Meditation

Multi award-winning Ananda in the Himalayas is once again recognised as one of the world's BEST destination spas, this time being voted 'Number One Spa in the World' at the Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Spa Awards 2012, held in London's Corinthia Hotel last night.

Women are blessed with the awe-inspiring duty of endowing a new life unto the world. Often called “The Miracle of Life,” this phase of a women’s life is regarded as the most life-changing mile stone for good reason. Women go through changes ranging from physical, emotional, and spiritual while being keenly aware of what it means to give birth to their own little child, therefore, nothing is more important than ensuring their baby starts out happy and healthy. However, this concern for a healthy new-born can sometimes be all engrossing and an impediment to a healthy pregnancy as early research indicates the more stress the mother exhibits during development, the higher likelihood the baby will present anxiety and attention difficulties at birth. Luckily, we offer programmes to relax and prepare you for a healthy birth during the fragile stages of pregnancy. Here are our top mum-to-be spa wellness breaks.

Lusting for more from your romantic getaway this Valentine’s? We share the best fitness retreats for health-conscious lovebirds. Exercise is a feel-good way to spend time together so give your relationship a healthy boost this Valentine’s Day. Studies have shown that exercising together with your partner increases feelings of love and overall satisfaction with your relationship.

So, whether you and your better half want to break a sweat on a boot camp holiday in Marbella or venture the great outdoors hiking in Morocco, there’s something for every duo to enjoy on a couple’s healthy holiday . Beat stress and unwind, whist meeting your fitness goals on one of these couple’s fitness retreats this Valentine’s.

Searching for a mindful makeover in a dream destination? Look no further as whatever your wellness whim, create some headspace and combine mindful living with a fitness practice for the ultimate mind and body experience. From oriental palm-fringed retreats in Thailand and secluded jungle stays in Sri Lanka to beachside tropical escapes in the Caribbean and luxury hotels fit-for-royalty in Spain, our new collection of Mindful Triathlon Holidays is available in 15 stunning locations around the world, offering an ideal wellness escape for the health-conscious traveller.

Kamalaya has announced the upcoming completion of their new Superior Suite building in the upcoming weeks, as well as the new state-of-the-art fitness centre and 25m lap pool.

Sean Carey

Sean Carey is the Fitness and Lifestyle trainer at Absolute Sanctuary in Koh Samui, Thailand. Sean, originally from the UK is not only a certified Fitness trainer but also a Yoga and Pilates teacher. He believes that exercise training all comes down to body awareness regardless of what our goals may be. Once we understand what is entailed to achieve results then the probability of the goal being achieved is greatly increased. Sean says one method of exercise might be right for the one person but a different method may be required for another, and this can only be realised through body awareness.

After nearly 8 weeks I am now at the end of my PR and Marketing internship here at Health and Fitness Travel, and although it has flown by, I feel that I have learnt a lot in such a short period of time. From the moment I arrived I was given a wide range of tasks and responsibilities which increasingly varied as time went on, keeping me busy and far from boredom. Planning my tasks using an action list that I updated weekly, helped me improve my planning and organisational skills, as well as giving me a clear overview of all the different tasks I had been doing.

 What led you to discover meditation and mindfulness?

I spent a lot of time in the pool as a teenager, training as a competitive swimmer. My coach would always talk about the power of the mind over the body, so I was always aware of how I was thinking and looking to maintain positive mental attitude. I got injured at 17, and had to stop swimming. That was a huge period of confusion and depression. My whole identity was wrapped up in being an athlete and performing. If I couldn’t do that, who was I?

By re-connecting your mind and body with the present, the practice of meditation and mindfulness can help to work through destructive thought processes. Although these should not be viewed as an alternative to medication or therapy, there is research to suggest that mindfulness and meditation retreats may be able to help treat depression.

Yoga, spa holidays and meditation retreats are just some examples of the popular wellness activities that tourists are looking to take part in, or are even the sole purposes for their travel.  Meditation helps you to de-stress from contemporary life, re-energise your mind, body and soul, and revitalise your way of thinking.  If you’re planning on travelling to the most remote parts of the world on a meditation retreat to become healthier, or somewhere closer to home, we recommend these steps to help prepare yourself for your spiritual journey.

Shining the spotlight on the power of yoga to tackle stress, Mr. Sandeep Agarwalla, head of yoga in Ananda in the Himalayas, India, shares the benefits of taking up the practice of yoga.

Kamalaya in Koh Samui, Thailand was honoured with the award for Destination Spa of the Year: Asia & Australasia at the World Spa awards hosted in London last night.

Get more out of your next holiday than a fly-and-flop week spent vegetating on the beach. Utilise that precious ‘me time’ by learning a new skill and achieving a life goal that will benefit you long after you get home on a healthy holiday to enhance your life. At Health and Fitness Travel we will whisk you away on an overseas adventure that combines learning together with improving your physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Countries around the globe are opening to the LGBTQ community. With Australia being the latest example to legalise same-sex marriage, many other countries used the past years to work on a more open-minded environment to make LGBTQ travellers feel welcomed and secure.

Two journeys with world leading spiritual mentors to improve relationships and discover life’s purpose and potential 

We are proud to announce two of our latest wellness holidays with Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel in Portugal’s Algarve, that are set to be truly life-changing coaching retreats for 2024. You’ll commence these transformational wellness retreats with the renowned mentors of Mindfulness & Beyond. Aimed at those who are looking to make profound changes in their lives, these two wellness retreats are the perfect solution for a luxury life coaching holiday. They will take place in March 2024, offering a fully immersive and life-changing process, including Embracing Connection to improve the relationship with yourself and others and Swadharma – a chance to discover your life’s purpose and potential. 

Holidays, a time to re-charge and escape the stresses of everyday life. For most of us, dreaming of our next holiday destination is what keeps us going most of the year! Helping you to maximise your free-time, here, we get the inside scoop from Paul Joseph, Co-founder of Health and Fitness Travel, about how to make the most of your annual holiday leave, from deciding on the length of stay to when to book.

Arjuna Ishaya used to be an outdoor instructor in New Zealand until he discovered the joys of the Ishayas’ Ascension meditation in 2003. He sold up shop, became a Bright Path monk and travelled the world teaching. Ending up in North Yorkshire, he met a girl, married and settled down to have a family.

With National Stress Awareness Month held every April since 1992, during this annual thirty day period, health care professionals and experts join forces to increase public awareness about both the causes and cures of the modern day stress epidemic. Encouraging people to embrace a healthier lifestyle through stress management wellness holidays, our specialist retreats offer a focused solution and an escape from the daily grind. With an all-encompassing approach covering diet, exercise and lifestyle management, our stress management wellness retreats are designed to manage stress long-term through specific lifestyle changes.

Pranayama is the 'Science of Breath', the control of the vital force (prana) in the air we breathe. It is a meditation technique that consists of slow, regulated deep breathing, which helps to calm the mind, balance the emotions and reduce stress and anxiety. It can be practised anywhere but it is advised that you meditate in a clean, peaceful place. It is most beneficial to do pranayama in the early morning or evening hours and playing appropriate soft music will also enhance your experience.