Sitting here right now, typing this I am surrounded by coconut trees, monkeys peering through the branches and the sun casting shadows on the magical mountainside. Lombok, Indonesia, is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. Unlike the chaos of Bali, it seems more authentic and tied closely to the culture of this country. A close friend of mine, Tara, lives in the jungles of Kerandangan. Her incredible house sits on the side of the mountain, overlooking the array of greenery and ocean.
My intentions when coming here was to spend time with my friend, and then head to Ubud a few days at a yoga retreat. Well those plans changed and my current experience is one where the powers of the universe have come into play.
Tara isn’t vegan, however she is incredibly healthy and nourishes her body, while training for duathlons and marathons in Indonesia and Australia. We used to be gym buddies when I first started my fitness journey. In true Tara and Holly style, we ate smoothie bowls until they came out of our ears and devoured raw treats when we spent the day on Gilli T (an island off of the coast of Lombok). She booked us in for a vegan cooking class around the corner from her house. Both of us were so excited and keen to learn more recipes. Upon arrive we met Dani and from there my life took a drastic turn.
Dani emitted this radiant energy, unlike anything I have seen before. She explained the reason why we shouldn’t be vegan (of course I need no persuading!) and then she delved into her specialty ….. Ayurveda.
Nor Tara or myself had heard of this holistic therapy and way of life but we were intrigued when Dani broke down the theory behind Ayurveda. She explained her role as a Ayurvedic therapist and the successes she has had with thousands of patients over the years. She immediately read my body language and identified many issues I was having, both physically and mentally. From there I was hooked onto every word. Tara gave me that look that every good friend gives and she said that I need this. I was so hesitant and nervous. I am not one to be spontaneous and change plans on a whim but I thought at the time that maybe this was a sign, I needed to do this for myself.
So, here I am now, 2 days into my treatment. I cancelled my place at the yoga retreat in Ubud and am staying in Lombok, in the jungle, slowly healing years of pain, heart ache and physical damage. Like Dani said, it is not until I cleanse my body inside that I can achieve clarity in my mind and heart.
What have the treatments involved? Well, first of all Dani read my pulse and identified the toxins within my body. She could tell that I have parasites in my colon and that my liver is struggling (perhaps years of excessive drinking…oops). 2 days of treatment has involved extensive scalp massages, detox baths, full body massages and full body scrubs using oils and creams, recipes of which being thousands of years old. I have also been cooked cleansing vegan meals and poured countless cups of herbal teas and detox drinks.
After one day my skin is glowing! I have plenty of energy and the stresses of regular life seem petty in some ways. I feel less bloated and refreshed. This is the re-boot my body has desperately needed. I will check in at the end of the 5 days of treatment and update the results!
The Wandering Vegan 