Today after another wholesome breakfast I have my first Yoga lesson with Kun Chuck. I am booked onto the Kamalaya Personal Yoga Synergy program which offers private one-to-one yoga sessions with customised instruction
along with complementary treatments, including Ayurveda therapies from our experienced Indian therapists.
This personal yoga and wellness retreat is suitable for beginners (hoorah!) and experienced yogis alike, as the daily yoga sessions are tailored to the individual’s skill level and goals. The customised instruction includes asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing) and meditation.
I really couldn’t ask for a more breathtaking place to do Yoga than the Yoga Pavillion which is open all sides to the elements and looks right out over Kamalaya Bay. If I can’t be inspired here I doubt I could be anywhere. Our first session was purely focused on breathing (pranayama) but Kun also encouraged me to show him a few different Asanas I knew from home. I was physically and mentally exhausted after my first session and felt a little sad at how our of shape I had become. Kun explained how us Westerner’s have very ‘locked’ bodies from sitting in unnatural poses all day with our desk bound jobs. The idea for my sessions at Kamalaya is to unlock my body and give me the confidence to continue on practising at home.
On the next day I meet Kun again at the Pavilion and my yoga session today is really quite painful. It is quite frustrating as I feel so inflexible. Kun is really supportive and explains that it will take time but I just need to stretch the muscles more and more each day. After being stretched more than I can bare Kun lets me indulge my body with some deep meditation. I feel so heavy I could literally float down the hill to my bed.
Christian and I pop to the pool and after a swim in the cool waters grab some lunch at the Amrita Cafe – Sanskrit for ‘divine nectar’. Amrita Café is our favourite spot for food at Kamalaya and offers an informal dining nestled amidst lotus ponds adjacent to the swimming pools. The sound of running water with private dining salas and intimate alcoves overlooking the beach creates a serene venue for fresh juices, inspired salads, and vegetarian dishes. A barbeque for freshly grilled fish, poultry, meats and vegetables is an added feature, along with the special detox menu. I opt for the ‘Green Soup’ which essentially becomes by staple lunch for the week as it tastes simply divine! You can see the recipe that head chef Kai Mueller so kindly gave to me here. Christian loved the Thai green curry and Tamarind Cooler. The food is truly out of this world. You would really never know you were eating food which is all in its most natural state and so, so good for you!
In the afternoon Christian took part in a cookery course where he learnt to cook Som Tam, Steamed Spring Rolls, Tom Yam Soup and Green Curry. For dinner we eat his creations which were all beautiful and very tasty. I have now developed a lifelong devotion to Som Tam – delicious.
When we got back to the room I was talking to Christian when he really freaked out and said there was a huge lizard behind me. I turned around and saw nothing – I would say he’d had too much to drink but as we can’t drink at Kamalaya I am really perplexed. To be continued…
Gypset Travellers 