Sanctuary Sessions: Lauren Macdonald

POSTED December 14, 2017

We’re delighted to launch our ‘Sanctuary Sessions’ guest interview series with Lauren Macdonald – medical doctor, psychology graduate, yoga teacher and advocate of holistic medicine.

Tell us about yourself – what brought you to Sen Wellness?

I first became aware of Sen Wellness at the beginning of 2016, not long after I’d been diagnosed with stage IV cancer. I’d recently left my job as a doctor in Brighton and I’d just started having treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. In the meantime I’d thrown myself into researching all I could about my disease and what I could do alongside conventional treatment to help my body fight the tumours. It quickly became clear that I needed reduce my stress levels, support my immune system and reduce the inflammation in my body. The holistic approach I took involved starting a regular yoga and meditation practice, exercising regularly, massage and acupuncture therapies, switching to a plant-based diet and doing everything I could to support my gut microbiome. I began blogging about my journey and through my blog I connected with Sam at Sen Wellness. I had several sessions with Sam during that year and we stayed in touch throughout my treatment. A few months after finding out I’d had a complete response to immunotherapy I made the decision to travel to India to complete my yoga teacher training. Practicing yoga throughout my treatment had helped me to stay mindful, calm and grounded when my life felt totally out of control. Immersing myself in the training for a month enabled me to further my knowledge about the mind-body connection, deepen my yoga practice and ultimately, start to trust my body again. It was always in the back of my mind to visit the Sanctuary at some point as it sounded like the ideal setting to learn more about Ayurveda and kundalini and, ultimately, continue on my healing journey.

How was your experience as a guest at the sanctuary?

From the moment the huge wooden gates swung open revealing the inner haven of the Sanctuary, I knew this experience was going to be much more transformative than I could ever have imagined. It’s almost impossible to translate the magic of the Sanctuary through photos or written words – it’s one of those places that simply needs to be experienced to be believed. A typical day involves being woken up just before sunrise with a cumin and cardamon tea, sunrise kundalini yoga on the beach, the most colourful breakfast and then a day of Ayurvedic treatments, reading, laughing, walking, swimming and more yoga and delicious, nutritious food. There’s also visits to nearby temples and local markets and once a week one of the monks from a nearby temple leads a very special meditation, followed by a deeply relaxing gong bath. It’s honestly magical! In the month I was there I heard incredible stories, made new friends from across the globe and felt a deep connection with everyone I met. The staff also play a significant part in your retreat experience as they always great you with a huge smile and make you feel at home from the moment you arrive. I left the Sanctuary feeling stronger, healthier, happier and more energised than I’d felt in years.

We’d love to hear more about your experience as a yoga teacher/medical doctor and facilitating Golden Summer Tetreat.

It was a huge privilege to be part of the team facilitating the Golden Summer Retreat for 10 days during my stay at the Sanctuary. I’ve attended several different retreats as a guest in the past and I know how valuable it is to completely remove myself from everyday life and open myself up to the lessons and gifts that can be gained from a retreat. It was an honour to observe and facilitate the guests during the 10 days, especially as for many it was their first retreat experience. Sam, Rebekah and Candace created a safe space where everyone could disengage from daily stresses, and old thought patterns and many of them underwent deep inner transformations during the retreat. The cacao ceremonies lead by Rebekah encouraged heart opening conversations and forged deeper connections with each other. The kundalini yoga and meditation that Candace taught every morning on the beach further encouraged us to journey inwards, become more mindful and let go of any inhibitions. By the end of the retreat even the quietest, most introverted of the guests had found their (chanting) voice. I especially loved having the opportunity to teach vinyasa and yin yoga classes in the beautiful rooftop shala overlooking the lagoon in the evenings. This style of yoga complemented the kundalini style taught in the mornings and Candace helped elevate my classes by adding a gong bath during savasana – just as the sun started sinking behind the palm trees. Overall, it was a truly transformative retreat and I’m convinced the guests took away as much from it as I did.

How would you say the Sen Wellness program benefits translates to a busy London lifestyle?

The Sen Wellness experience doesn’t just stop the moment you leave the Sanctuary. I’m still on several Whatsapp groups with different guests from the retreat and it’s amazing how many people have kept up a daily meditation practice as a result of Candace’s inspiring teaching. I also know guests who’ve quit their jobs, taken sabbaticals, improved their diet, reduced their alcohol intake and taken up yoga – all as a result of their visit to the Sanctuary. The skills you learn are things you can integrate into everyday life to help you to better cope with the stresses and strains of modern living. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on a crowded tube or a deserted beach, when you close your eyes and journey inwards you can still connect with the experience and find moments of peace and calm.

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Excellent

Sen Wellness Sanctuary

Based on 252 reviews

Maks B.

While I was searching for a place for the perfect getaway, away from distractions and noise, I came across SEN. The reviews about this place were overwhelmingly positive, with only a few that slightly worried me. I wanted to clarify them so that anyone visiting afterward wouldn’t have to wonder about these points beforehand.

This is a magical place for both body and soul, mainly because of the wonderful and kind people working there, its unique location, and the harmony it exudes. I came here seeking relaxation, but I received so much more. The day begins with yoga. I read that many people didn’t enjoy these classes, but I had a completely different experience—they were excellent in my opinion. Suitable for everyone, they teach a love for the practice.

The food is exceptional varied, healthy, and perfect for a full detox, thanks to the head chef who is amazing and whom I warmly greet. The meals are incredibly good, diverse, and fresh. This is definitely a detox-focused diet, but it delivers great results.

The most important part of my stay became the care provided by Dr. Chamodi and her team. She is amazing and invaluable, taking care of every detail of your stay in line with Ayurvedic practice. Throughout the day, various treatments are offered, all of top-level quality. The massages and their Sri Lankan ambiance became something I deeply miss. Special greetings to Rasange, though the entire team is truly excellent.

SEN is a place with minor flaws, but they are minimal compared to what it offers. If you want to be fully prepared, here’s a tip: you need to be certain about the length of your stay, as management reserves the right not to negotiate the rate set upon arrival. So it’s worth deciding in advance how long you want to stay. Initially, I thought 14 days might be too long, but it turned out to be a wonderfully rejuvenating period.

Additionally, it’s worth bringing products other than Sri Lankan mosquito repellents, as there are many mosquitoes. If you prefer your own yoga mat and want it very clean, bring it along. The only aspect that could be improved is the beach towels and new yoga mats—they need replacement, but this is completely natural. This is a place strongly focused on wellbeing, so it may not bother you at all they are really good but could be little better. I was without mine and it works really fine so don't worry. Its an info for extra pedantic characters and their comfort zone.

Someone mentioned that massage towels are dirty, but that is not true. I checked and discussed this, and it simply isn’t the case. The cleaning stuff is amazing. Thank you guys. U are doing good job.

These are my only two notes. Otherwise, I want to say that this place is truly worth visiting. It has its own microclimate and energy. Located in a completely secluded area, if you value a private beach and being close to the sounds of the sea, this might be the best place in the world. I highly recommend it. Once again, I want to thank the entire team, both the doctors and all the staff, who ensure this place is so exceptional from management, the team from London, to every single employee. I adore you for your energy. Never lose it.
I believe we will meet again soon. Maks

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.