Spa + Wellness + Travel: Ayurveda in Sri Lanka

Finally, I was heading to Sri Lanka and excited as it has taken me nearly two decades to get there! A lot changes in that time; initially my reason was for the remoteness and beaches, but now I’d discovered Ayurveda is very much a part of the Sri Lankan life.

Setting up Spa Wellness Travel in 2001 I was curious to Ayurveda and thought I could do little self-assessments on my family and friends what their dosha was, but I sooner discovered there are many components to Ayurveda. Sri Lankan Ayurveda has a long written history of almost 3000 years, but the knowledge has been handed down orally for many more thousands of years. Here is a brief insight to the complex structure of Ayurveda:

Just as the modern medicine is based on physics, chemistry, botany and Zoology, Ayurveda is based on Indian or Hindu Philosophy. The theory of macrocosm and microcosm. That is the man is an epitome of the greater universe. It believes that the matter is composed of five elements (Panchamaha buta).They are Prithvi (earth or hardness), AP (water or liquid), Theja (fire or energy), Vayu (gases state of matter) and Akasha (ethereal state of matter). It is said that matter to exist there should be Kala (time) and Dik (space). With the addition of Manas (mind) and Atma (soul), the matter becomes animate. These components are called the Nithyadravyas or eternal elements.It is very difficult to give exact English equivalents to there highly technical Sanskrit terms. In the universe there are the sun, moon and wind, in the same manner in all living things there are the motion, the liquid component, and the heat or energy component. They are called Vatha, Kapha and Pittha respectively. The human body is composed of Pancha maha butas ie the five basic elements. In the human body they are explained in terms of Dosha, Dhatu, and Mala. Life is the union of body, sense organs, mind and soul.The dosha are vata, pitta, kapha. The 7 Dhatus are Rasa (chyle or nutrient fluid), Rakta (blood), Mansa (muscle tissue), and Medas (fats), Asthi (bone, connective tissue), Asthi majja (bone marrow) and Shukra (reproductive elements or the vital substance). The three main Malas or excretions are purisha (faces) mutra (urine) and sweda (sweat). The doshas when exist in dynamic equilibrium help to maintain the human body in a healthy condition. Then they are called Dhatus. Any disturbance in this equilibrium causes malfunction and results in disease. In that event they are called Doshas. Thus Vata, Pitta, Kapha, are alternatively called Dhatu or Dosha depending on the effect they have on the functioning of the body. ~ Indigenous Medicine, Sri Lanka Government

After my water plane landed in Kandy it was a meandering hours drive through varying little Buddhist and Muslim villages that soon had me at Santani Wellness, Sri Lanka’s newest spa wellness retreat. The architectural design of the lobby, dining area, spa centre and sixteen free-standing structures is award winning. I loved the streamline and eco concepts embracing concrete, timber and recycled materials. Meal time was filled with anticipation wondering what Executive Chef Wajira Gamage with a profiled career spaning France and Sri Lanka working with prestige such as Taj Hotels, Ceylon Tea Trails before joining Santani would be serving. He advised:

“the philosophy behind his menu is based on the traditional Ayurveda principles. In Ayurveda there are six tastes or “Rasas” – sweet, sour, salty, bitter pungent and astringent, it is recommended that each taste should be included in every meal. Thus, by incorporating all six tastes in your meal and adjusting the amounts to your personal constitution will help maintain a balanced nutrition and good health, as well as feeling satisfied and eliminating food cravings”. “Taste is made from the same elements that make up the dosha known as space, air, fire, water and earth. Each taste has an effect on each of the three doshas known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When your dosha is are out of balance these six tastes can help repair these imbalances”.

Then that takes us on meeting resident Dr Ravi Sooraj. Always favouring a Shirodhara if it appears on a spa menu, I mentioned this to Dr Ravi, who advised “certainly, it will help with insomnia”. Well, waking the next morning it was like I had been in a very heavy sleep, sure I woke during the night, but then instantly I was back in my heavy sleep of comfort. My facial the next day deepened by level of relaxation and I can say the use of natural products had my skin glowing for days; as my friend, Laura, can attest to went I met with her days later. Morning yoga and lazing by the infinity pool watching birds dart here and there with the hills and swaying grasses behind all made for a deserving time away from my work home routine! That morning yoga class holds another fond memory with the sound of woman about to commence their work in the tea plantation.