the holi city guide manifesto

This project intends to provide easy resources for people interested in discovering the world through a holistic perspective. May you be deep into sound bowl and cacao ceremonies, interested in getting the best holistic massages, or simply wanting to take a nice walk in nature enjoying a beautiful scenery, this blog was created for you.

I believe that while being on holiday, you don’t have to sacrifice the practices that make you feel vibrant and recharged. I am also convinced that is it of equal importance to experience and draw from the healing modalities of your local destination.

This blog touches on:

·      Wellness places to drop by (whether it be hotels, spas, centres, yoga and Pilates studios)

·       Food to be enjoyed (as a channel for joy, deliciousness, gathering and care for the body)

·       Nature to be explored (best places to watch sunset or sunrise and witness the beauty Earth has to offer)

·      Shops to wander in (local and curated art, clothing and beauty brands)

·      Community to be met (you will find yoga classes and teachers, healers, circles and all of the fun woo-hoo stuff).

It is important we get clear on the intention of this project. Let us define a few terms.

First off, what does wellness mean? This world is without a doubt overused, mostly for mercantile purposes, but I promise it doesn’t have to be hard.

As we know, wellness is a multi-billion-dollar industry, ranging from diet pills to programs for spiritual enlightenment. The thing is, whoever is trying to sell you whatever, supposed to enhance your life. Except that oftentimes, it is not magic.

To me, well-being has to come before wellness. Let’s define well-being and come back to wellness later.

Well-being.

I will disappoint you, but for this one, I will let you be the judge of what well-being means to you, and you only. I beg you to get a piece of paper and ask yourself what it means to feel well. While you might be clueless for a hot minute, I promise you that you do have an intuitive compass that guides you toward the definition you need– if you make space to enquire, you know what your soul and your body need to feel well. Forget what you have seen on Instagram or read in a magazine, it is time to trust yourself.

Wellness is quite simple. It’s actually taking care of basic needs human beings have, and then you can add on the fluffy stuff if it makes your soul vibrate.

But first,

·      Did you drink enough water today and did you make time for a nourishing meal midday (physiological need)?

·      Did you use the loo when you really needed to (safety)?

·      Have you recently hugged someone you cared about and told them you loved them (belonging)?

·      Did you stand up for yourself when you were wrongfully called out at work or set clear boundaries with the people who do not respect you (self-esteem)?

·      Have you made time to get involved in this knitting class you have been wanting to try so you could develop a new skill you would be so proud of yourself for? (self-actualization)

See, all of these are virtually free, or at least shouldn’t break the bank. Except oftentimes, we throw those “self-care” commonalities (which is basic respect for ourselves) out the window because we are too busy chasing the shiny, quick fix that will make us feel better without trying too hard. Without stopping for a second and asking ourselves what we truly need in this instant.

From a semantic perspective, well-being is, to be well. That’s it. The truth is you don’t need all the fancy experiences or devices. Well-being is not to be paid for, it is free because it comes from within. I am aware it sounds a little phony but keep on reading. Without creating safety, and groundedness within yourself and fostering a healthy relationship with who you currently are, you will not be able to extract what can be extracted from those external experiences.

With that said, we love a yoga class to connect the mind to the body, a nice day at the spa to relax and a celebratory meal that can also feel good in our bodies. Hence these articles! Yes, the project is rooted in wellness – but we have to be conscious that it must be practiced alongside making sure we are well. It aims to share practices and experiences that help ground you a little deeper into yourself and fuel the fire that lights you up. It would be a shame to use these tools to escape from your life and run away from what needs to be looked at and healed.

We hope that the resources shared by this community help you thrive and see the world through loving, light and abundant lenses.

With love,

Ines