by Anne Dimon
Embraced by the ocean and over half a mile of beachfront on one facet, and an expanse of jungle on the opposite, Palmaia, The Home of Aia, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico is a perfect location on your wellness travels.
There may be nothing fairly like listening to the sounds of ocean waves washing on to the sandy shores to create an environment of peace and leisure as an escape from our usually hectic, worrying lives. That plus the gentle, nature sounds of the jungle solely provides to the stress-free ambiance.
Opened in late 2019, the all-inclusive, beachfront resort gives 234 visitor rooms all with ocean views. Past the all-inclusive choices, the Palmaia group may also arrange native excursions to such websites because the Mayan ruins and landmark native cenotes.
A welcome be aware in our visitor room reads: “Each journey begins the second you let go and transfer from the place you have been to the place you dream of being. We have now created this place to discover our nature by an genuine and acutely aware expertise. We invite you to take the time to decelerate, settle in and benefit from the Palmaia expertise.”
Within the complete paper information left in visitor rooms, visitors can learn that, in response to Founder and CEO, Alexander Ferri, “We constructed Palmaia -The Home of Aia to share a distinct manner of doing issues, to supply a novel area so that you can provoke or advance your well being and therapeutic journey.”
I used to be lucky to fulfill up with Alexander, who defined to me that with Palmaia he needed to create one thing that complemented his personal private way of life.
There are 4 guiding pillars referred to as Homes: The Nourishing Biome, The Architects of Life, The Rituals of Sound and The Home of AÏA. Every Home is designed, in response to the in-room information “to work holistically to convey every visitor steadiness and therapeutic.”
The primary Home, and I’d say probably the most distinctive, is The Nourishing Biome. Government Chef Charlie Garcia describes it as “the meals philosophy.”
A chef for the previous 20 years and an government chef for the final eight, Chef Garcia has been working for Palmaia since previous to opening and is chargeable for the formulation of this meals philosophy. “We take a look at the abdomen because the second mind,” says Chef Garcia. “What you eat results all the pieces in your physique together with the abdomen, the mind, coronary heart, lung and liver. Each course of in your physique relies on your meals consumption. What makes Palmaia totally different is that we perceive that meals is a vessel of vitality.” Past that, he says “even optimistic vitality and a optimistic perspective integrated into the preparation of meals provides high quality elements to the meals we serve.”
He factors out that “80% of meals supplied is plant based mostly and 20% is taken into account “add ons” or “swaps” to please visitors who aren’t vegan.” Add ons might embrace swaps for sure elements. As an example, one may swap papaya for wild salmon, and mushrooms for free-range natural rooster, or scrambled tofu at no cost vary natural eggs. As many elements as potential as grown domestically and “all the pieces potential is constituted of scratch,” says chef.
We serve actual meals and acknowledge that “nourishment itself is a therapeutic expertise,” says Director of Advertising, Heidi Garcia Adragna. “Nonetheless, we don’t need to be radical, however versatile.” The chef provides “we pay strict consideration to dietary worth in all our dishes, however we’ve additionally created an inclusive setting the place everyone seems to be welcome to the desk.”
The Architects of Life
This Home contains greater than 30 holistic and wholesome actions supplied weekly and included within the worth. Led by each their in-house and visiting guides, the actions are designed to assist steer visitors by private exploration of the bodily physique and the unconscious thoughts. A schedule of every day actions is distributed to visitors through textual content the day prior, nevertheless, for these visitors preferring to have a break from their telephones, paper choices are additionally out there.
I attended a guided Gratitude Ceremony held within the Gypsy Tent, one among many nature-embraced settings the place group periods happen.
With the dwell and soothing sounds of a guitarist and a flute-like instrument taking part in gentling within the background, the ceremony information, Valerie Huerta, leads a gaggle of visitors, together with myself, by an historic ceremony created by the Incas, and. designed to assist members work out how we really feel about ourselves and all we have now to be glad about.
One other session I attended was a Be taught to Draw class led by skilled artist Iva Visosevic. A graduate of the Academy of Superb Arts in Croatia, Iva has been conducting artwork lessons at Palmaia for the reason that resort opened. At present providing visitors 4 lessons every week (two Be taught to Draw and two Water Colours), Iva speaks 4 languages and her works are showcased at galleries in New York and Los Angeles. Check out her work here
Surrounded by a jungle setting full with the scents and sounds, one morning’s ceremony designed to assist members dig deep to entry information at an unconscious degree is named Quantum Household Constellations. Lead by Heidi (who along with being Advertising Listing can also be a household therapist), the ceremony is concurrently introduced in each English and Spanish. Heidi factors out that the ceremony helps the idea that “we’re all linked and all of us belong, and we’re stronger collectively than alone.” She explains that it was the German psychotherapist Bert Hellinger who handed away in 2019 on the age of 93 was the founding father of the speculation of Household Constellations which professes that gratitude is the “first order of affection.” The ceremony is obtainable to visitors as a weekly session.
The Rituals of Sound
Held in stunning nature-embraced, on-property places, music occasions embrace a deep rhythm related to the guts beat – echoing the very first thing we hear…the beating coronary heart of our moms.
The Home of AÏA
In line with the paper information left in visitor rooms, “AÏA Wellness is Palmaia’s retreat expertise that promotes wellbeing via our innate connection to nature. AIA guides us again to the supply, eradicating the vail of “dis-ease” created by fashionable dwelling. The a number of distractions of on a regular basis life – what we eat, how we breathe, what we expect, what we are saying, and so forth – result in an obstructed physique and thoughts that impacts our energetic circulation and life. AIA Wellness is rooted in our native traditions and cultures, particularly the traditional educating of the Maya.”
Surrounded by jungle, cenotes and mangroves, Atlantis The Spa gives all kinds of historic cultural rituals. Palmaia’s Senior Supervisor of Retreats & AïA Wellness Collective, Melanie Malpas-Sands offers me a tour of Atlantis The Spa providing 9 therapy rooms and a menu of holistic and indigenous practices. She factors out that one among its extra distinctive choices is the Ancestral Circuit. The three-station circuit gives sizzling to chilly parts together with a chilly cenote.
Palmaia’s Senior Supervisor of Retreats & AïA Wellness Collective, Melanie Malpas-Sands offers me a tour of Atlantis The Spa providing 9 therapy rooms and a menu of holistic and indigenous practices. She factors out that one among its extra distinctive choices is the Ancestral Circuit. The three-station circuit gives sizzling to chilly parts together with a chilly cenote. A holistic nutritionist for the final 15 years, Melanie tells me she is going to quickly turn into the brand new Senior Retreats Supervisor. All-inclusive retreats for 2025 are listed here.
Talking from a private perspective, and for the various causes talked about above, Palmaia, The House of AiA ought to undoubtedly be in your quick record for any upcoming wellness travels, wellness holidays or wellness retreats.
