Top Tips to Unwind
Going through a special DUI (Detox, Unwind,Invigorate) is what this is about. My Day1 blog covers arrival and Day 2 settling in at Kamalaya. Today I start about how to unwind.
- When you wake up keep lying down, close your eyes, put your hands on the side of your body and start noticing your breathing.
- Try not to think of anything, but if your mind wanders, let it. Do this for a few minutes, then start your day.
- Wear loose fitting, light coloured clothes. Round neck T-shirts and shorts with no belts. Slippers on your feet.
- Leave your electronics behind (I checked my phone once a day and spoke to my wife 4 times during the week).
- Walk at a leisurely place without striding.
- Take time over your meals. Soak in the lovely surroundings and relish the food.
- Avoid hyperactivity like making business plans and presentations.
- If some creative thoughts come to mind, write them down if you feel like it.
- Above all, if you feel this is too forceful you can throw away this list. Unwinding is about not having to force yourself.
Breakfast at Kamalaya
This was my favourite meal of the day. The perfect start to the unwind day. It is served at the Soma Restaurant just below the reception. There is a superb buffet laid out that has some very inventive healthy, yet tasty food. I started with the wheatgrass shot (that tastes great & has as much nutrients as 1kg of vegetables to boot!), and some fruit. I always sat at a table at the lower level that was more quiet and seemed closer to nature. I would order my masala omelette (2 eggs with chillis, onions & tomato) and then have my fruit while I looked out. The view overlooked the hillside down which Kamalays tumbled, in front of which was the beach, followed by the bay ringed by low lying, green hills.
The omelette came with sides of a lovely sauce and herbed, fresh cut cucumber. It was always fluffy, despite being well done, the way I like it. On most days I had two! I really enjoyed the sides, but unlike Oliver Twist who immediately asked for more, it took me 2 days. Don’t hesitate, ask for more. I first thought that I was cheating by having an omelette, but it seems the detox menu which is purely vegan at lunch & dinner, requires us to have protein, so my guilt only lasted 2 days.
Of course my gluten-feast of having not just bread, but WHITE bread, and my dairy bust of having BUTTER has no excuse, but I indulged and enjoyed. I started with 2 slices and a thick portion of butter, but soon moved to half a slice and a sliver of butter which actually was as satisfying.
Then I would retire to the alchemy lounge upstairs and have a fresh coconut. My wife always teases me about how I scrape the kernel inside as if I was attacking it. Alas, despite the “unwind” I was supposed to be in, I did the same here. They were always delicious.
Experiences
Today was my 2nd of 4 sessions with my Mentor who I described earlier as a combination of psychiatrist & calming instructor. This time, she was more a psychiatrist, trying to get to the root of what was troubling me and making me act out. Being frank was really helpful.
This was the 2nd of my 6 full days here and by now I was well into the unwind part of my DUI journey. I was really happy having come here. Stay tuned to the next posts on how to spend a day here, on our fellow guests, on how to prepare for the stay ending, and what to do when we head back to “normal” life.
