Early last year I paid a visit to Greenwich's Ayurveda Pura spa for a treatment and it was such a great experience that I jumped at the chance when invited back a few weeks ago.
A ten minute walk from North Greenwich station, it may be a bit of a mission if you are situated more central but if you live in South East London, it's definitely worth getting on your radar and adding to your address book. The health spa and beauty centre and accompanying cafe are a cosy world away from the hustle and bustle of the O2 just around the corner. Offering a full treatment menu of body and facial treatments, nail care, waxing and complementary therapies, the company also provides Ayurvedic products and Ayurvedic training worldwide to the highest Western standards of purity and quality, whilst staying true to the principles of Ayurveda.
Ayurveda Pura is founded on Ayurveda the ancient holistic health system of India, which provides for excellent health, both physical and mental, by creating harmony between a person's body and nature. Ayurveda sees everything in the universe, including human beings, as composed of five basic elements (or Panchamahabhutas): space, air, fire, water and earth. These five elements in turn combine with each other to give rise to three bio-physical forces (or Doshas) within the human body; Vata (air and space), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth). Together they are known as Tridosha and govern all the biological, physiological and psychological functions of the mind and body, both, physical and emotional, as well as effecting how an individual interacts with everything around them. Every individual has within them all three bio-physical forces, but it is the dominance of any one or two or all three that makes up a person's individual constitution or Prakriti. Ayurveda seeks to treat the mind and body according to a person's Dosha using a system combining diet, herbal remedies, detoxification, Yoga, Ayurvedic massage, lifestyle routine and behaviours.
The product range has been developed in close consultation with their team of Ayurvedic practitioners, led by Dr. Deepa Apte. It's won a slew of natural beauty awards in recent years and the range speaks for itself; I've been trying the Daily Cleansing Milk and Skin Radiance Exfoliating Cream, both with essential oils of orange, neroli and rose with exotic herbs Neem and Manjistha, beautifully scented products that have certainly been kind to my skin, though as a creamy rather than foamy cleanser I do find it takes two rounds for my skin to feel properly clean.
My massage itself was undoubtedly a success as I found myself nodding off throughout, a surefire sign I'm totally relaxed as the combination of warm, aromatic oil and long, sweeping movements sent me hurtling towards a peaceful slumber. You'll almost certainly leave floating on a cloud and well relaxed if you plump for the Abhyanga Whole Body Massage as I did, a relaxing massage that improves lymph flow, stimulates the immune system, detoxifies, strengthens and revitalises the entire nervous system Well worth the visit!
Ayurveda Pura, 48 Newton Lodge, Oval Square, Greenwich Millennium Village, West Parkside, North Greenwich, London SE10 0BA
www.ayurvedapura.com
Love Laurel x
