SANGHA BY OCTAVE
HIGHLIGHT
With the belief that knowledge is the catalyst to lifting the mind, body and spirit, Sangha by Octave aims to provide a mindful space to help you find harmony between your inner self and the outer environment. The holistic wellness sanctuary comprises three sectors coming together: At One Wellness Retreat; The Village, an interactive learning community space; and Sangha Homes, a collection of private residences available for purchase.
WELLNESS PHILOSOPHY
Mindfulness has been a buzzword in wellness in recent years, but for Frederick Chavalit Tsao, chairman of the Singapore-headquartered IMC Group, it has occupied his thoughts since as far back as the 1980s. In fact, it was this insatiable interest in Chinese and Western philosophies towards mindful living that has led him to establish Sangha by Octave, a suburban retreat just outside Shanghai, on the shores of the Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, China. With a holistic approach to wellness that combines Eastern wisdom with Western science, Sangha by Octave believes that the rejuvenation of the mind, body and spirit can be achieved by adjusting six lifestyle habits— eating, breathing, sleeping, movement, thinking and spiritual practice. My wellness journey began at the At One Holistic Wellness Clinic, which has a team of medical doctors and healing experts, for a health assessment that included a body composition analysis, cardiovascular health and targeted energetic assessments. From the results, what stood out for me, besides my high body fat percentage, was the over activation of my parasympathetic nervous system (which mobilises the body’s resources to help it “fight or flight” threatening situations), indicating either a high level of stress or a poor sleeping habit. While I do admit to being a poor sleeper, it was disconcerting to see this reflected on a chart— making the health effects of sleep deprivation even more real. Thereafter, a healing plan was customised to my needs. Wellness programmes here range between two and seven days. Guests can experience a combination of treatments at the At One Healing Spa; Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine treatments; health awareness workshops with a life coach; lakeside yoga and sound healing, among others. The goal: to enhance and improve your health and help you maintain optimal health, even after you return home. General manager for wellcare, Barry Warrington, and senior wellness manager, Deepak Barthwal, who between them have worked at some of the best wellness retreats in Asia, put together a taster menu, paying particular attention
to my request for stress release and easing muscle tension. I was treated to a selection of massage therapies, from the signature Sangha Rebirth Massage, which integrated the most effective tension-release disciplines with subtle bodywork, to the Abhyanga Ayurvedic massage, with herbal infused hot oils, all made in-house, applied on the body in long rhythmic strokes, and later paired with the Polti hot compress massage. It was no wonder that I had the best sleep in years, probably also because every guest room at the At One Wellness Hotel was optimised for sleep, from its Egyptian cotton sheets and use of natural wood in its furniture and flooring, to the curved ceilings, which is said to bring better energy into the bedroom. There is even a healing crystal placed under the mattress to boost energy flow. This same attention to detail is apparent at the Thought for Food restaurant, which is guided by mindful gastronomy, which combines comfort food with nutritive ingredients. And no, you don’t have to refuse dessert. My favourite was the avocado brownie, which still retained that rich consistency without the butter—mind-blown. Since I ate well, slept well and was in a relaxed mood, it was no wonder I slept in on my last day, and was late for my 8am meditation session. Nonetheless, it allowed me time for self-reflection and to start thinking about my health seriously. When it was time to leave, I sat down with Warrington to run through my holistic wellness assessment report, which had tips from the doctor on keeping good lifestyle habits. Suffice it to say, I had been prescribed sleep. Warrington puts it in perspective, to lose weight, one must become healthy, and not vice versa. Armed with that knowledge, I was ready to take on the world—starting first with a lifestyle intervention.