A whole new meaning to ‘staycation’
“Clasp the hands together on your forehead so you may think of happy thoughts, on your lips so you may speak of kind words, on your chest so you may grow love… Namaste.” Words to this effect are as refreshing and rejuvenating as an early weekend yoga class with professional instructor Bee Marfil.
According to yoga gurus, hands pushed together means the union of the brain hemispheres, which promotes positive thinking thus, happy and healthy wellbeing.
It was before sunrise, while the city was still in slumber, when we found our bodies slowly yet surely following Bee’s instructions and poses (arms stretched, legs apart, downward facing dog, forward bend, and meditation poses). It was also a Saturday morning, just what one needed to shake away the stress from yesterday’s hard work. The twisting, lifting, turning, curling of the bodies were a labor for a first-timer but turned out therapeutic after some time. Yoga promoted relaxation of the mind, body, and soul.
The one-hour yoga session was at the highest floor (42nd) of the Discovery Suites Hotel in Ortigas Center, a perfect setting for a weekend ‘staycation’ with friends and families.
This basic Vinyasa yoga utilizes proper posture and breathing exercise. The Sanskrit word literally means to place (nyasa) in a special way (vi) or a breath-synchronized movement. Bee said it can relax the yin and yang energies. Moreover, it aides in re-energizing and detoxifying the body, as well as in muscle toning.
Then, a Yin yoga session at the Balance Gym with Flow Surf Yoga Samba co-founder Monica Eleazar-Manzano came next. Yin yoga is a slow-paced exercise, each position lasts for five minutes or less. The poses—happy baby, butterfly, and toe squat—for instance, encouraged deep stretching of the connective tissues in the spinal area, hips, and thighs.
Both yoga classes uphold the relaxation of the tired bodies, weary souls, and confused minds.
Healthy food and therapeutic massage
In between the yoga sessions were healthy gourmet food fair, therapeutic massage and retail therapy. Discovery Suites houses Restaurant 5 and 22 Prime, which offer fine dining with nutritious food selections.
After a fulfilling meal, a therapeutic spa session comes next. After all, a ‘staycation’, or vacation for that matter isn’t complete without a visit to spa centers. Though a series of yoga classes can be therapeutic on their own, a trip to Discovery Suites’ exclusive Terra Wellness Spa is as calming.
Its spa treatments include the Terra’s Touch Signature Massage, which combines slow and graceful strokes applied to pressure points to relieve muscle tensions and aid proper blood circulation. For sports lovers, the Deep Tissue massage is a winning combination of sports massage and healing techniques to warm or repair the muscles from lactic acid build up. The traditional Hilot Massage meanwhile renews the ancient Filipino art of healing though kneading with the use of banana leaves.
Before the one-hour spa treatment, each customer is asked to choose between a lavender or orange-vanilla oil to soften callous and rough skin. The professional therapists are all licensed and trained.
Happy tummy and relaxed mind and body, these and more define a perfect staycation.
For further inquiries or reservations, call (02) 7198888 or visit www.discoveryhotels-resorts.com.
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