The Water Garden Spa & Wellness Retreat
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The Elemental Approach

How do you know which therapy or treatment is perfect for your particular body or concern? At the Water Garden we help you find out, with a series of health consultations conducted by Ian Hayward our Wellness Director, who will then refer you to our other experts depending on your needs. For more detailed information go to Wellness Evaluations.

Every visitor to the Water Garden is offered a free Health Snapshot. This twenty minute consultation uses modern diagnostic technology to assess your current physical condition and give you solid information about your present state of health and trends for the future.   By comparing your 'biological' age to your actual calendar age you can discover whether your aging process is faster or slower than normal.  We also compare your fitness and stress to the norms for your age and gender.   Armed with this information on your body’s energy and inner balance, Ian can then assist you in planning personalised practical solutions to reverse any negative trends, guiding you to fulfill your maximum potential and improve your quality of life.

At the Water Garden we use an Elemental/Vedic approach to wellness. The Vedic approach is recognized as one of the oldest and most complete natural health systems in the world according to the World Health Organization. Bringing this knowledge and making it easily accessible and practical for people here in the West is an aim we are passionate about at the Water Garden.

Our program has been developed by Ian Hayward, The Water Garden’s Wellness Director, who brings with him an impressive background in the Vedic Sciences. In 1989 Ian trained at the Maharishi Ayurveda University in Holland (the same lineage Deepak Chopra trained in).

After graduation Ian spent his first two years in practice applying these techniques under the supervision of medical doctors in London, England. Ian treated mainly very sick people and although he saw amazing results, he realized his mission was to prevent rather than cure illness. He has spent the last thirty years perfecting and systemizing the preventative powers of the Vedic sciences and also introduced it into a Spa setting. This approach proved so successful Ian’s clientele grew to include members of the British Royal Family and celebrities such as George Harrison, amongst other high profile clients.

“What most people present to the world is not their true self.  The true self is buried under layers of stress, bad habits and coping strategies”, explains Ian.  “The Elemental approach simply returns that person to who they truly are”.  This, for Ian, means someone who is not just coping with life but living life fully and in balance.

 Core features of the Vedic approach to health:

  1. An elemental approach: the philosophy defines different elemental energies within each of us and within nature - fire, air, earth and water. The system teaches us how us to attune to the elements in ourselves, our food and our lives.  The aim is to balance these forces through life-style and specific healing techniques so that we live as healthily and happily as we can.
  2. A practical science, easy to apply:  in the East, people understand these elements in their daily life, applying that foundation to food, people, environments and health.  It’s their everyday knowledge.  Making this system equally practical and down to earth for people here in the West is our specialty.
  3. Intuitive: look how we already use the elements in common language:  “he’s burnt out”, “she’s hot-headed” (excessive fire),  “she’s very grounded”  (combination of earth and water elements lead to stability),  “go with the flow” (cultivating water element), “she’s spaced out” (excessive air). The Vedic approach, simply makes clear what we already know and helps us apply it in our lives.
  4.  Know thy self:  As we learn to attune to the elements within ourselves – we learn to track our imbalances and to self-correct.  This approach teaches you how to ‘self-refer’, how to know what is going on inside your own body and how to keep it healthy.  As a result, you will become more self-reliant in your life as a whole, from the inside out.
  5. A guide for living, not just a band-aid.

At The Water Garden, we bring this knowledge to you through:

  • One-to-one consultations with Ian, including Pulse Reading and Elemental Typing.
  • Workshops
  • Through our Signature Unison Massages and Cleanses
  • Tailor-made packages specially for you which draw on all our extensive team expertise and resources to help you achieve elemental balance, including Yoga, Tai Chi, nutrition massage, acupuncture, body and talk therapies.
  • The first step. Book a consultation with Ian now, and start finding out who you are and how to live a balanced, happy life.

For more in-depth analysis and diagnostics, we also offer the New You Consultation, Bio Flow Mapping or Integrated Health Consultation under the Wellness Evaluations tab on this site. Our Wellness Director Ian Hayward would be happy to advise you on the best consultation according to your needs.