feeling really relaxed and at peace
with my self. I had a spring in my step and felt like a new man. Then a few
days later I started to lack energy, my body ached and I had a dull but
continuous headache. I thought this might have been due to my body needing to
rest so I stopped exercising but my fatigue didn’t improve. One of the lectures
revealed that the symptoms I was experiencing were due to toxins that had been
collected from my body (by the treatments and medication) were ready to be removed
via a purgation treatment. I opted for an induced diarrhea treatment to cleanse
my stomach and colon, as my digestion hasn’t been optimal for some time. It’s
not the most glamorous of treatments but I thought it made sense to have it
done while I was eating clean food and was feeling relaxed. Prior to the purgation
day I had to stop all medicine and not eat breakfast. I was given a decoction
to drink at 7:30am then another at 10:30am. My bowels started to move at 12:30pm
and finished 11 times later at 19:30pm. I had to rest the whole day and was on
a restrictive diet of rice soup and dry toast for the next two days. I’m glad I
had the treatment but I didn’t gain any noticeable benefit from it. I think the
negative effects that I felt during my time here were due to a more vegetarian
based diet. I believe that when I get back into my normal routine they will
clear up – I guess time will tell.
Towards the end of my stay I had a
Shirodhara treatment, which is a native treatment to cure diseases connected
with the head, neck, eyes, ears, nose, throat and nervous system. The Shirodhara
involves a stream of warm medicated oil failing onto the centre of the forehead
from a clay pot that hangs above the head. I’d seen other guests after having
the treatment with a constant grin and a weightless, floating like expression. Unfortunately
I didn’t get to experience this feeling. I enjoyed the sensation of the oil
falling onto my head and I did feel relaxed but I didn’t experience the
peacefulness that I was hoping for.
All in all I really enjoyed my time at Barberyn,
I have learnt Ayurveda Massage but more importantly was able to unwind and get
the relaxation that I badly needed. I’ve not been convinced by the whole
Ayurveda way of life - I think the main reason people come away feeling so good
is because during their stay they can’t drink alcohol, fizzy drinks or coffee
or eat processed food. On reflection I feel better now than when I arrived,
which says it all. I am able to take away many things from this experience, I
have discovered new interests, and learnt more about myself. I would recommend
Barberyn Ayurveda Resort to anyone that is in need of a relaxation holiday -
you can’t go wrong with the combination of treatments, clean food, sun and the tranquility
of the resort.
