If you were to describe Kamalaya in three words what would they be and why?

Feel Life’s Potential.

What does ‘wellness’ mean to you?

“Wellness” is a term that is widely used and used in different contexts, a term that requires some definition in order to ensure we use it in a context that is accurate and thus avoid the risk of diluting the term. For us at Kamalaya, ‘wellness’ is: “Living a life in which the physical, emotional, social, mental and spiritual aspects of our lives are healthy and balanced such as to create positive health, quality of life, a sense of wellbeing and a positive contribution to our communities. It is a dynamic process of ongoing change and growth towards physical, mental and social wellbeing. It is a journey of increased awareness, active and engaged choices towards a healthy, fulfilling and meaningful and successful life for oneself and importantly, for our larger communities.” So in essence, we are speaking of a way of life, much more than the absence of disease. It is a shift in paradigm in which living and making choices and our daily actions reflect these values. It requires a willingness to increase our personal awareness of how we live every aspect of our lives in order to make better choices, and become the empowered authors of our lives.

What are three things all women should know to better their health?

When I think about wellbeing, my first consideration is to “slow down” and take time to pause. I do this regularly as it allows me to assess where I am in terms of stress, emotional balance, and mental calm and clarity. I also like to assess the consumption of sugar in our diet. Reducing or eliminating refined sugar as well as artificial sweeteners and high fructose syrups which are often added to processed foods, is one of the fundamental steps in establishing an overall health regime. Besides other adverse health consequences, sugar is one of the main agents causing inflammation in the body and we know that chronic inflammation is linked to a list of serious diseases. Exercise or regular movement is something that is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle and doing that in nature is fundamental for my personal health and wellbeing as it has the power to affect my vitality and wellbeing physically, emotionally and mentally.

I also always recommend having a good eight hours of restful sleep each night..

At Asquith, we are all about sustainability and preserving the planet for future generations to come. What does ‘sustainability’ mean to you and how have you brought it into Kamalaya?

Kamalaya is committed to reducing the environmental and social impact of our activities. We are committed to preserving the environment through sustainable operations, guided by overarching goals and values.

 

Some of our environmental initiatives are that we educate all of our staff on environmental responsibility, we do not use any plastic on our property, we use solar energy and we use organic and local suppliers where possible. We also have a dedicated “Green Committee” lead by our health and safety manager for continued commitment to reducing waster and looking after mother nature.

 

Everyone practices yoga/Pilates for different reasons. When did you start and why?

I LOVE Yoga. Recently, I attended two very simple yoga classes from a beautiful yoga teacher by the name of Sylvia Olden Scholtenhui in Holland. She practices and teaches in a simple but deep style that is exactly the way like to practice for yoga and for Qi Gong. She re-inspired and re-invigorated my practice again. This style where our breath, our mind and our body are attuned and harmonized is my preferred style. It is much slower than the current power yoga styles that are so popular, but it is a style that is very powerful in its simplicity.