Sanctuary Sessions: Conde Nast on our ‘Go-Slow Haven’

POSTED September 24, 2017

The lowdown

Highly sought-after London-based osteopath Sam Kankanamge has brought the success of his practice home to Sri Lanka. The result is a one-of-a-kind Ayurvedic immersion on the south coast of the island. Guests come here, to the mangrove forest of the Rekawa Reserve sandwiched between a pristine beach and lagoon, to disconnect, take stock of their lives and embrace the healing power of nature. Weight loss, depression, skin disorders, insomnia, stuck in a rut? Nothing is too much or too little for Dr Harshi Anuradha, who diagnoses your dosha after you’ve given her the lowdown on your life.

Then it’s on to the prescribed timetable of acupuncture, full-body massages, osteopathy, shirodhara (oil poured onto the forehead to calm the mind) plus more hardcore elements, including all-out cleansing and fasting. Personalised Ayurvedic medicine is freshly whipped up daily in front of your eyes. Time here drifts by in a haze of treatments, topped and tailed by kundalini yoga on the beach or in the shala overlooked by monkeys. Gong baths, sound therapy and meditation sessions relax you further. Then there’s the cacao ceremony, a ritual of drinking pure chocolate and dancing your flip-flops off to help release deep emotions.

If you’re craving downtime, find some headspace in the frangipani-filled garden, seek out one of the daybeds or go for a stroll along the palm-tree-lined sand. There’s the chance to explore local sites, too – nearby Yala National Park has some of the best leopard-spotting on the planet. Meals are help-yourself and eaten together as guests bond over the delicately spiced curries. And while some people arrive looking to address specific issues, others just need a break. It’s a mixed bunch: burnt-out creatives, over-stressed execs, mothers and daughters, and soul-searching millennials. There’s no alcohol or caffeine; instead, it’s king-coconut water and herbal tea on tap.

When it comes to (early) bedtime, pick your way along the candle-lit wooden walkway to one of the eight simple thatched cabanas. Modelled on the shape of a conch shell to draw up energy from the earth, they have no lavish trappings but that doesn’t matter when there’s this much peace. Lasting change is the aim. To set you on your path, Dr Anuradha gives you a take-home strategy. Then, as the final flourish, there’s a cleansing ceremonial flower bath, in which you soak in a tub of water blessed by a Buddhist monk with essential oils and herbs. This is a unique retreat of supreme holistic care. You leave in substantially better shape than you arrived, sparkling with energy and coaxed back to life.

Davia

Davia is our Retreat Specialist and manages enquiries and bookings for those interested in visiting us at the Sanctuary. Her in-depth knowledge of the wellness programmes we offer means she will be able to answer any questions you may have, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Davia is also Clinic Manager at Sen Wellness London, ensuring the smooth running of our holistic hub in the medical district of Harley Street, where we offer osteopathy, acupuncture, yoga, meditation and community events as well as retreats in the UK and Europe.

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Excellent

Sen Wellness Sanctuary

Based on 251 reviews

Anon

This is an incredibly special place.

The location is perfect — it is incredibly peaceful and tucked away, yet only a c.3 hour drive from Colombo. With a majestic lagoon on one side and the ocean on the other, you feel completely enveloped by Mother Nature. The way the buildings are built allows you to feel close to nature (each treatment room backs onto a small garden, for instance, allowing you to listen to the wind in the trees and even the crashing waves during treatments).

It is hard to do justice to how wonderful the people who work here are in words. This is a heart-led place; I experienced such kindness from each and every member of the team, from the guys who cleaned my room, to the small army of very skilled therapists, to Madu who is front of house and chief of day to day logistics, to the guys serving food and the chefs, to the Ayurvedic doctors, to Sam, who runs the sanctuary with his brother and co-founder.

This is not just a place to receive world class massages and do some yoga next to a pristine beach, this is a spiritual place that will ground you, heal you, and elevate your consciousness, if you let it! The completely delicious organic food will also nourish you from the inside out.

The Ayurvedic doctors are really wonderful — I was a little apprehensive about this aspect as I hadn’t experienced it before, but I really trusted the chief doctor — she explained everything really clearly and I felt very seen and cared for.

I was lucky enough to be at Sen for the Golden Summer Retreat. Our teachers were therefore co-founder Sam, yoga teacher Mariana, and Alex, who led a breathwork session with us (and is a wealth of knowledge on so many topics from meditation to yoga to free driving to marketing & SEO!). I was so moved by Sam’s wisdom and generosity. From meditation sessions to the cacao ceremony, to bits of wisdom shared at dinner, he leads with a grace and open heartedness that is not easy to explain until you have experienced it. Sam and this retreat have set me on a new path that I’m very excited about. Mariana was equally wonderful — her morning yoga and her presence throughout the retreat helped me to feel grounded and she also injected so much fun & lightness into the retreat. Mariana led a breathwork session that is unlike anything I have experienced before — the music was perfect, the way she held space for us, supported us and brought such energy was so authentic and joyful. It will be hard to top that experience in the future.

My long term health — physical and spiritual — will undoubtedly benefit greatly from my time at Sen. I could not recommend it more highly.

I have one tiny bit of feedback I would like to share. For me, I felt sad and distracted whenever people brought phones to yoga in the mornings. Just seeing a phone right next to my yoga mat detracts from the rest of the practice, and from the serenity of being in those beautiful surroundings, for me. (Phones did also go off a few times during class). It was mentioned at the beginning of the retreat to try and not bring our phones to dinner — if this could be stated a bit more clearly/forcefully, and regarding yoga (and indeed all of the ceremonies) as well, I think people would respect this (and they would benefit from it too!)

(An optional digital detox, even just for a few days, might also be an idea — to give people the option of handing in their phone when they arrive (I have done this on retreats before) and maybe have alarm clocks to hand out.)

Fi W.

I came here for a 10 day retreat and experience haven, a sanctuary, and a sacred space where I could rest, restore, and do some deep inner work.

A truly world class experience.

I have never been somewhere that has offered so much care, love and attention both to me and the details of how they make the entire experience deeply personal and special

The treatments were of an extraordinarily high calibre, The food crafted with so much care, I felt very held by Sam, Mariana, Alex and the rest of the Sen team who are all really spiritual and caring people.

For those travelling alone, I can only tell you that it is a very safe place and you will be deeply welcomed

beatriz S.

Our experience in Sen welleness sanctuary has been beautiful, I could say life changing. Special mention to the entire team that work here, they are all very professional and kind.

The sanctuary’s location is at a stunning place between the rekawa lagoon and the beach in the south of Sri Lanka.
10/10, highly recommend it 🩵

Pilar M.

Such a wonderfull and life changing experience. The whole team is welcoming and excellent professionals. Beautifull space, wonderfull location and nature. Very well prepared programme and treatments. Totally recommended.

Stephanie Marinus - Learn Earn & R.

I cannot express my gratitude deeply enough for the experience I had at Sen Wellness Sanctuary. After flying all the way from Canada, it took just three days for Dr. Sam and his compassionate team to give me my life back following my young brother's death. Upon reaching out, I learned the sanctuary was fully booked, but after hearing my plea for help, they somehow made special room for my boyfriend and I. It was an act of profound compassion that set the stage for our entire experience. While my soul was doing the hard work of healing from grief, my body was continuously comforted with restorative Ayurvedic treatments. The daily massages, herbal soaks, and curated therapies were a constant source of peace, a beautiful reminder that while the inner work was difficult, I was being cared for on a physical level. The sanctuary's dedication to holistic well-being is truly unparalleled. In a testament to this, they brought in a Buddhist monk for spiritual teachings, and on a separate occasion, when a turtle nest was discovered, they called in a conservation officer. We were able to help the newborn turtles make it safely to sea, an experience that was as spiritual and healing as any of the treatments. Dr. Sam and his team have created more than just a retreat; it's a sanctuary for the soul, a place where profound healing is not just possible-its inevitable. Sen is forever in my heart