I Spent 5 Days at a Sustainable Ayurvedic Wellness Retreat in India — Right here’s What It Was Like

Because the writer of the e-book “150 Spas You Should Go to Earlier than You Die,” I’ve seen a spa or two…or 150. Spa is a broad time period, starting from a scorching spring in nature to a luxurious sanctuary the place you will get a therapeutic massage to a full-on, multiday wellness retreat. After I booked my keep at Six Senses Vana in northern India, although, I wasn’t positive what to anticipate. I had been to a Six Senses earlier than and carried out a wellness retreat, however I knew this one can be completely different.

Vana was based in 2014 by Veer Singh, and it underwent renovations to change into a Six Senses property in 2023. Singh has all the time targeted on sustainable farming together with Ayurveda and Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan conventional drugs) philosophies, and never a lot within the wellness realm modified beneath the Six Senses flag. I used to be desperate to expertise Ayurvedic philosophy within the place the place Ayurvedic drugs was born, and I used to be particularly intrigued by the Sowa Rigpa program, which was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama himself. The truth is, it’s one of many solely locations exterior of Tibet that practices Sowa Rigpa, and all practitioners are despatched to coach in Tibet for six months.

Core working tenets, reminiscent of no private digital use exterior your room, various menus that includes native and seasonal elements (many from the property itself), and community-supportive efforts, have flourished much more.

Packing for my journey was a breeze: All visitors are inspired to put on the offered sandals and white kurta pajamas, so I used to be thrilled to carry a not-even-full carry-on for 5 nights. Nonetheless, the unavoidable fact for any American going right here is that it’s a protracted journey — the resort does provide a three-night retreat, however from this distance, that will not be sufficient (seven-, 14-, and 21-night retreats are the opposite choices). One silver lining is that Air India flies on to New Delhi from New York Metropolis, the place I dwell. Whereas Air India’s planes on this route are outdated, they’re scheduled for a redesign and improve by the tip of the yr. I used to be disillusioned that the enterprise class seats weren’t non-public, however they did lie flat, and that was all I wanted to sleep for a lot of the journey. (And the meals was glorious.)

I nonetheless wanted to journey from New Delhi to the northern state of Uttarakhand, the place Vana is positioned. I took a home flight to Uttarakhand’s capital, Dehradun, and was picked up in a luxurious SUV crammed with selfmade, wholesome snacks, contemporary juices, and totally functioning Wi-Fi for the hour-long drive to the resort.

I arrived at evening, and after a restful evening in my massive suite, the next day, I used to be scheduled brilliant and early for my wellness evaluation and seek the advice of with Dr. Jayachandran. Dr. Jaya is a kind of individuals with a relaxing, pleasant presence, placing me comfy at the same time as he assessed my dosha (Ayurvedic physique stability) by feeling my pulse and knowledgeable me after my Western drugs assessments, like measuring my peak, weight, and blood stress, that I had an excessive amount of stress and a blocked digestive system.

We had a protracted chat about my way of life and food regimen. Then, he arrange numerous therapies and periods for the approaching days, starting from reflexology and acupuncture to Ayurvedic and Sowa Rigpa massages to meditation and breathwork. He additionally beneficial I keep away from gluten and dairy at dinner and sugar in any respect prices. (Sure, I’ve a candy tooth!).

We determined I might additionally meet with Dr. Sopa, a Tibetan conventional drugs physician who assesses physique imbalances. After feeling my pulse for a number of minutes, Dr. Sopa knowledgeable me that my start power pulse was Bedkan (an earth and water mixture), however my present power pulse was Tripa (hearth), which controls digestion and metabolism. Mine was sluggish. Primarily, I wanted to regulate my food regimen and way of life to kickstart my digestion and filter my blockages and anxiousness.

The following couple of days had been a blur. I used to be nonetheless jetlagged, and I saved falling asleep throughout the extremely enjoyable therapies I used to be prescribed. I had a two-person, four-handed Ayurvedic Abhyanga therapeutic massage that left me feeling like jelly (in a great way) and a reflexology session that I snored by means of, sadly. I additionally had my first of many Sowa Rigpa periods with Ngawang.

Every Sowa Rigpa session begins with a monotonous-sounding chant that calmed me even with out figuring out what it meant. My first kunye, or Tibetan drugs therapeutic massage, transported me in a manner I had by no means felt earlier than. It started with a coconut oil scalp therapeutic massage (I quickly discovered to embrace my oily hair), after which a number of natural poultices with cumin and nutmeg had been positioned on numerous stress factors. Ngawang targeted on a knot in my foot that I hadn’t identified was there, and her robust but one way or the other soothing strokes had been penetrating, not painful.

That evening, at my first dinner, the menu supplied a wonderful choice of nourishing however not depriving dishes, each Indian and Western. After I tried to order what I believed was a sugar-free dessert, my waiter gently jogged my memory that the physician had instructed no sugar, but when I needed it, I may nonetheless have it. Finally, the chef made the rice pudding sugar-free, however that was my final foray with dessert for the remainder of my keep. After day two, although, I didn’t miss it. I savored the flavorful soups and entrees and ended my meal with an natural tea as a substitute.

The next day, I returned to Ngawang for a Tibetan sound therapeutic session. As a spa and wellness author, I’ve been to extra sound baths than I bear in mind. I believed I’d seen — er, heard — all of it. However this was an genuine Tibetan sound bathtub — the place the development originated — and I used to be in for one thing particular. First, Ngawang led me in a fireplace ceremony. I wrote down any adverse feelings I needed to get rid of, after which we burned them.

“The thoughts is sort of a wild animal,” she advised me. “It can go anyplace, anytime. We attempt to tame it.” Then I lay down and closed my eyes as she performed a gong, singing bowls, and bells round me, generally inserting a vibrating bowl in my palms or my abdomen. It ended with what sounded just like the waves of an ocean, and I felt my adverse ideas washing away.

I discovered myself thrilled that I used to be alone, capable of give attention to myself and my wants. Per the foundations, I left my telephone in my room and was glad to eat alone, misplaced in my ideas as a substitute of on social media. By the third day, I felt refreshed, my each day stresses melted away, and I used to be able to sort out feeling good. The second half of my journey included non-public meditation and respiration periods, which might equip me with instruments to deal with my anxiousness and stress when it returned. I additionally met Dimple, an acupuncturist who managed to be each tender and no-nonsense, rapidly attending to the foundation of my anxiousness and performing two distinctive acupuncture periods that allowed me to really feel taken care of and restored in only one hour.

I left the resort solely as soon as, to do an early morning hike, though a number of excursions can be found. My hike completely balanced pure magnificence and train — the encompassing Himalayan foothills are steep and placing. When it got here time to depart the resort for good, I had a remaining assembly with Dr. Jaya to assessment my targets and plan tips on how to keep my wellness in my very own life. Six Senses Vana is, in spite of everything, a bubble protected against the stressors of contemporary each day life. I knew it wasn’t practical that I’d keep this sense of bliss, but when I may handle a glass of inexperienced juice and 10 minutes of pranayama, I’d be joyful.

This is my assessment of Six Senses Vana.

The Rooms

Three residential buildings are on website, plus a number of casas in a separate a part of the resort. These are perfect for households who carry their youngsters. (Sure, they’re allowed.)

Spanish architectural firm Esteva i Esteva designed the 66 rooms with muted, soothing tones, paper lanterns, wicker lamps and pendants, pure woods, and domestically made paintings. All rooms have seating areas, balconies or terraces, and floor-to-ceiling home windows with views of the encompassing native Sal forest, the gardens, or the mango orchards. Rooms have a king or twin mattress for those who’re coming alone and enormous marble loos with separate showers and bathtubs.

There are additionally 16 spacious suites, which Esteva i Esteva additionally designed. I used to be in a Forest Suite with an enormous balcony overlooking the forest, from which I noticed a monkey one morning. My bathtub and mattress additionally ignored the forest cover. Suites have spacious residing rooms with L-shaped couches and a writing desk, plus a separate kitchenette stocked with handmade snacks and glass bottles of consuming water which can be filtered on-site.

The big dressing room/closet has slippers, robes, sandals or crocs, scarves, and the white kurta pajamas visitors are inspired to put on on the property.

I used to be stunned to discover a tv in my room (all rooms have one), however I suppose you do not have to show it on for those who don’t wish to use it. Sadly, I had to make use of my telephone and pc whereas there, which was solely allowed in my room.

Meals and Drink

First, this isn’t your typical spa meals — thank goodness. That stated, for those who inform your physician at your evaluation that you just wish to drop extra pounds or take care of different diet-related well being points, they’ll put you on a prescriptive meal plan, and the kitchen employees will make sure you keep it up.

However even for those who’re on a gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free food regimen, you’ll nonetheless eat nicely right here. How? The always rotating menu of seasonal native dishes and the wide range of choices will depart nobody wanting. After all, there may be loads of Indian meals (observe that genuine, regional Indian meals may be very completely different than most Indian meals you see overseas). Nonetheless, there are many different Asian and Western dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Salana, the primary restaurant open for all meals. Salana has a big eating room and a spacious terrace overlooking a tranquil garden that many visitors choose to eat at, myself included.

Breakfast and lunch function massive cold and hot buffets with numerous vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, a rotating particular desk that includes made-to-order dishes like smoothies or ramen, and a menu for ordering much more. There have been Western pastries for breakfast (though they had been admittedly tiny), however there was a lot else to select from that I wasn’t tempted.

As a substitute, I might eat the most effective gluten-free sourdough bread and hand-churned butter I’ve ever had, tropical fruit with yogurt, and possibly a freshly made dosa or idly. At dinner, which is a la carte, you’ll by no means see the identical menu twice in 21 days (which additionally occurs to be the size of the longest retreat). Every evening, it has a various choice of appetizers, entrees, and desserts that includes dishes constituted of greens, fish, poultry, and meat (normally lamb).

Anayu is the opposite restaurant, which was solely open for lunch after I was there because of some upkeep work however can be sometimes open for dinner. It feels a bit fancier than Salana, with many gold accents. Anayu is the property’s Ayurvedic restaurant, and its each day prix fixe menu comes with three selections, every equivalent to a dosha, and visitors are inspired to pick the meal that aligns with the dosha famous throughout their Ayurvedic evaluation. Every meal begins with an amuse bouche of a spoonful of spices and a fruit elixir to cleanse the palate. Then, a thali (a platter with a number of dishes and bowls) is served with rice, dal, and roti, together with the suitable dishes in your dosha. For my dosha of pitta, my thali had minted paneer, coriander rooster, a mushroom curry, and carrot poriyal, with a vegetarian possibility additionally out there.

Daily, the Kila (the primary gathering constructing) hosts a day tea with tea and snacks. Upstairs within the library, an apothecary-style drink lab gives a small menu of medicinal and wellness elixirs, teas, different drinks, and snacks.

Actions and Experiences

Whereas every visitor’s customized itinerary will probably be crammed with one-on-one spa, yoga, meditation, and different periods, there may be additionally a weekly calendar of each day group actions which can be principally complimentary. These embrace numerous yoga, breathwork, and meditation periods that occur a number of instances a day, in addition to health lessons starting from energy strolling to weight circuit coaching to water exercises within the pool. There are additionally sports activities actions like badminton and tennis, craft workshops like pottery, sustainable upcycling crafts like making paper by hand, cooking lessons, and issues like “Aware Tea.”

Every week, the temple sometimes hosts a number of puja or prayer periods. Within the evenings, numerous lectures and discussions on matters like longevity and conventional medicines are held, typically with visiting consultants. I loved the each day morning yoga periods and the afternoon raag remedy, which concerned a flute participant enjoying conventional Indian instrumentals whereas individuals lay down and let the music wash over them.

Visitors also can e-book off-resort excursions, together with a number of hikes and a visit to Rishikesh to look at the each day aarti or ritual choices. I did the Gulab Singh hike one morning, which was a spotlight of my go to. It was technically a gaggle hike, however I ended up being the one participant, so me and the information, Deepak, did the attractive hike alongside a river, by means of waterfalls, and to the small house of Gulab Singh perched on a ledge overlooking the foothills of the Himalayas. It was rigorous at instances, with some steep inclines, and left my muscle tissue a bit sore — in a great way.

The Spa

Six Senses Vana doesn’t have a standard spa constructing; as a substitute, therapy rooms are unfold between a number of buildings. The Ayurveda Middle, a big stand-alone constructing with a central courtyard holding a reflecting pond and a statue of the Hindu god Vishnu, gives Ayurvedic therapies. The Sowa Rigpa Middle, which has pictures of the Dalai Lama’s go to, gives Tibetan therapies. All therapy rooms embrace non-public loos with showers, baths, and altering areas and are embellished with soothing shade palettes and easy textiles.

Reflexology appointments are given on the Pure Therapies Middle, whereas acupuncture occurs contained in the Wellness Middle linked to the Kila, the place any physician appointments happen. Lastly, any watsu therapies happen within the Aqua Health heart. And for those who’re searching for a sauna or whirlpool, it’s subsequent to the rooftop out of doors infinity pool. All that is to say the whole property is a sprawling spa.

When it comes to the therapies you’ll obtain, you possibly can count on the most effective from skillfully skilled consultants in every self-discipline, whether or not it’s Ayurveda, Sowa Rigpa, or Conventional Chinese language Medication. After your evaluation, your physician will craft your schedule with sometimes one to 2 therapies per day, after which you possibly can add on extra if you want.

A number of the therapies I skilled had been a four-handed Abhyanga carried out by two therapists, which is a standard Ayurvedic therapeutic massage utilizing oil and repetitive motions and acupressure factors; a number of Tibetan kunye massages which use natural pouches on acupressure factors; a Tibetan sound therapeutic session; and two acupuncture periods. I skilled watsu for the primary time, which is an aquatic remedy carried out in a small, heat pool, the place my therapist held me as I floated, serving to me with passive stretches and mild therapeutic massage that had me so relaxed I briefly fell asleep whereas floating.

Household-friendly Choices

Maybe shockingly for a wellness retreat, the resort is quickly debuting an outpost of the Develop with Senses Youngsters Membership, which focuses on wellness. The children membership, which additionally options its personal eating room, is separate from the remainder of the property, and households are solely allowed to remain within the casas, that are additionally faraway from the primary space. When it launches, it will likely be a novel manner for folks to take part in a wellness retreat without having to search out separate childcare.

Accessibility and Sustainability

Six Senses is a model identified for its sustainability efforts, however even earlier than it turned a Six Senses, Vana was a pacesetter in eco-initiatives. For instance, they used scrap steel to make a lot of the steel sculptures and paintings across the property, together with a gorgeous tree within the yoga room. Since changing into Six Senses, they’ve employed a full-time sustainability director who manages the whole lot from composting to employees sustainability initiatives to the water filtration and bottling plant that gives purified water in glass bottles for the whole property.

Each room has a stuffed elephant handmade by an area girls’s co-op (and filled with recycled kurta pajamas) on show with a observe about utilizing the proceeds from the acquisition for Vana’s sustainability fund. The fund sponsors three completely different tasks locally, together with the conservation of the native river, aiding in human-wildlife co-existence with the elephants that reside within the close by nationwide park, and supporting a domestically run cow shelter for deserted dairy cows.

In January 2024, Six Senses added the Earth Lab, which helps visitors study in regards to the resort’s sustainability efforts and gives each day craft tasks utilizing upcycled supplies, reminiscent of fallen bamboo was a flower sculpture.

Location

Six Senses Vana is in a local Sal forest close to Mussoorie in Dehradun, which is the capital of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It’s about 1.5 hours northwest of Rishikesh, about an hour from the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, and half-hour from the Dehradun Railway Station. You possibly can fly to Dehradun from the Indira Gandhi Worldwide Airport in Delhi, or the property is a few five-hour drive from Delhi.