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Are you `Soukya'?
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A homeopath's dream of establishing a holistic healing centre in keeping with international standards for a mind-body-soul programme, fructified recently. Called `Soukya', it offers a range of rejuvenative therapies. SABITA RADHAKRISHNA on the complete package.
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The entrance to "Soukya" ... the first step to feeling good.
WHEN Isaac Mathai studied homeopathy in Kottayam, Kerala, it was merely to assist his mother who was a practising homeopath in Wayanad. Little did he know that Fate had other plans in store for him — to escalate his career from that of a small town homeopath to a jet setting healing guru with international status.
Coming from a family with a tradition of homeopathic practice spanning four decades, Dr. Mathai graduated from the ANSS Medical College, Kerala, and took his MD in homeopathy from the Hahnemann Post Graduate Institute of Homeopathy, London, following it up with a MRCH (London). Spurred on by the belief that wellness had to come from within, and not merely by administration of drugs which generated unwelcome side-effects, Mathai worked as a physician for 10 years at Europe's first and largest holistic health clinic — the Hale Clinic. He studied Chinese Pulse Diagnosis and Acupuncture at the World Health Organisation (WHO) Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Nanking, China. At Harvard Medical School, U.S., Isaac Mathai trained in the Mind-Body Medicine Programme.
It was Mathai's mother who told him that the body has a healing power which has to be recognised and encouraged. Due to abuse through bad habits, an unstructured lifestyle, poor eating habits, stress, a lack of exercise and a frenetic pace of life, the body falls into a diseased state. Having studied a number of therapies, Dr. Mathai realised that the multi-system of healing works best rather than focussing on one programme of healing, provided time and effort are taken to assess a patient's condition accurately and a case study recorded. Preventive measures taken at the appropriate time, timely intervention and assuming responsibility for one's health are guaranteed to help one enjoy one's life to the fullest. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity". Total mind balance can only be achieved by harmonising the physio, psycho, socio, emotional, nutritional, ecological, and environmental aspects of a person, according to Dr. Mathai.
His dream of establishing a holistic healing centre in keeping with international standards for the mind-body-soul programme, fructified recently in "Soukya", and showcases world-class facilities that apply traditional skills of healing. Positioned in a beautiful 30-acre orchard farm at Whitefield, 24 km from Bangalore, the breathtaking ambience of "Soukya" is the first step towards a feeling of peace and being one with Nature. In fact, the word "Soukya" is derived from Sanskrit which means "well being".
Therapy with mint...
Sprinklers made the verdant green lawns come alive; the sparkling droplets dancing in the sunlight like millions of little diamonds enhancing the vigorously colourful flowerbeds and carefully nurtured trees and shrubs. Using natural building material for both the inside and outside of the "five star centre", the grey stone units are topped with pagoda-like sloping roofs covered with red clay tiles in the Kerala style. The flooring, in muted earth coloured Athangudi tiles, completes the quaint old-world look keeping the aesthetics of the centre fine-tuned to the traditional philosophy of healing. Complementing his work and in total sync with his ideas is Suja Isaac Mathai, Dr. Mathai's charming and efficient wife who looks after the administration and the smooth running of the institution. Armed with an M.Phil in Food and Nutrition, Suja supervises the diet modules of patients and is its executive director. Dr. Mathai is the chairman and medical director.
Mathai's team comprises consultants and doctors (both from modern and traditional systems of medicine) and therapists. "Soukya's" international advisory board is headed by neurosurgeon Dr. R.M. Varma and attended by visiting national and international specialists.
Dr. Mathai, 42, is a visiting consultant at several clinics worldwide and his patient network spreads across 30 countries.
Apart from the six branches of integrated medicine, "Soukya" offers complementary therapies ranging from acupressure, acupuncture, aroma and auriculotherapy, pranic healing, yoga therapy and zero balancing. "Soukya" is the only one of its kind in the world offering under one roof a combination of therapies ranging from Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Allopathy, Siddha and Unani. The Uzhichil, Pizhichil and Dhara in Ayurveda are sought-after therapies with no side-effects.
Naturopathy harnesses the natural elements such as air (breathing techniques) water (hydrotherapy) and earth (mud therapy) in its various programmes.
Dr. Isaac Mathai
Vegetable and fruit packs handpicked from "Soukya's" own organic farm are offered to rejuvenate a tired body. The mud packs comprise local mud and mud imported from the Dead Sea, clay, moor mud from Europe or the Turkish Rusool.
"We offer many kinds of herbal teas and soups," says Suja, showing us her herbal garden. "Here, coffee, alcohol and tobacco are taboo. Salads and soups dominate the diet along with organically grown rice, whole wheat and curried legumes." The décor is kept minimalistic and essentially traditional, and entirely designed by the creative young woman.
Among Dr. Mathai's celebrity list of patients are the Duchess of York (Sarah Ferguson) rock stars Tina Turner and George Harrison, Sting, Courtney Rose and the band Deep Purple. Prince Charles is purported to be greatly interested in holistic and integrated medicine and is patron of the British Holistic Medical Association and founder of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine, U.K..
... and hot stones.
While he does not play down the allopathic and scientific approach which are necessary for diagnosis and surgical intervention, Dr. Mathai stresses the need for being aware of one's body, living as one should in good health which is possible only if one clears oneself of emotional baggage, by destressing and harnessing the body's own healing power and preparing for a healthy future.
The treatment programmes at this centre with its state-of-the-art equipment include saunas, jacuzzis, special bath cubicles, all custom made with spanking clean exteriors and interiors, no doubt offered at a price. But does it matter if you can afford it and when it earns you health and vigour?
With robust health earned, you are able to hone your performance in daily life with this new found energy.
"Soukya", with its high standards of excellence, will be a model to many more holistic centres of the future which enhance health and vitality and set new patterns for life and living.
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"Soukya" is located 14 km from the international airport Bangalore and 24 km from the city centre. Airport transfers and shuttle services to Bangalore city are available.
Accommodation ranges from standard and deluxe rooms, suites to cottages with open air shower baths.
Fresh vegetarian food is served in a spacious dining hall.
Separate male and female therapy centre, steam and sauna rooms, open meditation and yoga halls with private yoga chambers.
Consultation rooms, diagnostic laboratory, treadmill and ECG testing.
Library, travel desk, internet and telecom services.
Outdoor and indoor recreation, swimming pool and a 1.5 km walking track
Packages available for stress management, weight management, detoxification, rejuvenation, women's health, smoking cessation, cardiac-hypertension, asthma, arthritis, diabetes management and therapeutic skin care, with separate tariffs for each package.
Address: Soukya Road, Samethanahalli P.O., Whitefield, Bangalore — 560 067. E-mail: info@soukya.com or visit www.soukya.com; Ph: 91-80-7945001/2/3; Cell: 0-98453 74400; Fax: 91-80-2218252
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