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Imagine arriving at a serene, peaceful location after being bounced around in a stuffy car all day, to have a yogini stretch and straighten your spine getting you all centred and energised for your next experience.
The concept of holding yoga and healthy eating retreats in Zululand is treading on virgin territory.
Spas have become prevalent in upmarket lodges from the Tugela to the tip of the Kruger, and operators are constantly trying to attract the tourism dollar with unique experiences, whether they be wildlife or purely self-indulgent.
Left: Pretty Pongola lasses doing 'The Lion'.
Wellness and a focus on a healthy body, mind and spirit is not as quirky as it used to be. In fact these days if you don’t eat organic or exercise on a regular basis you are considered irresponsible. Therefore, to introduce yoga sessions at a game lodge should not seem out of place.
Recently Pakamisa Private Game Reserve, in northern Zululand, held a Yoga and Healthy Eating workshop, hopefully the first of many. It was hosted by Cheryl Lancellas from SA Yoga Safaris. Cheryl moved to Ballito, a year ago after many years on the Cape’s west coast. She is a qualified personal trainer, jazz dance teacher, traditional yoga teacher, yoga therapist, Pranic healer, Reiki practitioner, sound therapist working with Tibetan and Himalayan bowls and Tingshas. Her treatments are an eclectic blend of the best of all these different modalities. Cheryl visits India regularly, and has completed her teachers and advanced training in Nasik, with the Yoga Vidya Gurukul.
Right: Cheryl Lancellas and Isabella Stepski (Pakamisa Private Game Reserve)
We did the ‘Cow’, the ‘Cat’, the ‘Dog’ and hummed like exquisite songbirds. We performed a gentle ‘Salute to the Moon’, breathed deeply, relaxed through meditation and ate a delicious colourful organic salad accompanied by a nut loaf.
By the end of the afternoon we had a better understanding of the benefits of yoga and healthy eating. Cheryl claims: “If you can breathe you can do yoga.”
This debut workshop at Pakamisa was attended by young and old from the Pongola community, a town that doesn’t even have a gym! What a treat to have such a qualified yogini in our midst!
Cheryl has connected with a few lodges in the Zululand area and hopefully the desire to
blend body mind and spirit will spread into the wilderness.
For more information Cheryl Lancellas: www.sayogasafaris.com/
Pakamisa Private Game Reserve: www.pakamisa.co.za
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