Travel
TRAVEL WELL with Kate Springer
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’ve been covering travel and wellness for years now, yet somehow have never set foot on a yoga or meditation retreat. So when I learned about Hong Kong’s newly launched Bliss Body Retreat, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to see what all the fuss is about. Founded this summer by wife-and-husband duo Vlada de Sousa and Pedro Rui Sousa, the four-day, three-night retreat takes place on a private eco-farm in the mountains of Lam Tsuen, in the northeastern New Territories. Previously a jackfruit plantation, the property is now home to two charming houses, an open-air yoga studio, various outdoor dining areas, plus organic farms and dense forests in every direction. At their inaugural retreat in July, I felt like I was really on vacation - lightyears away from deadlines, coronavirus woes and polarising politics. Here’s the lowdown on the experience, in case you’re also in need of a chance to press reset.
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THE MEDITATION Every day, we sat down for two breathwork and meditation sessions - one in the morning, the second in the afternoon - where Vlad would guide us on the theme du jour, be that “grounding,” “connecting,” or “expanding.” I am far from a meditation guru, but I found these sessions to be profound. One meditation even brought me to tears; there was something about the combination of Vlad’s voice, the guided visual journey and the power of the music. I was so into meditation by the end of the retreat that I introduced a daily practice into my morning routine at home (and have stuck to it ever since!)
