What’s your specialty within the wellness field? (From designing, or building Eco-centres, to being a healer, or nutritionist, etc)
I’m a Hatha Yoga teacher and Reiki practitioner. I am also training to be a Thai Yoga Massage Therapist.
Within your field, what has provided the most health benefits to your clients and why?
There are so many health benefits to Yoga! All aspects of it have their part from the (prana) breathe work I do, teaching people to focus on the breath, breathing techniques to give them energy, wake them up or to relax them depending what is needed. Many people do not realise the importance of breathe and that it is our life energy. Oxygen being the only nutrient we cannot store in the body, therefore our whole wellbeing starts with our breath. Next are (Asanas) postures, getting people aware of their bodies, in touch with the feeling of movement in certain body parts and connecting both mind and body with the breath, whilst also stretching and strengthening it at the same time. The beautiful thing about Yoga postures is that many people would not get into these poses or move their bodies in this way if it wasn’t for Yoga, but yet it’s natural to us, just look at children.
Lastly and very importantly is meditation, I believe every single person in the world would greatly benefit from this. At the very least just to take time out from the hectic world we live in and relax to take a moment, connect with yourself, bring yourself into that moment, it really helps bring focus, clarity and relaxation into your life and can open doors to spirituality.
By combining Prana, Asana and Meditation you notice the physical, emotional, mental and sometimes spiritual benefits. It works on so many levels also opening and balancing the chakras but you can Google the benefits of Yoga there are too many to mention
Reiki can also be great for healing. Again working on the Charkas to balance them, using universal energy focused on the charkas and other points on the body leaving clients mostly feeling relaxed. I work very much on intuition when giving Reiki and listen to anything that comes out throughout the session and then discuss with clients afterwards. This can be an emotional issue or a health issue.
Outside of your field, what have you seen that has really truly helped peoples’ health?
I am a strong believe in food being our medicine and eating Organic food. I am a vegan myself and eat a high raw diet believing that this is the best way to get the most out of what nature has prepared for us. I think a change of diet has saved lives and drastically changed people’s health from weight issues to curing illness. I’m passionate about the right to know what is in our foods, for everything from GMO to gluten to be labeled clearly and for the public to be fully aware so we have a choice to decide.
I have also seen the health benefits of many holistic/alternative practices and treatment therapies from Acupuncture, Thai Chi, Cannabis oil, Alexander Technique, Shamanic ceremonies, Regression, Homeopathy. I have seen many people including myself give up smoking due to hypnotherapy.
What are you most passionate about in life, what do you truly love and why? (Name three things)
1. Love – It’s our natural state to love. It’s a projection of our true self to give and feel love. Love for ourselves, love for others, love for the planet and all its living creatures.
2. Yoga – attempting to live by the Yamas and Niyamas.
3. Nature – everything we need is right here, we can feed and heal ourselves through vegetables, plants and herbs as nature intended. Not to mention the beauty of it! I LOVE trees!
What do you envision when you think of a great wellness centre? What would you love it to be like?
A dream wellness centre for me would be:
• Beautiful place surrounded by nature with lots of trees
• Eco-friendly, sustainable with all natural material and fabrics being used
• Fresh organic food
• Natural products used
• Yoga (all aspects including philosophy)
• As many holistic treatments as possible
• Talks and workshops– As many as possible to educate people and to connect and share experiences from working with angels, green living, raising children, organic living, self-love, crystal healing, shamanism, chakras and how they work, raw food, vegan and manifesting to name a few.
What would add a fun and/or unexpected touch to a wellness centre?
Ecstatic dance groups/classes, art therapy, sound/music therapy, singing and chanting.
What would you do to make a wellness centre unique?
Using Feng Shui and colour therapy to create an inviting place in which to open up and connect with yourself and others.
Trying to work personally on the individual as much as possible, perhaps recommending a program or other treatments/talks to attend. It would be great if someone could come to the centre with an issue and be guided and explained about different therapies that could help them so that people that are new to alternative methods feel supported and guided.
Would you love to get involved in our project? If so how do you envision your role?
I would love to get involved in your project! I envision myself teaching Yoga classes and private and offering Reiki and Thai Yoga Massage treatments. I could also see myself getting further involved with organizing or administration with implementing and setting up some of the workshops and talks I’ve mentioned.
Thanks for the interview Jo! We plan to offer a whole range of workshops, seminars and classes at Illum to feed the mind, body and soul!
You can find out more about Jo, the founder of Little Banyan Yoga, Yoga instructor and Reiki Master here.
