A Recipe for Success – Review of Veg Soul Retreat in Jamaica!!

[Guest guest]

A Recipe for Success – Veg Soul Retreats in Jamaica!!

 

There is probably no better place to introduce or enhance a live/raw

foods diet than the Caribbean. With its abundant fresh fruits and

vegetables vitally charged with sunshine goodness, crisp clean air

and pure water the islands are the perfect place to abandon

addictions to junk food and start afresh with nature's bounty.

Combine this potential with the five-star cuisine of world-renowned

live-food master chef Aris La Tham and instantly we have a

combination that is ready to inspire the imagination and tantalise

the taste buds. If we further add to the mixture the wisdom,

leadership and expertise of co-organisers Dr Sunyatta Amen

(Naturopathic Physician & Sexual Tai Chi Instructor) and Khepere Anu

(Yoga & Live Food Lifestyle) along with a healthy serving of other

specialities provided by invited guest facilitators we end up with a

dish so explosive that one bite may well change your life!

 

The Veg Soul Retreat is the final result of the combination of these

delicious ingredients and one, which satisfies our desire to be full-

filled on all levels - physically, mentally and spiritually. The

latest retreat October 6th-12th 2004 hosted at The Runaway Bay Heart

Hotel in glorious Jamaica was a phenomenal success and joyful

experience for those involved. The 6-day adventure offered daily

sunrise walks, ocean swims, yoga and Qi Gong followed by a variety

of different workshops including `Sunfire Foods' philosophy and

practical demonstrations, Sexual Tai Chi, Belly Dancing, Holistic

Massage, Eco-psychology and Herbal Medicine. Rejuvenating activities

such as mineral springs baths, clay detox, flower forest

explorations, and coconut water fasting were also a part of each

action packed day and oh can I mention once again the food…

 

Even the most longstanding of live food devotees could not fail to

be impressed and inspired by the array of exciting and magical

combinations presented daily by Dr La Tham who has a PhD in Food

Science and is the founder of Sunfire Foods. For those who had only

thought of raw food as a couple of slices of tomato and cucumber on

the side of a main course the delectable dishes were completely mind

blowing as day after day we were presented with food that made you

wonder why you ever spent money on an expensive stove and question

why no-one ever told you about this raw food secret before. After

feasting on fruit and being seduced by salads the pinnacle of the

production has to be Aris's aptly named Paradise pies which are very

literally paradise perfected, made palatable and presented on a

plate! To savour one of these creations will always be a true treat

for the tongue but when eaten underneath a warm Jamaican sunset, a

cool breeze on your skin, the gentle sound of the Caribbean night

approaching and surrounded by the company of your fellow retreat

companions it becomes a sensory heaven that really needs to be

experienced to be believed!

 

Veg Soul is not your usual stoic health retreat where you are put

through a gruelling schedule reminiscent of an army boot camp yet

neither is it a hedonistic party with non-stop pampering and

frivolity. Striking a truly balanced approach the retreat presents

you with a daily itinerary filled with exciting options that flow in

accordance with the easy going Caribbean way of life. Veg Soul has

all the qualities that you would look for in a relaxing vacation

such as fresh wholesome meals, fantastic scenery and wonderful

location yet more than just sun, sea and sand it is an opportune

space for personal development, spiritual growth, and community

living advancement. The Veg Soul team have a wonderful wealth of

knowledge concerning many aspects of the holistic health lifestyle

and also very importantly a great sense of humour and love for

imparting this information. Each of the participants also bought

their own knowledge and stories to the event creating a valuable

diversity for shared learning, upliftment and a whole lot of fun!

The vibrant and supportive community atmosphere makes the retreat

suitable for families with children, singles, couples and all those

in between!

 

The only downside of the entire Veg Soul affair is that it has to

come to an end. Even after addresses were swapped, prayers spoken

and hugs exchanged there were still a few tears shed on departing

from such a memorable and elevating experience. Thankfully however

this is just the beginning and after-care support is available

through the website www.vegsoul.com on which you can pose questions

to the staff members, find recipes and local class schedules. You

can also keep in touch with fellow attendees and share further

information through the

http://health.VegSoul/. And of course there

is always next time to look forward to…

 

There are three Veg Soul Retreats planned for 2005 on the following

dates: Feb 16-21, July 13-18 and Nov 9-14. To find out more check

the website www.vegsoul.com, email info or telephone

1.888.VEG.SOUL. As the retreats continue to evolve and expand you

will be missing out if you don't put the dates for VEG Soul 2005 in

your diary as a priority straight away, but be warned like any tasty

dish you could find yourself craving more and having to come back

for second helpings!

 

Terri Henry