Gaia Spa Director, Diane Nettleton, talks about the brand’s philosophy Your Wellness, Naturally.

There is so much talk about wellness, wellbeing, mindfulness at the moment but what does it really mean?  It’s not difficult when you think of it simply. Wellness is about being the best you can be no matter what the circumstances. We all face stressful times, loss, illness, work life balance dilemmas, grief, trauma but even in desperate times you can still be well. A healthy body can support a weary mind but what is a healthy body?  Quite simply it can mean getting more sleep, drinking more water, eating healthy foods, going for a walk, reading a book or just breathing.  It's just the basics of life but maintaining our wellness can be so easy to ignore when life is increasingly hectic.

In June it was Global Wellness Day – a global day where brands and individuals think about wellness, take steps to improve their wellness and do a good dead. Gaia supported Global Wellness Day as a tool to share wellness with a wider audience.  Therapists from Gaia Spa went on board the Plymouth to London Paddington train and back again, offering mini spa treatments using Gaia products to all those who wanted to join in. It was an amazing success with new friends and connections being made with passengers being given the opportunity to take advantage of a complimentary spa treatment. This making of new connections emphasises how wellness is very much about being well with other people be it family, work colleagues, those we’ve only just met. Some great business is achieved through connections. Our best memories are those shared with the people we love and want to be with.

So what is the meaning of ‘naturally’? Gaia - Mother Nature - is present throughout Gaia Spa shown within the material used in the construction largely wood and stone to the impressive tree trunks in reception. Our natural products show nature within the packaging such as our bamboo jars to the natural ingredients used to make them. When considering the word itself, ‘Naturally’ has so many other meanings. Without doubt, truthfully, routinely, obviously, regularly, of course, customarily. All these meanings point to what we believe at Gaia. Gaia is a natural choice.

We all reach out in difficult times for a crutch. We turn to drink, comfort food, medication but sometimes the answer can be much simpler. We struggle to get to see a doctor if we can't sleep, get stomach pains, headaches but sometimes we just need time to ourselves.  Time is the future of luxury. Time to relax, just be in natural surroundings. It is fascinating how swimming or just being in nature can connect you with that sense of the passage of time – and growth and loss and struggle – in a way that the indoor world cannot. Out in nature you are part of the changing seasons, the evolving landscape, the moment-to-moment weather transformations. Forest bathing was voted as one of the key trends in spas in 2015. It originated in Japan and basically means taking in the forest atmosphere, the smells of the trees and plants, embracing nature, being outside. It is comforting to be in the midst of nature. It is now a recognised relaxation and stress management activity in Japan and is becoming more popular in the western world.

By focusing on breathing and the peace of our natural surroundings, our involuntary focus takes over which requires little effort and gives us a break from the normal distractions of daily life. Wellness is about making choices you are happy with. Let us take care of your wellness naturally at Gaia Spa and through Gaia products.

At Gaia spa we want you to be well. We have set the scene for you to flourish, to relax, be cared for, and to give you space and time, be it at home or in our spa, we focus on Your Wellness, Naturally.