(This posting was written exactly a year ago to this day, on 15/01/09. For whatever reasons, I’ve been shy in publishing it. Maybe the title and introduction are a bit crude and clumsy, or the tone is too accusatory. Or perhaps the real message is and was to myself, and still awaits being acted on. If the challenges of 2009 led to paring and simplification, in an adjustment to a ’survival’ or ‘holding’ mode, 2010 is certainly going to demand innovation and action if the spa offering is to have relevance sufficient to command a viable engagement from our customers. Now it really is time to get off my a***. Declan)

For the past ten years our society has been ‘developement’ led, and we were happy to play along, buying in to monetary goals. Development has proven to have been a scam where a small number of financiers/developers planned to gain at the economic enslavement of the great majority. Development fostered a culture of dependency and casual disregard of our individual, community and societal welfare. The huge rise in self-inflicted physical and mental debilitation (- morbid obesity and rampantly medicated depression being among the more obvious examples) is self evident of a society that has lost direction.

THE CURE

Reclaim individual, community and social autonomy. Get up off our a***’s. Arise from our slumber. Awaken to our education. Reclaim the cultural and spiritual heritage of our ancestors. Reject the disempowerment fostered by economic exploitation and media manipulation as mindless consumers. Re-engage with what we are, with our nature.

As humans we have been gifted with tools to support efficient physiological functioning and maintain mental equanimity.

Tools to beat the recession, depression

The four basic tools that underpin the spa programme at Temple are equally applicable in everyday living – Move, Eat, Sleep & Connect (Smile)

1. Move – be physically active every day. The body works and sustains itself ONLY by being active!

2. Eat – nourishing, wholesome food, not crap!

3. Sleep – make rest (including getting enough sleep), play and social intercourse part of your everyday.

4. Connect meaningfully, ie openly, without pre-judging the outcome

i)        with ourselves                                                            – Meditate

ii)       with another(s)                                                           – Relate

iii)     within our community                                                – Participate

iv)     with nature                                                                  – Appreciate

v)      with the big picture (order / randomness / chaos?)           – Contemplate

SMILE J

A smiling disposition lightens both our physiological and emotional load, and leaves both open to being inspired.

The solution to our recession / depression is in my hands and your hands, dear reader.

The spa is here as a locus where you might come to find temporary refuge, to restock, reflect, recharge and be supported in maintaining and building on your own autonomy.

January 2009

Stress is the discomfort we experience in our response to difficult or challenging circumstances, where the difficulty or challenge is not easily overcome and persists over a period of time.

Stress can be physically and emotionally debilitating.

Stress, or a demand of some sort, is a pre-requisite to elicit a response from us to engage with our environment. Hunger stimulates us to source and prepare food, cold stimulates us to acquire clothing and shelter. Most of us, with some discipline and training, and where resources are reasonably available, have the capabilities to respond to “normal” stresses.

As humans, we engage with the stresses with which we are faced at an individual level and collectively. To engage collectively requires communication and shared understanding.

Newly emerging stresses, such as climate change and a sharp reversal in the economy, require that we articulate a new collective understanding and pattern for action.

These current stresses only compound the already existing stresses from a period of increased capitalising, globalising, urbanising and technologising of our societies to which we have hardly begun to adapt socially.

No wonder we are awash with stress.

Such endemic stress requires a fundamental reassessment of our goals as social human beings and our behaviours and activities towards achieving them.

We are prompted to re-examine our nature and the nature of our circumstances.

We are individuals. We live for a short time. We are members of a population with a collective social history, and a future that will likely continue after we have died. We are biological and live in a biological ecosystem. We are comprised of chemical elements that are common to the universe around us, and behave in accordance with common chemical and physical laws.

Our concerns are primarily for our personal wellbeing and for the wellbeing of our offspring. To support our personal and family wellbeing we engage in social co-operation, given that our individual wellbeing is supported by that of our community and society. Our commitment to social and environmental wellbeing tends not to extend beyond the extent to which we obtain personal benefit. There is at a minimum indifference to the welfare of people and environment beyond the sphere that benefits us directly, and at worst cruel exploitation.

Begging a fundamental question … is this really how our own nature is most fully realised and satisfied?

Our behaviour tends to be heavily influenced by prevailing trends, to the extent that we forfeit thinking and acting consciously. While the trend delivers immediate needs we do not question its deeper value or terminal consequences.

Our most recent social and economic trend having dissipated in an exponential expansion that lacked real foundation we are prompted to think anew.

Ø      What is our nature – individual, social, biological? – in its essence, in spirit?

Ø      What are likely the most fruitful behaviours individually and socially?

Ø      What is likely the most fruitful social, political and economic organisation?

At the spa we take a holistic approach to individual wellbeing, incorporating elements of natural surroundings, physical activity, diet, rest, reflection, personal interaction and socialising in our programme.

The stimulus for the spa guest in making the visit is a desire for relaxation, to efface the effects of stress. Personal wellbeing is the initial goal.

Our discovery, and that of our spa guests, is that personal wellbeing is found not only in personal but also in social behaviour, in social interaction and community. Personal wellbeing arises from being in communication with oneself, with intimates, with social groupings, with nature, with the sun, moon and stars, and with whatever it is within us or beyond us that informs our joy in being alive… spirit / god / universe / higher order / natural understanding / presence / peace / stillness / being …

Having a sense of our nature, is there a natural way of behaving to achieve our individual and collective goals. A way of being and acting that is in accordance with our nature, capitalising on our strengths and minimising physiological and emotional distress? A way of being in balance with both our essence and our circumstances?

The Temple approach

The first step of the approach taken by the spa in addressing guest stress distress, is to invite you to pause. To stop for a moment or two from everything and stand, or sit, still and, whilst resting, feel something of your own presence in your physical organisation – ie, physical or bodily sensations, and or sensations of comfort or discomfort.

This initial contact may be the beginning of an awareness of the bodily or physiological dimension to human sensitivity, and the beginning of a process that can ultimately help us moderate the physiological response through the quality of our own awareness and attention.

After that we ask you to be open to the experiences that follow during your spa visit and to whatever reactions arise from them.

Much of the spa experience – rest, movement, diet, hydration, physical therapy – has a physical dimension to it and induces a physical response.

To align the body with its physical nature we pay attention to basic physical needs

• Good Nutrition – real, wholesome, nutritious food; no junk, no contaminants
• Hydration – pure spring water; and moderating intake of beverages that are dehydrating or contain non-nutritional stimulants
• Movement – to develop strength and endurance, maintain flexibility, contribute to physiological functioning, and as a significant component of personal experience and expression
• Rest – skilful rest to allow recuperation and address rest deficit (accumulated tiredness) from inadequate rest or unskilled resting behaviours

The physical response is assisted from the contribution of the hands-on physical therapies and the spa amenities

–                    the spa pool, footbaths and showers (hydrotherapy)

–                    the sauna and steam rooms (heat & perspiration therapy

(The process may be described as detoxing.)

To align the emotions with their human and spiritual nature, the spa invites reflection and encourages social interaction. The spa therapists contribute their presence in the spa therapies. The spa environment contributes pleasing aesthetics. The whole team endeavours to provide you with an enjoyable, respectful and authentic experience.

Level of engagement

Take the experience as you find it and don’t think too much about it. This would be the best measure of its success - if the experience was delivered so seamlessly that its effect would flow naturally.

Or, if you are more ruminative, reflect on the experience, on its degree of success or failure in meeting your needs for feeling well and well cared for, and how it may – if it may – be translated to your everyday circumstances.

Ask questions, open up the dialogue.

Give your feedback.

Thank you.

Declan Fagan

Director

Temple Country Retreat & Spa

1 April 2009

Relax, Reflect & Reframe  

Under pressure, all we see are obstacles, with no way out. In a state of calm, perspective makes a welcome return. Reality will not have changed but options, opportunities and strategies will have begun to present themselves.  Beat recession depression and plan for recovery in the inspiring surroundings of a spa retreat  

Day, Stay or Dine  

Whether you come for the day, whether you come to stay or whether you come just to dine, the calm environs of the spa and relaxed, courteous service will help put you in a better frame of mind to find a fresh perspective on current challenges.  

Call 05793 35118 now or book online

But is it an escape from or an escape to reality?

What is it that gives us deepest pleasure at the spa, and why? And could there be a profound meaning in our enjoyment of the spa experience that we can extend to daily living?

The spa is about being taken care of… about people looking after people…about looking after each other.

Coming to the spa is your turn to be looked after. It is a return, in concentrated form, of the care we ourselves provide every day in the care of those for whom we’re responsible, and in the performance of our duties. Our appreciation in receiving care at the spa is in direct proportion to our own experience of the effort that goes into providing care.

For the guest to have an experience of being looked after in a very real way, attention to detail and consistency in delivery on the part of the provider is essential.

The effect will be to disarm the guest and allow them a deeply relaxing experience, to experience for themselves the feeling of being cared for that they envisage for those in their own care.

An experience of relaxation that disarms the body to the degree the receiver senses something of their own worth and puts value on their own efforts.

What could be more validating of our own daily toil? What could be more inspiring in resuming our own lives? Could any experience be more real?

Those providing the care at the spa act out of the same awareness, to deliver an experience of care that they themselves would delight in receiving.

Sure money passes hands at the spa. Money that has been hard earned and saved. It might be argued whether this is a commercialisation or facilitation of care.

On the other hand, we could probably care gently for each other, feed each other, massage and oil each other, and move and play with each other in our regular world. Why not? Anybody for a rub? Don’t knock each other down!