launched in Paris in 1952

Issue Seventy Eight 2021 of the South African Edition

this issue Natural & Organic

Spa Lifestyle Relaxation & Health Therapies s k i n v i t a l i t y b o d y b a l a n c e

‘This Pandemic feels like a Realignment?

By Sarah Camilleri interviewing Sue Harmsworth, as part of the GWS

‘This pandemic feels like a realignment? says Industry Pioneer, Sue Harmsworth, MBE highlights the value of integrative and light wellness programming postpandemic in GWS Master Classes.

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) has begun a series of free, weekly 60-minute Zoom business sessions dedicated to specific wellness sector topics. In this week’s popular session, Sue Harmsworth, MBE was interviewed by GWS chief creative officer Nancy Davison the subject of ‘A future shaped by current events: Integrative wellness at last?.

Light Wellness v Serious Wellness

What have we Learned from the Pandemic?

“Throughout history we have had to deal with many diseases outbreaks and pandemics. One day we will be able to look back and recognise that the universe was telling us something. This pandemic feels like a realignment. It’s been a time to reassess to contemplate what is important.

“I always prefer to look forward. We will come out of this much more resilient. Wellness is a huge opportunity. The pandemic has accelerated the growth of our industry but we are at a pivotal point where disruption is needed.” The Dangers of ‘Wellness?

“It?s actually worse than when we started the spa industry and ‘spa’ was used to describe everything. The word ‘wellness’ is now used to describe everything and this is dangerous. As an industry we need to define exactly what we mean by wellness. We can deliver ‘light wellness? or ‘integrative wellness? but we need to be clear about what we do, especially in hospitality.

An integrative medical consultation at SHA Wellness, Spain “It’s a very different model to take a 45-yearold or older person on holistic programming to reboot, re-energise 0nd re-focus in a resort setting than it is to go to a dedicated integrative wellness destination.”

It concerns me that ‘spa’, it seems, has just gone out of the window as everyone latches onto the newness of the ‘wellness? trend, but in general, the hospitality industry does not understand that you can’t play at wellness and people’s heath. Spas have their place and they can work to deliver light wellness in a hospitality setting, integrative wellness destinations, however, are something entirely different.

“People go to a resort for fun, escape and relaxation, not for medical intervention. Breath work, yoga, healthy eating, holistic spa treatments, fitness programming and modalities to improve sleep and light anxiety all come under light wellness programming, which spas can effectively deliver.

“However, in order to treat people with diabetes, cancer and cognitive issues we need the skills of doctors as well as proper diagnostics and functional medicine integration.” Can Spas deal with Anxiety and Stress?

“More recently, spa professionals have been dealing with a lot more anxiety and mental stress from clients – crying in treatment rooms and talking about life issues is common. As we move into out of the current pandemic situation this effect is going to be even more extreme. The question is: Where does mindfulness practice stop and cognitive or medical intervention start in a typical spa setting? In hospitality, we are in danger of asking therapists to judge when medical intervention will be needed.”

It’s Time to Upskill and Value our Therapists

therapists to be able to recognise this and other lifestyle issues. If we don’t empower the spa therapist to have this knowledge then we could have a serious problem in recognising serious contra-indications such as signs of cancer, diabetes and mental health issues.

“We set up the Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) for this reason – to offer cancer training programmes so that spas can welcome guests living with cancer. I believe that therapists should be empowered to recognise symptoms and also to deliver excellent holistic programmes. Every spa should train their teams for the future.”

Integration is the Way Forward

“The appetite for wellness is huge and there are many vision0ary hospitality leaders out there that get this. Today the medical profession is also far down the pathway to recognising the advantages of holistic modalities and preventative health.

“At the moment there are two extremes with leading health destinations such as Lanserhof in Germany and Austria, and SHA in Spain, and their more holistic and spiritual counterparts based in Asia, such as Kamalaya 0nd Chiva Som.

“I believe a new generation of integrative wellness resorts are going to be the way forward. This is the disruption needed in wellness. As an industry, if we can build the skill set to support national health systems we will come up with a solution for a healthier future.”

Be inspired...The Global Wellness Summit is an international organisation that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively impact and shape the future of the global wellness industry.

GWS Unveils 2021 Wellness Trends Report

The GWS just released its top wellness trends for 2021, the new directions our experts believe will have the most powerful impact on the wellness industry-and people-worldwide.

Wellness is at a crucial moment. The long pandemic made it dramatically more important to people, but the many traumas of 2020 have accelerated frustration with an industry too focused on elitist, hyper-trendy, evidence-free solutions. A few themes emerge in this forecast. Wellness is poised to take a bigger seat at “the healthcare table.” It will become more inclusive and affordable, more evidence-based, tackle tougher human pain-points, and be more soulful. And it will rewrite vast markets: from the entertainment industries to travel to architecture.

9 Wellness Trends For 2021

1. Hollywood and the Entertainment Industries Jump into Wellness

Wellness will become a much bigger, more meaningful programming focus in the TV and music industries. Wellness content and platforms will occupy more real estate at smart TVs and TV sites¬-with programming designed to actively transform you. Music created for stress, sleep, focus, a better workout, or just trippy bliss will keep exploding-from a wave of wellness music apps to generative music technology, taking sound-as-precision-medicine to radical places. Celebrities are now all over wellness, not just as spokespeople but as company founders and mega-investors. Wellness purists may roll their eyes, but more wellness experiences at Big Media platforms is a story of unprecedented reach and affordability.

2. The Future of Immune Health: Stop Boosting, Start Balancing

People were bombarded with “immune-boosting” supplements, foods and therapies in 2020. Problem is, the idea that you can “boost” your immunity is unscientific nonsense; “boosting” is precisely the wrong approach; and none of the pop-it, guzzle-it, IV-drip-it “immune-boosting” supplements and superfoods (that the wellness industry had led with) can change the complex immune system much. The future: evidence-backed approaches that lead to immuno-stabilization, immuno-balance. In 2021, metabolic health, a healthy microbiome, and personalized nutrition become far more crucial-and we'll see experimentation with “positive stress” experiences and intermittent fasting for immune resilience.

3. Spiritual and Numinous Moments in Architecture

Recent studies reveal the powerful connection between the built environment and our wellbeing, and a new “wellness architecture” has been born. But design that taps into our spirituality has gotten short shrift. Attention will now be paid to creating everyday spaces that can incite sacred and numinous moments that elevate our consciousness in a mindless, consumerist society. special “thin places” that dissolve the veil between ordinary places and the sacred realm, new interest in ancient traditions such as Vastu architecture and sacred geometry, more “nudge architecture,” and the rise of the “spiritual home.”

4. Just Breathe!

Breathwork used to sit on the woo-woo side of wellness, but mounting medical research is putting data behind something we've known for centuries: how we breathe has a profound impact on our physical and mental health. This trend explores the people, the techniques, the places, and the new technologies pushing the practical magic of breathwork into exciting-and important-new directions. More practitioners will bring breathwork to ever-larger audiences and push it into fascinating new territories. Cool breathwork parties and festivalsand innovative breath-tech-will surge. This drug-free medicine costs nothing-and with so many techniques, there is something for everyone.

5. The Self-Care Renaissance (Where wellness and healthcare converge)

Three hundred years after the first Medical Renaissance (1400-1700), we're entering a new one. One where two complementary yet often competing entities-healthcare and wellness-will converge. Wellness will increasingly lean into sciencewhile healthcare will borrow from the wellness playbook-transforming a once sterile, strictly curative industry into a more holistic, lifestyle-oriented, and even pleasurable one. In this new era, hospitals will take inspiration from five-star resorts, yoga studios might measure improved telomere length, and prescriptions will be coupled with hyper-personalized guides to optimal health.

6. Adding Colour to Wellness

The protests last summer made diversity and inclusivity a hot topic in the wellness industry. But this trend (a personal and professional reflection by a Black woman researcher within the wellness industry) argues that to generate any real change, the wellness industry must address the false but pervasive narrative that wellness is only for affluent white people. It explores how the industry can add color to wellness by valuing Black consumers and wellness professionals and describes the (often painful) ways that Black people actually experience wellness offerings and spaces. If mainstream wellness companies overwhelmingly ignore Black consumers' needs, the future belongs to companies that don't.

7. Resetting Events with Wellness (You may never sit on a banquet chair again)

In March 2020, the pandemic brought in-person events to an abrupt halt. But there is a silver lining: a new trend that will forever change meetings was born, with wellness at the core. The future is more hybrid events (an in-person and virtual mix), but it's also about rethinking (from every angle) how any event can be healthier and safer while still engagingfrom embedding new technologies (whether air purification or Far-UVC lighting) that mitigates infection risk to turning banquet seating into personal “wellness stations” and creating equally “social” and “distanced” dance parties. In 2021 and beyond, creativity is driving connection-and how we gather will take on new meaning.

8. Money Out Loud (Financial wellness is finding its voice)

Money has topped the “do-not-discuss” list foreveralongside sex and politics. But it's 2021, and a culture craving authenticity is breaking the money taboo-transforming finance from a hush-hush, onesize-fits-all industry to one that's more human, empathetic, and, dare we say, fun. This growing financial wellness movement is moving money talk far beyond the bank: Financial therapists are tackling the intersection between money and mental health, and financial literacy courses are simplifying complicated finance “bro jargon.” The future: the end of financial systems designed to profit from our failure, and the dawn of financial wellness awakening.

9. 2021: The Year of the Travel Reset

The pandemic acted as a near-complete brake on travel in 2020, giving suppliers and consumers time to think about how to reboot travel for the better. In 2021, all travel could become wellness travel, as manic getaways are replaced by slower, closer, more mindful experiences and with tentative travelers demanding that health and safety be front-andcenter. More travel will become regenerative (leaving a place better off than you found it), overtourism will be challenged, undertourism corrected, and people will crave nature immersion and purposedriven experiences.

About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit is an invitation-only international gathering that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy. Held in a different location each year, Summits have taken place in the US, Switzerland, Turkey, Bali, India, Morocco, Mexico, Austria, Italy and Singapore. Global Wellness Summit 2021is scheduled for Tel Aviv, Israel.

What is Healing?

With the new normal of social claustrophobia and anxiety and a need to ‘boost your immune system’, many people will be looking for healing. Many people come on Yoga and Detox retreats hoping for miraculous healing. And indeed many are looking for the quickest, most effective and cheapest approach with the least amount of personal demands. As a consequence, there is a dilution of some of our deepest original philosophies of life and of the life of the mind. Yoga and Ayurveda are such systems of thought which are in so many ways about taking responsibility for our own minds and not expecting salvation from the outside. The salvation must come from within.

Meditation is the management of the mind. It seeks to gently over time refine the mind. This can only happen over time through the wisdom of experience. If we can understand the mind as an entity which is capable of being observed through awareness and shaped through practice we will be able to discard what is unnecessary for our forward movement. It is the attachment to thoughts that bring about an unwanted experience. In this way we can understand that ‘healing’ is not our greatest need but rather a learning of how to digest our thoughts and emotions and how to direct them towards greater peace and prosperity.

“Ahara”, meaning food in Ayurveda is understood far more broadly as being anything that you ingest with your six senses. The mind in Ayurveda is considered a sense organ just like the eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin. And just as anything you eat needs to be digested into easily assimilated nutrients, delivered to your tissues and cells and the waste eliminated, so too must the ‘food’ taken in with your mind (your thoughts and emotions) be digested, assimilated and eliminated. And, just as our physical diet must contain suitable foods for our body to digest, assimilate and heal, so must our mental diet. If we repeatedly pollute the mental atmosphere with ‘wrong’ thinking, then is it any wonder that healing becomes necessary? The journey towards true and authentic healing and ultimately wholeness is a multifaceted journey. On the one hand, the body is able to recover from just about any ailment once a light is shone on the problem and the correct steps have been taken to heal. And, on the other hand, once we shine a light on what it is exactly that we are both feeling and thinking, we will be able to see not only the effects on our physical body, but we will be able to see the effects on our day to day reality. We will be able to see how we are the architects of our own life and how others are the architects of theirs and how we interact with one another based on these unseen aspects of ourselves. It is we ourselves who create various disorders in our bodies, emotional, psychological, mental and spiritual selves. And this is important because without prescribing a too austere life where no fun is to be had at all, we need to look at our whole life. Where we might be ‘consuming’ unhealthy ‘foods’. What are our day to day practices? What films are we watching, what conversations are we engaging in? Do we have toxic thoughts?

A good start is a cleanse so that your body can itself remove physical disturbances created by incorrect eating and then as the body becomes more whole, one can become more in tune with the awareness within. It is impossible to separate our mind from our body be that emotional or psychological so when we heal one aspect, we begin to heal the other aspects. The deeper disturbances created by incorrect thoughts and feelings can then be observed and rerouted. We are constantly creating or re-enforcing neural pathways through our thinking and feelings and we have become unaware of the patterns that are playing out in our lives. The moment we are aware of our patterns, is the moment that we can create new neural pathways and therefore begin the journey of bringing new and more conscious experiences into our lives. It is our lifestyle which we constantly pay attention to that ultimately heals. Therefore, an overall system that incorporates exercise such as yoga and Pilates, breathing practices, relaxation, mental cultivation to include meditation, a healthy environment and positive relationships, is the ideal way for change to happen. We may not need to heal so much through difficult times, but perhaps we can, through the practise of a healthy lifestyle, develop spiritual strength to remain calm, centred and alert, bringing the deeper insights into our waking life. This is where a Deep Cleansing Juice Detox Retreat would come very much in handy as this is where the transformation begins.

By Annie Wyatt - Cape Town Retreats

About Annie Wyatt, the founder of Cape Town Retreats and runs holistic Yoga and detoxification retreats in South Africa near Cape Town. Annie has over 20 years experience with cleansing practices both through diet and various yogic cleansing techniques. After experimenting personally with fasting, detoxification and working with food as medicine she shares what she has learned. She is passionate about her work and is particularly interested in the area of self development though caring for oneself and others. She believes strongly that when we care for ourselves, our lifestyle automatically improves.

Annie teaches Traditional Indian Yoga, a synthesis of Ashtanga Yoga and Hatha Yoga, based on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (Ashtanga) and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. She studied in India at Yoga Vidya Gurukul (ashram) under Rishi Dharmajyoti. Annie teaches yoga as a means to develop consciousness and to make the mind body soul connection.

Contact Details: www.capetownretreats.co.za Tel:+27 84 297 5736 email: annie@capetownretreats.co.za

How Finding Your Flow State Could Improve Productivity By Samantha Francis - Voices Wellness

Tips and tricks to help immerse yourself fully into the task at hand.

Let’s be real: procrastination gets to the best of us, no matter how motivated or well-organised we are. Derived from the Latin verb procrastinare and the ancient Greek word akrasia, it means to put something off until tomorrow or to act against your better judgement. It?s knowing you have an assignment due tomorrow but choosing to bingewatch your favourite Netflix series instead and it’s worrying so much about a work project that you can barely complete it in time.

If you’re looking to improve your productivity and minimise procrastination, the key could be finding your flow state. A concept popularised by positive psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamura, flow state refers to the feeling where one is fully immersed in whatever they are doing, under the right conditions.

In an interview with Wired magazine, Csikszentmihalyi said: “The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follow inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.” Colloquially, it’s known as being “in the zone” and is often associated with creative activities like painting, drawing, or writing. For the athletic, it can also occur while engaging in physical sports like soccer, tennis, dancing, and running. In a nutshell, most people naturally find themselves in a flow state when doing what they enjoy.

Over time, being in a flow state can better emotional regulation, increase happiness and engagement, as well as improve performance in areas like teaching, learning, athletics, and artistic creativity.

Creative pursuits are an easy way to find your flow state.

Here’s how you can find your flow state:

Do something you love Work might not always be enjoyable but being able to enter your day with a positive mindset helps. Aim to find a balance between your skill set and a level of challenge you can handle, to help you better ease into a flow state as you work on your task. Csikszentmihalyi says: “If challenges are too low, one gets back to flow by increasing them. If challenges are too great, one can return to the flow state by learning new skills.” Create a ritual to follow Ready yourself for an activity that requires high concentration by creating a series of actions to ease yourself into the task at hand. It could be as a short as 2 five-minute mediation to refocus your mind, a short walk in nature, or even brewing your favourite coffee or tea.

Start with the most important task Even if you’re good at multi-tasking, doing too many things at a go could create distractions that make it hard to attain flow state. Consider focusing on one major task that require the most brain power, before moving onto the others on your to-do list.

Eliminate distractions Whether you’re working from home or the office, distractions can be aplenty– from snacks in the pantry to your social media feed. Create a peaceful work environment for yourself by keeping away things you don’t need and putting your smart phone on a “do not disturb” mode.

Identify your peak hours for creativity Take note of when your mind and body functions best, whether it’s late at night or the morning after a good night’s rest. Making time to work on your day?’s most important task during these peak creative and productive hours can help you reach flow state faster.

Consumers are Making Sustainability a Growth Opportunity for our Spas

By Lucy Brialey - The Sustainable Spa Association

• 88% of consumers want you to help them make a difference.

• Does your spa help people make choices for the better?

In Futerra’s survey of over 1000 consumers in the U.K. and the USA they discovered that 96% of people feel their own actions such as donating, recycling or buying ethically made a difference to the environment and that it was their duty to make these choices where possible.

This is great news! Over the past years the need for ‘sustainable lifestyles’ has become imperative. Everyday people believe they can personally make a difference but the job isn’t done yet.Businesses have a key role to play.Because, although people think they can make a difference they want more help doing it. Another survey revealed an overwhelming demand for brands and businesses to step up and offer sustainable lifestyle choices. If your business isn’t helping consumers improve their environmental footprint, then you could be in danger of disappointing88% of them.

Building sustainability into your business can connect you in a more meaningful way to your existing guests and attract new guests for this very purpose. misleading information about a companies environmental values). If your claims or actions are found not be be true this can be incredibly damaging to a business reputation. The good news is that many sustainability efforts are measurable and can be presented in a factual way to guests.

One of the most successful ways of communicating your sustainability efforts is to ask guests to be involved in the process with you and report back on the achievements you have made together. It is very helpful if you give a link to your ‘green policy’ on all digital communications detailing exactly what you are aiming to achieve. Tell guests how they can help and advise them of any alternative solutions you may want to suggest before they arrive. Here are four examples to get you thinking:

Towel policies: Explain your choice of towel policy and ask guests to adhere to it where possible. Have reception issue the towels so that this can be monitored. If you can share information about how many towels were used the previous year, what your reduction goal is and how this benefits the environment through water use reduction, chemical pollution and energy saving.

Carbon reduction travel policies: Offer green travel alternatives. Link up with your local transport office and ask for helpful alternatives for your guests to use public transport, walking and cycling schemes or provide free electric car charging points. Analyse travel to the spa year on year and report on the potential carbon reduction for each choice compared to individual fuelled car travel.

Support local trade: Where possible buy local.Sourcing ethical, plastic free and local in-spa guest amenities, food and beverage and consumables can considerably reduce single use plastic, travel miles for each procurement line, supports local communities and gives regional character to the spa experience. Enhance local business further by offering these items as retail options for your guests.

Waste reduction: Provide clear recycling points in all areas of the spa and residences.Measure each waste type your business creates and have reduction or elimination goals that you can share.Encourage all staff and guests to follow these rules in order to keep waste from landfill. Identify where you can reduce and refuse certain waste lines coming into the business. Go single use plastic free. Reporting on waste reduction is tangible and measurable and is a highly evocative subject for spa guests.

Contact Details: The Sustainable Spa Association https://sustainablespas.org +44 (0) 7590 915 541 hello@sustainablespas.org

Reclaiming Resilience

By Kristin Meekhof - Organic Spa Magazine

As a mental health professional, I know that a major part of living well is the lens through which we view our world. And integrating healthy practices that enhance our world, like self-care and other holistic rituals, results in increased mental wellness.

In addition to mindfulness, resilience helps foster purposeful actions and serves as an important component to a positive state of mind. Psychologist and author of Recovering From Your Car Accident: The Complete Guide to Reclaiming Your Life, James Zender, PhD, defines resilience as an attitude of “can do, I’ve got this or belief in one’s self.” Dr. Zender adds, “Some people are by nature or temperament more resilient, but from psychological research we know everyone can develop behaviors and actions that build resilience.”

And these actions are doable regardless of where you live, and they can be done in micro ways as well. For example, research shows that meditation can have a lasting positive effect on our physical and mental health. If you find yourself in a pinch for time, even doing three minutes of mindful breathing can be a useful reset. things are out of control, both literally and physically. One of the easiest ways to re-establish control is to take charge of your breath with intentional and mindful breath work. Another way to feel in control is to decide what you will do with your next 10 minutes.

Knowing you’re capable of taking charge of little things will offer you a clearer way to tackle challenges and help to transform the overwhelmed feeling. Honing in on the small good things points you the right direction toward resilience. Five tools for navigating stress and strengthening resilience

Invest in yourself. While our focus is often on others, there is only one you. And now is the time to get the support you need, even though you may not feel worthy. Look at your mental and physical health from the perspective of healing. Shifting the focus to repairing and rebuilding will help reduce your pain.

Create something new. This doesn’t mean you’re making a new invention or finding a vaccine; it can be an action that is new to you, such as an exercise or a recipe. This act of innovating will engage you in problem-solving skills with little risk involved. You’ll feel good regardless of the end result, just knowing you tried something new.

Do a social media audit. If you’re taking in negative news, images and comments, it can impact your own thoughts and mood. Sure, everyone has something to say, but if you notice someone’s account is consistently negative, consider unfollowing them. Keeping your mind space healthy strengthens your resilience.

Seek a mentor. A mentorship can be a formal or informal arrangement, but the relationship serves as a way to set goals (professional and/or personal) with someone who is gently holding you accountable. And knowing you have someone to check in with about your progress can help you stay on track and tweak your actions to help you meet your goals.

Give a compliment. Carrying emotional weight can make us feel heavy, and one of the ways to feel lighter is to share a positive remark. Offering a compliment or giving an extra tip to the barista may just mean you’ve made it to someone’s gratitude list.

Using the Herbal Essential Oils

By doTERRA Essential Oils

doTERRA essential oils come from all varieties of plants. From herbs to trees, we wanted to explore each category of oils and explain how to use that group of oils. Though there are similarities between individual oils within groups, each oil is also unique. For this post, we will be discussing how to use all of the oils that are derived from herbs.

First, please note that herbs are a separate category from spices. An herb (according to the Farmer's Almanac) always comes from the leafy green part of a low-growing plant, while a spice comes from the root, stem, seed, fruit, flower, or bark of the plant. This leaves Basil, Cilantro, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Melissa, Oregano, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rosemary, Spearmint, and Thyme in the herb category.

We'll start with the similarities: all 12 oils in this category are distilled using Steam distillation. Each of these oils can also be taken internally and therefore are great for using in cooking. In fact, we have many recipes using the herb oils on this blog if you go to the Recipes section.

What else are herb oils good for besides cooking? Plenty. When taken internally, Cilantro, Lemongrass, Oregano, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Spearmint are all shown to aid in digestion. The Marjoram, Melissa, Oregano, and Thyme oils also support a healthy immune system.

Basil • Rub it into areas of your skin that need some soothing after a busy day. • Promotes mental alertness and lessens anxious feelings when diffused. • May help ease feminine discomfort during menstruation.

Cilantro • Acts as a powerful bodily cleanser and detoxifier when taken internally. • Helps eliminate unwanted odors when diffused or used in a room spray.

Lemongrass • Can be combined with a carrier oil for and apply to skin to enhance a soothing massage. • Apply diluted after a long run for a refreshing feeling.

Marjoram • Valued for its calming properties and positive effect on the nervous system. • May promote a healthy cardiovascular system.

Melissa • Melissa can calm tension and nerves just by putting a few drops in your palms, cupping them over your nose, and inhaling deeply. • Promotes feelings of relaxation when used topically or aromatically in a diffuser.

Oregano • Used as a powerful cleansing and purifying agent when mixed with water in homemade cleaners. • Supports healthy respiratory function when taken internally in a veggie capsule. • Offers powerful antioxidants to respond to oxidation and free-radicals. Patchouli • Has a grounding or balancing effect on emotions when used aromatically or topically. • Add one to two drops to your face during your facial routine to promote a smooth, glowing complexion. • Add to lotion or apply directly to your skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, blemishes, and skin imperfections.

Peppermint • Promotes healthy respiratory function and clear breathing when taken internally. • Put a few drops on cotton balls a place them around your home to repel bugs and spiders naturally.

Rosemary • Helps reduce nervous tension and fatigue when added to water or taken in a veggie capsule. • Use a few drops and give yourself a scalp-massage to promote full, healthy-looking hair.

Spearmint • It can help to soothe occasional upset stomach. • When diffused, Spearmint promotes a sense of focus and uplifts mood. • Use in homemade mouthwash to cleanse the mouth and promotes fresh breath.

Thyme • Use it diluted with a carrier oil for a cleansing and purifying effect on your skin. • It naturally repels insects, whether it is used topically or aromatically.

About Lezanne Shone

I finished my studies at Isa Carstens Academy of Health & Skincare as a Certified Somatologist and Advanced Aesthetician with a Diploma in Advanced Aromatherapy by Eve Taylor from the UK. The wonder of Essential Oils always had me extremely interested in natural medicine and I never knew it will become such a huge and life changing part of my life after 22 years of a proven reputation. I was searching for a Certified Essential Oil company in South Africa for years with no results. Finally, doTERRA was introduced to me and after 6 months of intense research, and my wonderful and unexpected journey with doTERRA started at the end of April 2020 I am extremely passionate about Advanced Aesthetics in Health & Skincare, actively seeking to develop knowledge and skills to advance in this specialized field and this is exactly why doTERRA became part of my life. My biggest dream and passion is to change the lives of people around me and to have a positive influence in their lives especially with essential oils as a natural medicine.

Top 10 Ways to Invest in Yourself and Why It’s So Powerful

By Megan Tull - Business Strategist, and Author of ‘The Passion Belief Method’

Investing in yourself is one of the best return on investments you can have. Whether it’s investing in learning a new skill, developing yourself personally or professionally, tapping into your creativity or hiring a coach, you need to give to yourself first before you can give to others. It is our responsibility to take the time to develop our gifts and talents, so we can best serve others. Investing in yourself is an example of self-love, you must love yourself before you can expect others to love you. Why is Investing in Yourself So Powerful?

Investing in yourself, sends a powerful message to yourself and the world. The message is: The value and potential that I possess, is important enough to me that I’m going to give it the energy, space and time to grow and create results.

When you’re willing to say yes, and take that leap of faith and invest in yourself, the universe will provide you with amazing rewards. I would like to share some incredible ways that you can invest in yourself - the great news is they don’t all require money. Megan’s Top 10 Ways to Invest in Yourself

1. Set goals. Learn how to set personal and business goals for yourself. If you’re not taking the time to set goals it’s like driving in the dark with the headlights turned off. You will not know where you’re going and you will waste precious time. Be sure to also set some time frames in which to meet them. Your goals should be SMART goals -Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely.

2. Honour your intuition. You can show yourself love by trusting your gut and honouring the message that it’s sending. Listening to your intuition, will allow you to make better decisions. Valuing your intuition, by not allowing the thoughts, feelings or statements of others to take away from what you know to be true is very empowering. By paying attention to how you feel, it will help you to make better, smarter and quicker decisions. I know for me personally, if I choose to ignore my gut or intuition when I feel a strong feeling about something, it almost always is a decision or action that I end up regretting. I have learned to always trust my intuition and that is what leads me in my life and business.

3. Invest time in your creativity. Our creativity doesn’t have to diminish as we get older. In fact, it is believed that the peak of creativity in most people is around 30-40 years old. (Lindaur, 1998, Marisiske &Willis, 1998) Creativity can be the catalyst in the manifestation of continual learning and lifelong activity. It allows us to be inspired, have fun and appreciate the beauty in the world.

4. Invest in building your confidence. People who know their value, have something to say and others will listen. You can invest in yourself by developing an understanding of the value that you possess and offer others. Learn to have the courage to speak your truth. The more you love yourself and own the value that you offer, the more confident you will become in sharing it with others. 5. Read educational books. Books or audio books are an awesome resource to build your knowledge and expertise in any area. 6. Attend seminars and workshops Attend seminars and workshops to expand your knowledge and skills in your business and/or personal life. This will also give you the opportunity to meet and interact with individuals who are like-minded.

7. Take care of your health. Eat right each day, fueling your body with nutrients. When you focus on eating organic and healthier choices, you will feel better and have more energy. I know that the unhealthy burger or cupcake gives us instant gratification, but if you’re like me, you regret it later, because you feel lousy afterwards. Exercise daily. Do something every day to get moving and get your heart rate up, even, if it’s just walking the dog. Exercise gives you the energy to take on the day with confidence because of how it makes you look and feel. I have dedicated a whole chapter in my book on health because of just how important it is to your success! 8. Choose to be happy. Happiness is a choice. Happy people choose to focus on the positive aspects of life, rather than the negative. They are not held hostage by their circumstances. They look at all the reasons to be grateful. “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”- Abraham Lincoln 9. Work on your bucket list. If you don’t have a bucket list, then it’s time to start one. Your bucket list is meant to be a list of everything you want to achieve, do, see, feel and experience in your life. Your list may be ongoing, but you can start by writing 100 things down. Then each month or so, make sure you’re knocking out at least, one of the items on your list. 10. Invest in a coach. A coach can assist you in putting all of these strategies into action. A coach is your partner in success. It is their job to assist you in creating and implementing your success plan, so you can become the best that you can be.

I can promise this: When you invest in yourself, a world of opportunities will open up for you. And, if you have a business where you sell your services, you must know that no one will invest in you until you invest in yourself first.

Investing in yourself emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially, will allow you to become the best version of yourself. When you are the best version of yourself, you will be an attraction magnet to others!!

Circular Economy EXPLAINED

By Stephanie Hodgson from @MeetthefiveRs. on behalf of The Sustainable Spa Association

The Sustainable Spa Association are proud to partner with Stephanie Hodgson from @MeetthefiveRs. This post is part of our collaborative series which will introduce you to the CIRCULAR ECONOMY and eventually our #SpaWasteNotChallenge.

Written for the Sustainable Spa Association by Stephanie Hodgson from MeetthefiveRs Traditionally, we have taken or extracted materials from the earth and our natural world, often causing great harm to ecosystems and wildlife. Then we make materials, products and packaging that we use, in many cases just once. When we feel we no longer want or need these things, we simply throw them ‘away’. This is the take-make-waste model of a linear economy. It is unquestionably outdated.

Our current linear economy is causing large-scale and sometimes irreparable harm to our planet and thus also to people and animals. Some of the environmental issues arising from this archaic system are: resource scarcity, biodiversity loss and mass extinction, plastic pollution, environmental degradation, global warming and climate change.

Some of the social issues arising are: poverty, inequality, job insecurity, poor working conditions, poor access to clean water and sanitation, and lack of access to quality education. One of the most troubling things about the climate crisis is that the people and animals with little or nothing to do with causing these issues are most often the ones that are the most affected. This is called climate injustice. What does a circular economy look like?

A circular economy is based on reducing consumption, waste and pollution through better design of materials, products and packaging. It also prioritises reverse logistics trends and practices to ensure the return of those goods back into the system where they can be reused, repaired or recycled. These are the five Rs of a circular economy, according to MeetthefiveRs:

REDUCE – REUSE – RECYCLE – REPAIR – RETURN

At its core, it involves keeping goods ‘in the loop’ for as long as possible, if not indefinitely. Ideally businesses or networks of businesses can create their own closed loop systems so the individual or group can eliminate their need for virgin or non-renewable materials, resources and energy. A circular economy will also look to regenerate our natural ecosystems and repair the damage inflicted by the linear economy. Examples of the five Rs in action:

Reduce: Reducing food waste by creating a market for odd-looking fruits and veg (Odd Box) or by redirecting food surpluses from businesses directly to customers (Too Good To Go).

Reuse: Reusing packaging through distribution and collection schemes for high volume products like household cleaning products (SESI, Miniml) or upmarket spirits (ecoSPIRITS).

Recycle: Local recycling of plastic waste into high quality products like plant pots (Ocean Plastic Pots) or stools (Still Life).

Repair: Designing smartphones (Fairphone), tablets (HP’s Elite x2 1012 G1) and laptops (HP’s Elitebooks and ProBooks) so they are easily repairable.

Return: Accounting for the return of packaging to the original businesses so they can be reused for as long as possible (Abel & Cole, All Plants, SodaStream). So what can you do?

There is no such thing as ‘waste’ in natural systems (ie ecosystems). One organism’s waste inevitably becomes food for another. Life on our planet has evolved in this way in near-perfect balance for millions of years and we would do well to take note. It is our challenge to find ways to transform our ‘waste’ into valuable materials for other processes and so remove the need for landfill and eradicate pollution.

Businesses in particular have a crucial role to play in making the circular economy a reality. This starts with looking at exactly what is going into your business and what goes out. Input can be things like products, packaging, energy and water. Output can be things like plastics, food waste, electronics, chemicals and the list goes on.

Our #SpaWasteNotChallenge is looking to tackle the latter: output. While we know it is critical to analyse what goes into your business and thereby reduce waste at the source, we thought it would be a good exercise to start looking at your current waste streams and how you might creately divert at least one of them from landfill.

The Amazing Effects of a Juice Detox

By Annie Wyatt - Cape Town Retreats

We can get all the nutrition that we need from our diet as long as our bodies are healthy and as long as our diets are clean with little to no processed foods. When we overeat, consume too many food additives, too much alcohol, too many drugs, not being aware of or suppressing our emotions and are too stressed, our digestive tracts can become inflamed which makes it difficult for our bodies to absorb the nutrients we need. When our digestive systems are inflamed, it is also difficult to process the foods and properly eliminate the wastes which is a normal part of a normal healthy diet. This leads to compromised health as the body is clogged with waste which becomes compacted along the colon walls creating a myriad of health problems.

A juice detox allows the body to heal as the body itself goes through a process of removing unwanted impurities from the liver thereby cleansing the blood. Essentially our liver would normally process these impurities and prepare them for elimination unless our liver is overtaxed with having to process all the ‘wrong’ foods. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin. Therefore it is necessary to do a juice cleanse now and again in order to preserve our health as well as return to a state of health. A juice fast refills the body with healthful nutrients, supporting us to heal and, and bringing back our youth and vitality.

Juice fasting improves the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. The juices which are prepared by extracting the nutrients infuse the blood with enzymes, vitamins, minerals, healthy sugars and proteins. These enzymes, are powerful metabolic chemicals used for all bodily processes and these now become available for all the backed-up metabolic operations that were put on hold because of lack of enzymes.

Benefits of Juice Fasting

The benefits of juicing fasting are numerous and far reaching and include physical health and vitality and weight loss, as well as having benefits on our more subtle body including developing our consciousness awareness.

Your internal organs as well as your skin has an opportunity to regenerate and your whole body becomes clean

Weight loss Increased energy and vitality Improves desire for healthy foods Sleep improves Improved gut health Hormonal balance Improved immunity Mental clarity Skin tone and texture improves Hair shines Eyes sparkle Flexibility Improved sense of taste and smell Digestive system and elimination improve Improved metabolism and cell oxygenation

Stored up emotions are released and thus allow for deeper healing in the physical body.

Body fat breaks down releasing fat-stored chemicals (drugs, food additives, chemicals from cleaning products and beauty products, bad cholesterol, excessive mucus and tumors etc. Additionally the recipes for our juices on our retreats are delicious and jam packed with goodness so you would hardly even notice that you are indeed fasting. We also include veggie broth and golden milk made with freshly pressed almonds and nutritious spices. The cleansing process is supported with mindfully practiced yoga, meditation, Pilates, walking in nature, plenty of rest and relaxation, shiatsu massage and healing treatments.

Cleansing and Detoxifying

cleanse and heal itself. It allows the body to take in nutrients while giving your entire digestive system a rest so that the energy used for digestion and processing of food is now redirected towards healing your body. Much like a service for your car, your body also needs service from time to time. This is the detoxification process.

About Annie Wyatt, the founder of Cape Town Retreats and runs holistic Yoga and detoxification retreats in South Africa near Cape Town. Annie has over 20 years experience with cleansing practices both through diet and various yogic cleansing techniques. After experimenting personally with fasting, detoxification and working with food as medicine she shares what she has learned. She is passionate about her work and is particularly interested in the area of self development though caring for oneself and others. She believes strongly that when we care for ourselves, our lifestyle automatically improves.

Annie teaches Traditional Indian Yoga, a synthesis of Ashtanga Yoga and Hatha Yoga, based on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (Ashtanga) and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. She studied in India at Yoga Vidya Gurukul (ashram) under Rishi Dharmajyoti. Annie teaches yoga as a means to develop consciousness and to make the mind body soul connection.

Contact Details: www.capetownretreats.co.za Tel:+27 84 297 5736 email: annie@capetownretreats.co.za

Now is the Time to Refresh your Spa Business By Charlie Thompson - The Massage Company

European Spa‘s new Leadership Experts series shines & spotlight on the key challenges facing spa and beauty businesses right now.

One such business, with more than 60 staff and over 2,000 members, is The Massage Company (TMC), founded by Elliot Walker and Charlie Thompson in 2016 to bring high-quality massage in centres around the UK.

During the weeks that businesses were allowed to open in between three nationwide closures throughout 2020, The Massage Company team delivered thousands of massages, increased membership sales conversion and effectively dealt with the huge changes the pandemic brought to businesses and people’s lives.

Thompson’s work during the pandemic was recently recognised by the SME National Business Awards when he was given the ‘Lockdown Leaders Award for the support he provided his team, franchisees and customers during the pandemic.

We asked him to provide some valuable insights and creative solutions to help you empower your team and future-proof your business ahead of reopening:

Charlie Thompson's Eight Ways To Strengthen Your Spa Business

1. Use Video Technology The message is clear and personal, and video technology is far better for adding emphasis or emotion to a situation. Our YouTube channel now has ne&rly 300 videos – most of which are internal or ‘unlisted’ only.

2. Everyone Needs Certainty and Clarity Ensure your team receive weekly video message that demonstrate you’re in control of the situation and also the rules.

3. Underline The Importance of Training Everyone needs structure. At TMC, we have a mandatory training session each week – if you want to be paid, you are on the call.

4. Harness The Power of Your Team By making your content relevant and interesting, we can bring our whole team with us to a new level. Challenge your team to film short, 90-second insights to a topic. Just remember to wear uniform when you do this, and film in landscape! 5. Raise Your Prices, Be Decisive Justify your value and increase your prices. Underlying costs have happened since the Coronavirus pandemic began, so repair your balance sheet, re-evaluate your business and ensure that no one works for free.

6. Improve Your Systems If you’re going to put & 100% upfront payment system in place, now’s the time to do it. We’ve done this right from the beginning (with & refund policy in place). Industry cancellation rates are between 3-5% but at TMC, our rates are 0.5%.

7. Build The House From our TMC Intranet to & new Mentorship Programme, new payroll systems, an enhanced EcoProject and our TMC Knowledge Base, where we have created voluntary Working Groups that are led by a senior team member, we have put lots of resources and systems in place for the future.

8. Refresh and Increase your Offer It’s time to retain the interest in your business and make it commercially viable. While you have no bookings in your system, now’s the time to refresh your business. Be comfortable that some clients will drop off and not come forward, but over the next 6-12 months, you’ll build those numbers back up.

7 Skincare Lessons We’re Taking with Us Into 2021

By Dr Alek Nikolic - SkinMiles

We did it: We made it to the end of 2020! Last year took its toll on a lot of things, and your skin was no exception. So what lies ahead for your skin in 2021? The answers can be found if you look back on the things we learned in 2020. With a bit more time to give it some attention, the general themes of this year’s skincare trends are a more thoughtful and a gentler approach to skin care. 1. At-Home Chemical Peels

You don’t have to go to your dermatologist’s office to keep your complexion fresh and glowing. For that, you can thank advancements in skin care technology. At-home chemical peels are officially 2021’s answer to professional treatments. The DIY versions of in-office peels are gentler on the skin but still effective because they use similar ingredients. These powerful exfoliators will remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells, help unblock pores and boost your natural radiance in just minutes – without the downtime and discomfort, and all from the comfort of your own home. For the best – and safest results – we recommend incorporating a home peel no more than twice a week, and not combining it with other chemical exfoliators like retinol.

2. Multifunctional Products

You’re probably at the point now where you want to put less products on your face rather than more. That’s where multitasking products come in. The trick is to aim for products that do more than one thing, so you don’t have a ton of steps in your routine. And a little goes a long way. Look for products like cleansers that exfoliate and foundations with pore-clearing ingredients. 3. Gentle Skin Care

2020 was hard enough, so this year we’re indulging our skin with more nurturing formulas. You’ll be seeing less harsh physical exfoliants (like scrubs and brushes), and gentler AHAs like mandelic and lactic acids. Look for products infused with probiotics, which help your skin maintain balance; ceramidebased products, which leave your skin feeling moisturised and soft to the touch; and hyaluronic acid, which is a powerful humectant that draws water into the skin and holds it there.

4. Beauty Devices

2020 was the year of the at-home skincare tool. Your skincare routine becomes that much more potent when used in conjunction with dermatologistapproved devices. Face massage tools which instantly uplift tired skin thanks to modes of vibration which act like a facialist’s hands.

5. Maskne Products

Sure, wearing a fabric face mask is now a must, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your skin looking flawless. There are ways to treat and prevent the newly coined “maskne” (aka mask acne) that include face mists and masks formulated with hyaluronic acid and aloe vera to soothe stressed out skin and aid in hydration. Face mists can be used throughout the day as a pick-me-up whenever your skin is feeling dry, dehydrated or distressed, and you’ll notice an instant improvement. Likewise, there’s a noticeable difference in the look and feel of your skin when you use face masks. (And you needn’t worry because this glow will last for days). 6. Ingestible Supplements

With more time on our hands, 2021 could be an ideal time for you to start taking supplements. In our case, we’re talking about the queen bee of beauty supplements: ingestible collagen. What is collagen, exactly? Collagen is a protein that is found everywhere in our body. As it relates to our skin, it helps to preserve its firmness and elasticity. As we age collagen production decreases, which can cause skin laxity and fine lines and wrinkles. Collagen supplements are carefully formulated to nourish your skin from within. The result is skin that’s healthy and strong and radiates that much-coveted “glow”. If not now, then when?

7. Eye Creams That Actually Work

It’s all about the eyes in 2021 (courtesy of protective face masks) and a hard-working eye cream will keep your eyes looking pretty. When it comes to picking an eye cream, think about what you’re hoping to achieve. Some contain ingredients such as ceramides, which can plump fine lines. Others contain brightening ingredients like vitamin C that can address dark circles. Formulas with retinol have been shown to enhance collagen production, which ultimately yields younger-looking skin. But whichever way you choose to go, eye creams are an essential part of your skincare regimen now and forever.

About Dr Alek Nikolic

Dr Alek Nikolic was born in South Africa and received his MBBCh (Wits) in 1992 and in 2000 he received his MBA (UCT). He has been in private practice for 24 years and is the owner of Aesthetic Facial Enhancement, which has offices in Cape Town. Dr Nikolic specialises in aesthetic medicine and is at the forefront of the latest developments in his field. He has lectured extensively and has performed live demonstrations throughout SA and Internationally. He has performed over 20 000 procedures to date and as such is responsible for training numerous medical practitioners. Dr Nikolic is one of the founding members of the South African Allergan Medical Aesthetic Academy, Vice President of the Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Medicine Society of South Africa (AAMSSA) and is an Associate Member of the American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery.

SkinMiles: Your Personal Skincare Destination

SkinMiles opened its doors in November 2015 after Dr Alek Nikolic realised that doctor-only recommended products with active ingredients were difficult to access. Dr Alek also realised that many people are not sure which products or ingredients to use for their skin types and skin concerns. “SkinMiles was created to allow for more convenient access to doctor recommended active ingredients, and to provide honest, reliable and effective advice for a personalised skin regime, to everyone.”

How You Can Be A Part of the Blue Beauty Movement By Jeannie Jarnot - Founder: Beauty Heros

You may be familiar with the green beauty movement that was pioneered by small, independent brands as it steadily emerged over the past three decades. Green beauty is generally defined as beauty and personal-care products that are plant-based, organicfocused, and ethically sourced. The products also eliminate processes and ingredients that are generally accepted as harmful to the environment and our health. A few of the green beauty brands you might recognize are May Lindstrom, Kahina Giving Beauty, and Laurel Skin, which have grown in awareness, and have stayed true to their green beauty roots, turning out small batch, artisan green beauty treasures. Over the past few years, green beauty has gone more mainstream and become mass produced with the rise of brands you are more likely to recognize. But have you heard of Blue Beauty?

The Blue Beauty concept came to me just over three years ago. I was at an industry conference where the keynote speaker was a leading trend analyst across all industries. One of the trends he shared was that businesses were going to have to “go blue,” which meant that they were going to be held accountable by consumers to surpass being green and sustainable and forge new ways to use their businesses to make a positive impact on the environment, not just minimize their impact on it. He went so far as to say that if you hadn’t already become a green company, regardless of what industry you were in, you had missed the boat.

As I sat in the audience, my mind was thinking about the many brands I work with at Beauty Heroes, which had already been “going blue.” Many had initiatives to give back to environmental causes as a part of their business model or had an educational component of their company that instructed customers on how to live lighter on the planet or were working on projects that would go beyond just sustaining their own supply chain but also invest in it, leaving it better off for the environment. My mind also went to a specific initiative I was working on at the time with Honua Skincare, a blue beauty brand from Hawaii that works to repopulate indigenous species of plants on the islands. At the time, we were working on a community beach cleanup in partnership with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii to educate our customers on the need to adopt reef-safe sunscreen and decrease their plastic consumption. I also thought about brands like Kahina Giving Beauty, whose entire mission is to empower women through organic farming in Morocco; and Laurel Skin, who sources 90 percent of its ingredients within 100 miles of its Northern California studio from small farmers stewarding land responsibly and conserving it from industrial farming; or Osmia, a Colorado-based brand that plants a tree with every order. These brands are what I call “Blue Beauty” brands from the get-go; their entire origin is blue.

This revelation inspired me to start Project Blue Beauty, a platform within Beauty Heroes that celebrates the ways beauty and personal-care brands are making a positive impact on the environment through innovation, activism, and education. Over the past three years, I’ve evolved the movement to involve consumers. Anybody and everybody who uses beauty and personal-care products can support this movement. In fact, for the movement to grow, consumers must be a part of the conversation, as we are the ones that drive innovation and adoption. We make the impact by choosing who to support.

Here are some specific ways you can take small actions that will support Blue Beauty brands.

• Support companies that give a portion of sales back to environmental causes. • Be an early adopter of products that help you live lighter, such as zero- waste or less-waste-creating products. • Seek out biodegradable, compostable, or upcycled packaging. • Get a Terracycle box for your beauty products at home so all components can be fully recycled. • Tell your friends about your favorite Blue Beauty brands so they can support them, too. • Use fewer products, but make sure those you use are of better quality. • Seek out companies that are certified plastic negative or certified carbon neutral.

These are just a few of the ways that you can be a part of the Blue Beauty Movement and make an impact with your everyday choices, remembering that our path to a better planet is the sum of our collective efforts. We’re all in this together, and we’ve got a long way to go.

About Jeannie Jarnot Jeannie, a longtime spa director and beauty expert, is on a mission to deliver beauty you can trust, one hero product at a time. After uncovering the prevalence of toxic ingredients in the spa industry— and how they might have contributed to her own infertility—Jeannie began her quest to make healthy beauty the rule rather than the exception. The complexity of navigating cosmetic ingredients only fueled her passion to make it simple to discover safe, effective, and luxurious skincare. Today, as the founder of Beauty Heroes, Jeannie brings a lifetime of beauty, wellness, and ritual to her company and her customers, delivering healthy beauty through the thrill of discovery. Feeling called to have a deeper conversation about beauty and wellness for people and the planet, Jeannie pioneered Project Blue Beauty, a platform to connect conscious consumers with beauty brands that are going from green to blue, shining a spotlight on brands that are not just minimizing their environmental footprint, but also actually leaving the planet better than they found it.

Mental Health Initiatives for Spa & Wellness By Andrew Jacka, Chairman - Asia Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition

In January, the APSWC spoke with Woon Hoe Lee, Senior Assistant Vice President / Executive Director of Wellbeing at Banyan Tree Holdings on their recently announced initiatives to roll out groupwide wellbeing practices (including mental health initiatives) for their employees (hereunder referred to as ‘associates’). This article is a result of that conversation.

Well-being Index

The Banyan Tree Group had initially developed a Wellbeing Index as a form to assess the lifestyle of its guests. However, built on the core passion for people, its leadership team believes that “we can only look after our guests when we look after our associates”. The assessment was extended to associates who provide the services and support to their guests. It consists of 64 questions which reviews lifestyle practices based around Banyan Tree’s eight pillars of wellbeing. Questions include the amount of water consumed daily; whether they immerse themselves in nature; and whether or not they participate in daily sports activities amongst others. The Banyan Tree Eight Pillars of Wellbeing incorporate practices of the mind, body, soul relationship with others and nature.

The Organizational Wellbeing Index was initially trialed in three properties in early 2020 and a groupwide survey conducted in 2nd half of 2020. The resultant index and follow-up actions will be rolled out across the group from March 2021. Through the Index, each property is able to pinpoint overall trends, strengths and improvements for employee wellbeing. Banyan Tree corporate office will work with individual hotel’s management teams to suggest appropriate guidelines, training and activities to address any issues. Mental Health initiatives - when did you last show your staff that you cared?

“I Am With You”

The Group has also had a shake-up of their company’s training modules. As an inside-out journey, the Group’s people-first approach led it to revamp its groupwide training modules to express its service culture of ‘I am with you’.

Tips for Improving Your Vibration

By Heather Mikesell - Well Defined

Erika Polsinelli meditates to raise her vibration.

To be our best selves, it takes a conscious effort. Part of that involves raising our vibration, as havinga a higher frequency is often associated with enlightenment, peace, love, and having a sense of purpose. “There are many ways to raise your vibration,” says Erika Polsinelli, founder of Evolve by Erika.

“Everything has a vibrational frequency.” This is also true of emotions. At the top of the spectrum is enlightenment, peace, and joy. Shame and guilt, found at the bottom of the spectrum, possess much lower vibrational frequencies.

“There is a scale of emotions,” says Polsinelli. “As you work your way up the scale towards love and gratitude, you feel better and are able to attract more positive experiences into your life. When you are on a higher vibration, you are able to manifest and attract more of what you want to see in your life.”

Here, she shares three simple ways for you to boost your vibrational energy:

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables. The food you eat is a direct reflection of your vibrational frequency. Consuming more fruits and vegetables provides your body with life force energy, which helps to rise your vibration. Eating meat and other processed foods, however, can have the opposite effect by lowering your body’s vibration.

2. Incorporate essential oils into your daily routine. Because essential oils possess a vibrational frequency, you can tap into that energy by wearing them, diffusing them in your house, or meditating with them. Oils have their own specific vibration frequency. Although any oil will help you raise your vibration, some possess a higher frequency than others. Consider choosing rose oil, as its frequency is measured at 320hz, or Idaho blue spruce, which has an elevated frequency of 580hz.

3. Meditate or practice breathwork. “When we are doing breathwork or meditation, we are taking in life force energy through breath,” says Polsinelli. “So, it’s not just oxygen we are breathing in. It is prana or life force, the electricity that charges up our system.” Breathwork helps you to clear the stress, trauma, and any emotions from the past that are getting in the way of you tapping into your higher self. “Through the breath, we are able to heal physical and emotional blocks,” says Polsinelli. “By doing this, we are releasing emotions or stress that we have been holding onto and creating space for more happiness, more peace, more vitality.”

About Heather Mikesell

Heather, co-founder of Well Defined and the former editor-in-chief of American Spa, is an award-winning journalist and content strategist, skilled in writing, copyediting, and media relations. She is also a freelance writer and has contributed to Elite Traveler, Islands, Kiwi, Luxury Tr.vel Advisor, Organic Spa, Porthole Cruise, Travel Agent, abcnews.com, in addition to various custom publications. She is frequently called upon to comment on various spa and wellness trends for various media outlets.

Serene Organizing in your Spa

By Barbara Brock - Founder & CEO of Beauty & The Box

As consumers continue to focus on wellness, salons and spas are benefiting from their rising expenditure on health and beauty luxuries. As these guests venture to the spa and salon for relaxation and a brief escape for hectic lifestyles, they have certain expectations. Primarily, they are seeking a sense of serenity in the actual environment from the waiting area to the retail area to the actual treatment rooms. The last thing salon/spa owners or aestheticians want to do upon their arrival is to ruin the mood with clutter everywhere.

The simplest of tips to help organize skin care and beauty products in your retail areas and treatment rooms can ensure and bolster the “Zen” feel each customer experiences. Personally, when I go to a spa or facial specialist, the first thing I notice and determine is how clean the whole place is. In fact, I have actually walked out when I did not feel that cleanliness was next to godliness so to speak.

“Have a sample area to hold products to give away in the treatment room.”

First impressions of the treatment room translate into the initial mood for their experience. As a customer, I immediately notice if the spa area is comfortable and soothing. I also hone in on the treatment table - is it properly tidy with super clean towels. I also observe if my aesthetician washed their hands. I realize that once the customer is in the treatment area, you have a captive audience, but the reason we are here is for relaxation - not to hear a sales pitch. I do appreciate learning about the products being used, but that is all.

Since spas and salons typically use back bar size products, they might be a bit more cumbersome to organize. One organizing trick is to use circular displays in the room - trust me, this creates good Feng Shui. Don't forget to use your wall space to organize products too - vertical displays help you leverage often unused space. Be sure the wall display has the shelves at eye level. Incorporating stacked shelving on your counters also is a good idea to keep random jars/bottles from being astray. I recently was in a treatment room and noticed that the products being used were on a rolling cart, which was another way to easily reach and organize the products for that customer.

Think of materials too when selecting shelving or organizing systems. Wooden, bamboo structures denote health and wellness.

Even in the treatment room, displaying the back bar products in a well-displayed, organized and goaloriented fashion in their grouping will be more appealing.

Since your clients often will desire to recreate the perfect facial or other treatment at home, they might be intrigued to purchase the products you actually used. Leveraging samples is a great way to finish their experience and ensure a return visit will happen too. Have a sample area to hold products to give away in the treatment room. Integrating product samples to give out in the treatment room makes them feel special. Upon check out, if a client purchases a full-size product then providing samples of a complementary product is a way of encouraging add-on sales.

Also important is to ensure the front retail area is well lit and easy to shop. And for your repeat customers, think about a change up of your display of retail products to provide new opportunities for them to take something home!

It is best to analyze your sales to understand the most popular products and those should have a designated space that is easy to shop. Be sure to create a space for new or seasonally appropriate products. Above all, keep it easy to shop and simple to understand - you only have the consumers attention for a short amount of time.

A few tips or draw your customer's eye in your retail area include: • Contrasting colour displays are a good way to draw in a consumer's eye. • Coordinating colours for better display so that the packaging pops and creates eye catching displays • Place emphasis on a special display • Have displays that you can walk around - primarily round, not square to keep the flow moving. There are a few ways to organize your retail area including by routine, skin type and ingredients. • By Routine: Organize your beauty products as what do you do first in your beauty routine i.e. 1) cleansing products, scrubs, soaps, 2) masks, mud, peels, injections; 3) toners; and ending with 4) creams, serums, oils. • By Skin Type: This way the customer doesn't have to search for what works for them or what they are looking for based on their individual needs. • By Ingredients: People are looking for clean products today, so create an area that is “clean” only. Or maybe a Vitamin C section or essential oils area.

When organizing, you don't have to focus on display systems. What is most important is that the entire area be eye appealing - lighting, product placement, customer flow, and colour are the basic premises for design. Yet, if the retail shelving fits into the overall plan, then use that (to save money); if not, then selecting your own display is the way to go.

Remember that clients are coming to you not just for the expertise your salon or spa offers, but for the actual environment. You can have the most talented stylists, aestheticians, or massage therapists, but if your space does not match up to the same level of expertise, then clients will be lost. Do everything you can to create a space free of clutter, dirt or nonfunctional areas to give your customers the oasis they are seeking.

About Barbara Brock Barbara Brock is the Founder & CEO of Beauty & The Box, a company dedicated to fusing beauty with organization for the traveling woman and at home.

By Shelly Ibach, President and CEO of Sleep Number; Sleep Editor-at-Large, Thrive Global

Why We All Need to Commit to Better Sleep Habits

Sleep has a profound impact on our well-being — it’s time we made it a top priority.

I can’t think of a better time to assess our goals and dreams. Whether your goals are big or small, there is one intention I hope you make — or recommit to — because it underpins every aspect of your life: getting consistent, quality sleep.

The extraordinary importance of sleep has been confirmed by ample research backing up the value of deep rest and its impact on our wellbeing. Science has shown that sleep is critical for good health and the prevention of disease. Sleep helps us focus, enhances our relationships, and boosts our mood. Given the proven benefits, it’s worth implementing simple routines and practices that will not only make you feel great, but will also propel you towards achieving your goals.

Supporting me in my mission of improving lives through better quality sleep is Dr. Chris Winter, M.D., Director of the Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine Center and author of The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How To Fix It. “Getting good sleep is a commitment to our physical and emotional health — it’s really everything. If you are sleep deprived, adding just 15 minutes a night is really meaningful over a year,” he says.

Before making changes to your sleep routine, take stock of various health and well-being factors that we know are impacted by sleep deprivation. For example, says Dr. Winter, “You can look at your weight, your blood pressure, how often you are getting sick and how many times you’ve skipped a workout either because you didn’t have the energy or were injured. This baseline is important to assess, because after just a few weeks, you should notice a difference. Ask yourself: Do I feel more productive? Has my mood improved? Am I getting injured less and feeling stronger in my exercise class?”

technology, can improve quality sleep by 15 minutes each night, nearly 100 hours each year.

Here are four additional tried and tested practices that will set you up for good sleep tonight and every night — offering a great way to start your new routine for better sleep. Be Consistent about Bedtime

Science shows that going to bed (and waking up) at more or less the same time — including weekends — will lead to better, consistent shut-eye, because your brain will recognize when it’s time to sleep. You might want to try adding wind-down steps in advance of your bedtime. Seek out Relaxing Activities

In the hour before going to bed, it’s important to be diligent about the activities you choose. Putting away your devices is key so you aren’t tempted to check emails or send off another text. Additionally, light, especially the blue light emitted by our gadgets, suppresses and delays the release of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone which starts to go up naturally in the evening. A few things to consider: taking a warm shower or reading an uplifting book (nothing stressful) — something you find relaxing. Try blue light blocking glasses when watching TV or using your devices in the evening. There is also evidence that calming music (whatever you enjoy is fine) can help you fall asleep. Choose the Right Bed

The most important element for a “sleep sanctuary” should be your bed. What you sleep on matters. We all need a comfortable, supportive bed, and too often that is the last thing people think about when they want to improve their sleep. Your bed needs to contribute to your quality sleep, giving you the right comfort and support for your body. Practice Gratitude

Our time spent in bed is a great opportunity to look back on anything positive that happened during the day, whether that’s a lunch with a good friend or a win at work. Personally, before I go to sleep, I spend time appreciating the blessings in my life, like my health, family, friends, those who have passed and the serenity of nature. Studies show that practicing gratitude, particularly at bedtime, improves quality of sleep. It’s just one way to send a signal to your brain that you are safe and secure, that you have everything you need and can drift off peacefully. Sleep well, dream big,

About Shelly Ibach, President and CEO of Sleep Number; Sleep Editor-at-Large, Thrive Global

Shelly Ibach, Sleep Number® setting 40, average SleepIQ® score 82, is president and chief executive officer of Sleep Number Corporation (NASDAQ: SNBR), the sleep innovation leader delivering proven quality sleep through effortless, adjustable comfort and biometric sleep tracking technology.

As CEO of Sleep Number since June 2012, Shelly has combined her passion for delivering increased value to the consumer with her visionary leadership to develop innovative sleep experiences and deliver superior shareholder returns. She has positioned Sleep Number at the intersection of sleep, health and technology trends, and is a thought leader shaping the growing understanding that sleep is at the center of health and wellness. After joining the company in April 2007, Shelly served across a wide breadth of executive leadership roles in consumer strategy, sales, marketing and product development, including Chief Operating Officer in 2011.

4 Tips for Setting Powerful Goals

By Jim Rohn - Adapted from The Jim Rohn Guide to Goal Setting

Goal setting is a fantastic skill to develop, and how you design your own future. A life best lived is a life by design. Not by accident, and not by just walking through the day from wall to wall and managing to survive. If you can start giving your life dimensions and design and colour and objectives and purpose, the results can be absolutely staggering. Goal setting gives you the chance to experience the power of your imagination.

Think about it. Imagin6tion builds cities. Imagin6tion conquers disease. Imagination develops careers. Imagination sets up relationships. Imagination is where all t6ngible values and intangible values begin. So what you’ve got to learn to do is use this powerful resource. Tapping this resource of imagination for goal setting involves thinking about your future, thinking about tomorrow or the rest of the day, thinking about the rest of the year or five years or 10. You can use your imagin6tion to start prospecting for the future, for what could be possible for you. 5 Things That Affect You, Your Life and Your Goals

But before you can do that, you need to know the five primary things that affect all of us:

1. The Environment: It doesn’t hurt to make a simple contribution to the environment; a little contribution costs nothing. Pick up 6 piece of trash and throw it in the bin. If everybody did that, what a difference it would make!

2. Events: Think of any big event of local, national or globl significance. There are small events and daily events and family events and community events, too. Events affect all of us—some small, some big, some personal, some global.

3. Knowledge: Here’s a good phrase to jot down: Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is tragedy. Ignorance is devastation. Ignorance creates lack. Ignorance creates disease. Ignorance will shorten your life. Ignorance will empty your life and leave you with the husks, nothing to account for. No, ignorance is not bliss. 4. Results: Whether it?’s business or personal, we’re all affected by results. Disciplines undone in the future give us poor results. Disciplines managed well give us good results.

5. Our Dreams: We’re affected by our dreams—our vision of the future. The Pull of the Future

Some people live in the past. They let their life be continually pulled and influenced by it. Although we must remember and review the past to make it useful to invest in the future, here’s the key: Make sure that the greatest pull on your life is the pull of the future. If you’re skimpy on your dreams, or your objectives and your purposes aren’t very well planned, then that doesn’t pull very hard. You might have more of a tendency to be pulled apart by events or circumstances. So in order to save yourself from being pulled apart by distractions or pulled back to the past, you need to start designing the future.

Goals are like a magnet—they pull. And the stronger they are, the more purposeful they are, the bigger they are, the more unique they are, the stronger they pull.

High dreams pull you through all kinds of down days and down seasons. They pull you through a winter of discontent. They pull you through distraction on every side. A bad day can almost overwhelm you if you don’t have something really purposeful to go for on the other side of that day.

If you’ve got excellent goals, though, they’ll pull you through all these things and very little of it will attach itself to you. You?ll be able to get through some of the most difficult times if you have this spectacular vision ahead of you of where you’re going and what you’re going to accomplish. Learning to Set Goals

out into the future, designing something to the best of your ability, refining it as you go, tearing it up periodically if you want to, setting a whole new list. It?s your life. It?s your future.

3 Components of Powerful Goals

The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes you do to accomplish it. This will always be a far greater value than what you get. That is why goals are so powerful. They are part of the fabric that makes up our lives. Goal setting is powerful because it provides focus, shapes our dreams, and gives us the ability to home in on the exact actions we need to take in order to get everything in life we desire. Goals cause us to stretch and grow in ways we never have before. In order to reach our goals, we must become better—we must change and grow.

Powerful goals have three components: • They must be inspiring. • They must be believable. • They must be goals you can act on.

Life is designed in such a way that we look long term and live short term. We dream for the future and live in the present. Unfortunately, the present can produce many hard obstacles. Fortunately, the more powerful our goals, the more we will be able to act on them in the short term and guarantee that they will actually come to pass. 4 Tips for Setting Powerful Goals

So, what are the key aspects to learn and remember when studying and writing our goals? Here’s a closer look at goal setting and how you can make it forceful and pr6ctical:

1. Evaluation and Reflection: The only way we can reasonably decide what we want in the future and how we will get there is to first know where we are right now and what our current level of satisfaction is. With our focus on goal setting, the first order of business is for each of us to set aside some serious time for evaluation and reflection.

2. Dreams and Goals: What are your dreams and goals? Not related to the past or what you think you can get, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down, thought through your life values and decided what you really want? This isn’t what someone else says you should have or what culture tells us successful people do or have. These are the dreams and goals born out of your own heart and mind, goals unique to you and that come from who you were created to be and gifted to become.

3. SMART Goals: SMART means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-sensitive. •Specific: Don’t be vague. Exactly what do you want? • Measurable: Quantify your goal. How will you know if you’ve achieved it or not? •Attainable: Be honest with yourself about what you can reasonably accomplish at this point in your life while taking into consideration your current responsibilities. • Realistic: It’s got to be doable, real and practical. • Time: Associate a time frame with each goal. When should you complete the goal?

4. Accountability: The word "ccountable means to give an account. When someone knows what your goals are, they help hold you accountable. Whether it is someone else trying to reach the same goal with you or just someone you can give the basic idea to, having an accountability partner will give you another added boost to accomplishing your goals.

So, evaluate and reflect. Decide what you want. Be SMART. Have accountability. When you put these four key pieces together, you put yourself in a position of power to catapult toward achieving your goals and the kind of life you desire.

ESP Connect

By Deepak Chopra MD - Founder of The Chopra Foundation Becoming Aware That You Are the World

An adage I first heard growing up in India goes, “As you are, so is the world.” At first glance these words are easy to agree with. Everyone has an impact on the world. You can't expect to live in a clean town if you throw litter out of your car window. You can't expect to live in a better world if you identify with the worst aspects of the world today. Some people think the worst aspect of the world is that ice is melting at the poles and the whole climate crisis. But violence is worse when you consider the innocent casualties of war, and yet in the tradition of Yoga, worst of all is to be asleep. When horrible things are done by governments, the people tacitly give permission for those horrible things by self-blindness. I choose not to look' therefore, nothing bad is happening. For all practicalities, identity involves a single choice. Either I am involved in everything around me, because everything is part of me, or I am alone and isolated.

Most people naturally want to be comfortable, and the easiest way to do that is to identify with "me" as a separate ego looking out for itself, although also including close family members. Your ego fools itself into believing that the rising oceans will never get to your doorstep, and dirty air will never reach suffocating levels where you live. More than that, the ego never believes that it could be held responsible for violence, war, racism, poverty, and famine. Those things exist somewhere else, caused by people unlike "me." It is possible to choose another identity, summarized as "I am the world." This isn't an idealistic or mystical choice, although the ego uses those rationalizations all the time. There's nothing more realistic than identifying with the world. All of us breathe the same air. The jet stream carries atoms of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon that were breathed out by someone in China or India a few days ago. Viruses travel around the world and enter my body. I feel the same anger in myself as someone in the Taliban, the same despair as a suicide bomber. To say that those people are

less human is an argument that comes around to kick you in the rear, because those people are saying the same about you. I know lots of good-hearted people who have cherished ideals; they want only the best outcomes in the world. But still they identify with the isolated, self-defending ego. Unlike rabble-rousers who try to foment hatred against "the other," be it immigrants or terrorists, these good-hearted people are caught in a more subtle trap. They feel better than "the other" in sophisticated ways. The other is poor, uneducated, tribal, constantly smoking the opium pipe of religion. The other is too impossible to put up with except at a comfortable distance. Then we arrive at the extremes when the other is a fanatic and can't be reasoned with. The other wants to hurt us and take us down. Then their violence must be defeated with equal violence. This is how weaponry led from crossbows to bullets to hydrogen bombs. The rationale never changed, only the means of inflicting death. So now we find ourselves deploring the depravity of a roadside bomber in Iraq or Afghanistan while allowing the powers that be to wipe out a hundred thousand civilians from the air with surgical bombing. When we are asleep, the ego, it turns out, can lull us into deadly consequences. If you say "I am the world" and truly believe it, you will start to wake up. Reality begins to dawn, and subtle traps no longer ensnare you. Isn't a person just as dead from a civilized "smart bomb" as from a crude dynamite device taped under a roadside car? If I foul the air with my SUV, doesn't a putt-putt rickshaw driver in Calcutta have the same right to foul his air? We have no right to place any demands on "the other" while arrogating privilege to ourselves. We have no right to blame the other for his backward ways when the whole concept of "the other" is our creation to begin with. From their perspective, we are "the other," as blameworthy in our so-called civilized lifestyle as they are in their so-called barbarity. Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’78

These mental barriers must come down. Otherwise, a better world is just a flattering fiction, an empty ideal. When there is no "other," we can begin to talk realistically about a reset, a new world order. So far, globalization has been external. It has been about fighting the pandemic and adopting strategies for global warming. Internally, people still prefer to sleep. On this planet we breathe one air, drink one water, sail one ocean. But when faced with the prospect of one world, nations turn away or worse still, fight to maintain their isolation. For seventy years good-hearted people shook their heads over the Soviet Union pretending to be a workers' paradise when the reality was oppression, backwardness, and steady erosion in the workers' lives. For just as long good-hearted people have been shaking their heads over violence in the Middle East. In time we will be shaking our heads over new troubles somewhere “out there.” One can always choose not to say "I am the world," but not for much longer. The future is unity among an awakened humanity, if there is to be a future at all.

About DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a whole health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Public Health at the University of California, and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 90 books translated into over 43 languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. For the last 30 years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution and his latest book, Total Meditation will help to achieve new dimensions of stress-free living and joyful living. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

By Anne Dimon is the Co-founder/President & CEO of the Wellness Tourism Association - Published in Executive

One Perspective On The Future of Wellness Tourism

The travel and tourism sectors have changed dramatically over the past year. This change is unprecedented and unexpected. As we move into a new future, wellness tourism will thrive, thanks to an elevated public interest in personal health and demand for the services of dedicated wellness professionals. Anne Dimon, President & CEO of the Wellness Tourism Association, explains.

In March of 2020, when we were all beginning to recognize and accept the fact that the newly identified pandemic would severely impact not only the tourism industry but our daily lives, I posted a new cover photo in the Wellness Tourism Association Facebook Group: “The wellness tourism industry will weather this and be stronger for it.” I believed it then. I believe it now.

For many, the very concept of personal health has become the new norm. As the industry begins to recover, that overriding concern about personal health will continue to remain a focus – not only on the home front but as more people feel comfortable traveling again.

What does that mean for the industry? More demand. Not only from those new to wellness living, but from those who want to position “good health” as a lifestyle priority, but may not know where to begin. These are the people who will seek out the hospitality stakeholders with designated programs and multiday retreats operated by trusted wellness professionals who can guide them on the various paths to reaching their personal health goals.

A few foreseeable Trends and Challenges for Wellness Tourism

More Connection with Nature

It is widely accepted that nature will play an increasingly important role in the wellness tourism sector. Easily accessible lakes, mountains, hot springs, forests and other natural resources will become prime assets to industry stakeholders. As the industry recovers and rebounds, more travelers will want to avoid congested cities and over-populated tourist attractions in favor of smaller cities, towns and more remote locations surrounded by nature.

Solo Travel & Connection with the Like-minded

The trend of solo travel for wellness-focused trips was identified in both the 2019 and 2020 consumer surveys conducted by the WTA. The 2020 survey, which collected responses from close to 4,000 respondents, reinforced that trend, plus the importance of social connection and being with the like-minded. Molly Anderson, Vice President, Sales at Canyon Ranch says, “some of our guests have been sharing close quarters during the pandemic and are now seeking to be alone to journey within and focus on a wellness goal, while others have been alone and are craving human touch (massage, for instance) and meaningful face-to-face conversations with like-minded individuals.”

Regenerative Travel

Based on the general concept of “building it back better,” regenerative travel calls for the traveler to leave a geographic destination better than he or she found it. Supporting local producers, vendrs and service providers, for instancing. Or, volunteering with a local community initiative.

Under the banner of “regenerative travel,” we will see the rise of more environmentally-conscious modes of travel, and the marketing of closer-to-home options. Most support the premise that “wellness” as a travel style is not only good for the person but inherently good for the planet, due to the emphasis on and importance of nature and environmental sustainability that is promoted as part of wellness tourism offerings.

For example, John Nielsen, General Manager of Fivelements Retreat, Bali is seeing guests embracing regenerative travel as they come to understand the impact they leave behind. “We have started a plant-your-own- tree program, with great success,” he says.

In May of 2020, WeTravel polled their community of wellness travel providers to find out what the terms ‘sustainable’ or ‘regenerative’ travel meant to them. Jen Corley, Director of Development Wellness, explains that “while the ecological impact of tourism was, of course, noted as a key consideration, providers have a much broader view of how traveler demand is shifting.”

She says survey respondents pointed out that “socially, people are going to seek out more intentional experiences by being respectful and inclusive of everyone they encounter while away from home. Culturally, they will want to engage in positive interactions with hosting communities, being extra mindful of tourism’s impact on local people’s way of life. Economically, they will want to leave the destination community better off than when they arrived by ensuring their money is funnelled into entities that directly serve those they’ve visited.” Working from “home”

Personally, I have been blessed to be able to work from anywhere in the world for close to 20 years. Over the last year, so many people have come to realize that they, too, have the tools and opportunity to do the same thing. Consequently, hotels and resorts are now promoting long-term stays with the encouragement to come visit and work from “home.” For example, at the time of writing, Carillon Miami was offering 30% off on stays of 10 to 30 days. Another example is Eden Roc Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic where a 30-night package for two adults and two children (including a variety of lessons for the kids while the parents work).

Challenges include:

Growing Competition With more hotels and resorts entering the wellness space, the competition for the traditionally higher-spending wellness traveler, will become fierce. While a spa is a wonderful guest amenity, it is not mandatory for hotels/resorts looking to launch a wellness culture/initiative, so prepare for competition from the non-spa sector.

Developing a Coordinated Effort

Spa owners and managers may have to step up efforts to align with other departments – food & beverage, rooms division, sales and marketing and others – to insure the acceptance and support of a coordinated wellness culture/initiative.

Getting Noticed

The challenge will be to find and communicate your point of distinction, with consistent messaging to target audiences across their preferred platforms –from social and traditional media, to e-newsletters, to print brochures and guest posts on related web sites and blogs. Raising your profile with the travel agent community – especially with those who identify as wellness travel specialists – will also gain in importance. While it is important to note that millennials may be the generational cohort to lead the recovery of the wellness travel sector, stakeholders cannot ignore the boomer and Gen X generations who are motivated, in part, by the desire to live healthier, longer.

As an industry, we will not only embrace the trends and new challenges brought about by the disruption of 2020, but will also weather the times and be stronger for it.

My Salon Software

Build Your Online Presence For A Sustainable Future By By Andrew Jacka, Chairman - Asia Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition

In an ever-changing world where technology has made significant inroads into replacing pen and paper while the online shopping stores are replacing those built with bricks and mortar to build your online presence can be daunting. However, we all have to adapt to try and have any chance of surviving.

Now more than ever, you need to build your online presence to move your business to where the customer is – sitting at home! Online Services & Online Retail

This may be a little more difficult for the service sector of our industry, though @home services are nothing new. The protocols that both the customer and the therapist need to follow today for @home services have taken away a little of the ‘spaexperience’ and made it far less personal and much more clinical. Over time, the clinical elements will soften, but by establishing an online presence now it can help your business to survive now and rebound post-pandemic.

For the retail side of things though there is greater potential, and while product houses have long exploited this opportunity, spa operators have been slow to follow. They have traditionally focused on the delivery of an in-person experience, with the retail experience falling far short. The much-touted number of getting 40% of your revenue from retail is a pipe-dream for most, with low single-digit numbers the more common reality. This means spas are missing out on a significant amount of potential revenue for their business, but then again, due to the general industry across the board when it comes to even knowing your KPI’s that should not be surprising. a better time to build your online presence, and tap into a huge pool of revenue potential. For some operators this may very daunting, especially if they have a very limited list of products available for retail. Do not feel that you have to offer dozens of different items – your online retail presence should still represent your brand offering, and over time you can expand the number of products. If only have five items available in your retail outlet ‘inhouse’ then that is what you should start with.

Some spa operators such as Spa Cenvaree and Anantara Spas, both of which are considered industry powerhouses, that operate spas in multiple countries across the Asia Pacific have launched online retail stores. Smaller operators such as Glo Day Spa, Bali have an extensive list of retail items, but these not yet available for online purchasing, however, the vast majority of spa operators are yet to even venture into the online world at all.

Online via Social Media

The APSWC has just launched the APSWC Members Market Place on Facebook. This is a private group for members to step into the online retail world. If you are a spa operator this could be your first step into building your own online presence. The Full Monty

There are other opportunities that seek to help make up the revenue shortfall from customers not visiting spas as frequently, or who are just not able to visit due to travel restrictions. Even with an e-commerce site in place, without a robust customer outreach sales are going to continue to suffer. A 360 video tour with LIVE video chat and e-commerce built-in such as that offered by Norman Bond Markets may be an option worth considering. Obviously, it can come down to how much you are prepared to invest as we all know “you have to spend money to make money” but while purse-strings may be tight, there are opportunities for everyone to build your online business. For those with little or no budget through to those that have big budgets to spend, don’t be put off by the initial ‘ticket price’ – there really is something for everyone. Do your research and look at all the options available to you from a static web page, social media, or a fully interactive 360 retail experience – to ensure your online experience is APPROPRIATE for your customer.

About: Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC)

Since its launch, the Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC) has grown in size and reputation and by 2011 united some 16 associations across 14 countries, with a network extending around the globe. It is a regional body which links the national spa associations of the Asia-Pacific nations. The Coalition (formerly Council) was formed to meet the challenges presented by the evolution and growth of the Asian Pacific spa industry.

Our Mission

APSWC was officially registered as an association in Singapore in July 2007, with the mission: to act as a bridging mechanism between countries to promote, protect, educate, and develop the spa & wellness industry in the Asia-Pacific region.

Contact Details: https://www.apswc.org email: info@apswc.org

For the Love of a Dog

By Belinda-Recio, Organic Spa Magazine

My husband and I recently adopted a rescue puppy— - Husky-Labrador mix who had been left at a shelter in Mississippi. We named him River, but not because he came from Mississippi or because he was half Labrador (a water dog). Instead, it was because I once read about jazz musicians who used the word “river” after they got into a disgreement and then tried to make things right. One musician would ask, “River?” and if everything was good, i.e., flowing just fine, the other would answer, “River.”

We named our new puppy River because he just goes with the flow and never overreacts to anything. When other dogs engage in barking frenzies, he remains quiet. When we encounter cars, bikes and other distractions on our walks, he stays calm. River also seems to like everyone he meets—equally. Although he greets us with a wagging tail, invites us to play with him and naps next to us, River’s laid back personality sometimes feels a bit aloof compared to our previous dog who expressed himself with more exuberance. So during our first few weeks with him, we found ourselves asking each other, “Do you think River loves us?”

Wondering about River’s feelings inspired me to google the question “Does my dog love me?” The search produced 2,240,000,000 results. Clearly, lots of other people had asked themselves the same thing. But why would so many people question their dogs’ capacity for love when most dogs demonstrate it so enthusiastically? Was it because we humans are the insecure, needy partners in the reationship? Or do too many of us still question the emotional capacity of nonhuman animals? acknowledging that animals can feel fear, pleasure, frustration and other emotions. That said, it is still too big a leap for most scientists to allow for the possibility that anim-as feel...the “L word.” However, one scientist who has openly taken th-t leap is canine behaviorist Clive Wynne, the founding director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizon-State University and the author of Dog is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You.

In his book, Wynne explains that he started studying the canine capacity for love because the prevailing theory about what makes dogs so special—cognitive abilities that enable them to understand humans better than other animals — didn’t ring true. Wynne doesn’t deny that dogs have an amazing ability to read us, but he points out that other animals have this ability, too. So Wynne began to consider that dogs have an entirely different kind of talent that sets them apart. After considerable research, he concluded that what distinguishes dogs from other animals is their extraordinary capacity to form affectionate relationships with members of other species. It wasn’t “their smarts, but their hearts” that makes dogs exceptional. Wynne describes the intensity of this canine capa-city as being, “so great that, if we saw it in one of our own kind, we would consider it quite strange—pathological even.” When discussing this unique canine ability with other scientists, Wynne uses terms like “hyper- sociability” and “exaggerated gregariousness,” but Wynne sees no reason not to call it as he sees it: love.

Skeptics have long asserted that dogs behave lovingly toward humans only in order to seduce us into caring for them. However, research suggests that - dog’s capacity to love is not just wishful thinking on our part. Studies show that the reward center in - dog’s brain lights up more when they see their favourite human than when they see sausages. Oxytocin, the hormone that plays - role in human love, plays - role in dog love, too. After dogs and people interact with each other affectionately, oxytocin levels go up in both species.

And genetic studies show that specific genes responsible for hypersocial human behaviour also exist in dogs.

Wynne believes that acknowledging the canine capacity for love is the onlyway to truly understand dogs. Even more importantly, he asserts that the way dogs are wired for love has implications for how we treat them. We need to return their love because they need to be loved as much as they need food and exercise. Dogs don’t just have an exceptional innate capacity to love, they also have an innate need to be loved.

Which brings me back to River. As a rescue dog, he didn’t start out in a stable home. He was abandoned at a shelter in Mississippi, saved by a rescue organiz-tion, transported to New England, and eventually adopted by us. River missed out on having a consistent person or family to bond with during his first few months, so perhaps he’s a little aloof because he is a little unsure of whether he’ll be abandoned again. But now River is with us, and it’s our job and joy to love him. Because he is a dog, he will no doubt love us back.

And as Wynne wrote, “to be loved by a dog is a great privilege, perhaps one of the finest in human life.”