Naturopathic medicine and Homoeopathy are becoming increasingly popular in hotels spas. Why do you think people are turning to traditional practices during their vacation time? While studying naturopathic medicine, how did you find ways to bring practices into your own life? How can guests of Soneva Soul continue their wellness journey at home? What do you think we can see in the future for wellness, with specialists such as yourself and in our day-to-day lives? Q: Ultimate Library had the pleasure of curating a selection of wellness books for guests at Soneva Soul. ~Are there three titles you'd recommend to readers starting their wellness journey? Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma The Open-Focus Brain: Harnessing the Power of Attention to Heal Mind and Body Why do book collections matter? Book a consultation with a ~personal curator Contact Quick Links Follow us @ultimatelibrary Join our community
Dr Lilly-Marie Blecher On Wellness At Soneva Soul
11 Jan 2023
January often brings a renewed focus on rejuvenation, as people set resolutions to eat healthier and exercise more, seeking inspiration on ways to enhance their well-being. Last year Ultimate Library had the privilege of collaborating with
Dr Lilly-Marie Blecher
, the Chief Medical Officer at Soneva in the Maldives, to curate bespoke book collections that complement new wellness concept at the resorts. Following our exploration of books to bring you happiness, we sat down with Dr Lilly-Marie to learn more about Soneva Soul, how we can incorporate its principles into our everyday lives, and her top reading recommendations on the topic.~~Born in Manhatten, Dr Lilly-Marie began studying Chinese and naturopathic medicine at 19 and has dedicated her life to connecting with nature and ensuring patients receive excellence. She now co-owns and co-directs a medical centre in New Mexico. In 2021 she was part of the team that led the development of Soneva Soul in the Maldives, which blends thousands of years of ancient healing wisdom with the latest science and innovation, creating personalised long-term wellness goals that reconnect the body, mind, and soul.
Guests at Soneva have always come to our resorts knowing that they will have the opportunity to become more grounded, centred and well, while also finding inspiration and exciting new experiences. Holistic medicine adds an element of truly individualized, optimized care that takes this transformation into true well-being to another level. It seems that guests are now more and more empowered in their healing journey, and they are seeking a depth of wellness experience that goes far beyond just relaxing. They know that there are ways to rejuvenate, regenerate, and balance that can help them to live longer, feel stronger, and find true, balanced emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. We are responding to that new informed guest who will benefit from a team of true experts and the combination of traditional healing modalities with cutting-edge developments in natural medicine.
I started in naturopathic and Chinese medicine because this is what had worked for me in my own health. I was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis as a young adult, which turned out to be due to mould exposure. It was Chinese herbal medicine that healed me completely after a number of failed attempts with conventional medicine. Later, I was healed through homoeopathy from significant digestive concerns. When one approach to healing doesn’t work for me, I try a different one until I find a tool that is appropriate for the job. This has deeply informed my perspective that all medicine has its appropriate time and place and that people have almost never “tried everything-” if they are still unwell then we aren’t using the right approach and must keep searching. ~~In my daily life, I have found that the rhythm of my life, as well as the pace, is of great importance. I do best when I eat protein for breakfast within an hour of waking. I truly need to eat three full meals per day, and I don’t feel well if I snack. I don’t seem to process sugar well so I must avoid it. My body loves strength training and yoga but doesn’t do well with qi gong or too much cardio. Dairy products disagree with me and cause inflammation. Sitting and eating and really chewing, smelling and experiencing my meals brings me a lot of joy and great digestion. Reading before bed helps me to sleep well. Stopping and centring through conscious breathing many times throughout the day makes for a calm, productive day. I have found that really knowing myself, documenting my experiences, and accepting myself for who I am helps me to make healthy choices and to treat myself as the individual that I am. That is the approach that works best for the people I work with, and it is what works best for me as well.
Our guests build fast, deep relationships with their providers at Soneva Soul. We facilitate this ongoing relationship through telehealth visits, through staying in touch through our portal, and by working closely with local healthcare and wellness providers. We have an excellent network of providers around the world that we refer to and work closely with to ensure ongoing connection and care.
Healthcare and wellness are moving in the direction of recognition that we need every tool we can get- from the most ancient and traditional to the most advanced and innovative. We need the foundation of ancestral knowledge, and we need to use elements in new ways. Medicine is not a belief system; it is a scientific process and the things that “stick” are the things that work. We are also recognizing more and more that our emotional and spiritual well-being reflect profoundly on our physical well-being and vice versa, and we must work to balance all of the layers of ourselves to be truly well. Experts who have been through the trenches of learning many different modalities of medicine, and who have the time and focus to truly listen, are able to treat the root causes of dis-ease as opposed to just the superficial manifestations. We are able to focus on the deepest underlying imbalances and work with you to find balance now and to be able to form a life and habits that support ongoing well-being. If we move in this direction, I believe that more and more people will experience their optimal potential in life and we will enjoy a happier, healthier human community.
by James Nestorby
by Bessel Van Der Kolk
by Les Fehmi PhD and Jim Robbins
We want to thank Dr Lilly-Marie Blecher once again for being our expert this month! You can find out more about her work and Soneva Soul over on the
Soneva website
. If you want to see more of Soneva’s wellness options check out their
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We believe in the power of books to create a sense of place and new perspectives. Our bespoke book collections have a great impact on a guest’s overall experience of a hotel or resort. It’s small extras like books in rooms and library spaces that make a guest’s stay extra special, and many of our clients receive high praise for their book collections. For private clients they make a house their home.
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