Whole Being Journal
Live Your Best Life
Whole Being Journal
Live Your Best Life
Whole Being Journal
Healthy living isn't just about the food we eat, it is also about stopping for a quiet moment of meditation and reflection, practicing yoga, taking a walk in nature or travelling to the places that bring you joy. Healthy living is is not just about being mindful, it is also about being creative, doing the things you love to bring inspiration into your daily life. Healthy living is about having fun along your path.
A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY: REFLECTIONS FROM A RECENT GUEST
At Cape Town Retreats, we believe that the true impact of our experiences often comes from the unexpected—those moments of personal growth that arise when we step outside our comfort zones. One of our recent guests, Larry Oltmanns, a well-known architect, came to us with little more than curiosity and a desire to disconnect. His journey, which began with doubts and hesitations, turned into a revelation of self-discovery.
Read on for Larry’s full account of his week at Cape Town Retreats.
February 18, 2025
Before the blossoms appear on trees, something unseen stirs beneath the surface.
Roots shift. Energy rises. Life prepares to emerge again.
Spring doesn’t begin in the fields or the forests.
It begins inside.
And just like nature, we need time to awaken from winter. Months of slower movement, heavier meals, and inward reflection can leave us feeling sluggish, physically, emotionally and even spiritually.
July 1, 2025
THE POWER OF TRANSFORMATION THROUGH RETREATS
In today’s fast-paced world, we often find ourselves caught in a cycle of constant activity, leaving little room for reflection, rest, or renewal. Many of us feel the need for a deeper connection to ourselves and the world around us, but we struggle to find the time or space to make that happen. This is where the power of a retreat comes in - offering the perfect environment for transformation on every level: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.
September 30, 2024
UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF LONGEVITY: HOW JUICE FASTING CAN ENHANCE YOUR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
In the quest for a longer, healthier life, many individuals are turning to holistic practices that not only improve their immediate well-being but also contribute to longevity. Among these practices, juice fasting has emerged as a powerful tool. When incorporated into a healthy lifestyle, juice fasting can bring about profound changes, supporting your body's natural healing processes and enhancing your vitality. Here's how juice fasting can play a crucial role in increasing longevity.
July 31, 2024
THE BENEFITS OF CLEANSING WITH FRESHLY SQUEEZED JUICES: A SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE
In an age where processed foods dominate our diets, many people are turning to natural methods to rejuvenate their health. One increasingly popular method is cleansing with freshly squeezed juices from fruits and vegetables. This practice involves consuming juices extracted from fresh produce over a certain period, providing the body with a concentrated source of nutrients. Scientifically backed, juice cleansing offers a variety of health benefits, including detoxification, improved digestion, enhanced energy levels, and better skin health. This article explores the scientifically supported benefits of juice cleansing and why it might be a valuable addition to your wellness routine.
June 21, 2024
EMBRACE TRANSFORMATION: A WOMAN’S RETREAT IN INDIA
Experience profound transformation at our Women's Transformational Detox Retreat in Rishikesh, India, where yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda come together. Nestled in the Himalayan foothills and along the sacred Ganges River, this retreat offers juice fasting, dynamic meditation, yoga, Yoga Nidra, and emotional release to rejuvenate your body, mind, and soul. Immerse yourself in the rich spiritual heritage and natural tranquility of Rishikesh, known as the "Yoga Capital of the World." Join like-minded seekers in this unique detox retreat and discover the ultimate journey to the heart of your being. Answer the call to Rishikesh and transform your life with our holistic wellness retreat in India.
June 12, 2024
REVITALISE YOUR DIGESTIVE HEALTH: HOW JUICE FASTING PROVIDES ESSENTIAL REST AND REJUVENATION
Discover the transformative power of juice fasting! This rejuvenating practice gives your digestive system a much-needed rest, allowing it to heal and detoxify. By consuming nutrient-rich juices, you provide essential vitamins and minerals without the burden of solid food digestion. Experience enhanced detoxification, improved gut health, and increased energy. Embrace juice fasting to revitalize your body, boost your immune system, and achieve optimal wellness. Learn more about the benefits and how to get started.
May 29, 2024
DIVE INTO WELLNESS: WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND A SWIM WITH WILD DOLPHINS JUICE DETOX RETREAT
Imagine starting your day with invigorating yoga sessions on a pristine beach, followed by a refreshing swim in crystal-clear waters, surrounded by playful dolphins. End your day with a revitalising juice crafted from fresh, local produce. A swim with wild dolphins juice detox retreat offers an unparalleled blend of physical rejuvenation, spiritual awakening, and a deep connection with nature. Here’s why you should consider attending one of these extraordinary retreats.
May 22, 2024
CLEANSING, FASTING AND DETOXING: BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Your body is your temple. Cleansing, fasting and detoxing not only works on the physical aspects, but they also work on the emotional and mental aspects of our person. These practices help us to awaken our consciousness and transform our relationship with our body, mind and heart. Essentially we bring awareness to our nutritional needs. The food we eat plays an important role in loving and respecting ourselves by nourishing our cells and allowing our organs to function properly. The nutrients in the food that we eat are literally the fuel for a properly working system.
April 25, 2023
HEALING CELERY JUICE - SO WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT
If you are into juicing, then no doubt you have heard of the celery juice movement. I myself knew that celery juice would be healthy, but did not give it much credence. That was before I had some health issues of my own. It is very easy to ignore important health information when you are healthy, because when you are healthy, you have no need to heal from any illness. You are healthy. So even if you begin drinking celery juice as a healthy person, you may never really know the amazing benefits it offers. It is only when mystery illness come along and the medical fraternity can’t help you, that you may turn to alternative ways of healing and look to celery juice for help.
March 27, 2023
MOVEMENT THERAPY - THROUGH DANCE
Dance movement therapy is a psychotherapeutic activity that involves dancing or shaking and is a tool that improves physical wellness and mental / emotional wellbeing. The body and mind interconnect, meaning that anything that affects the body will also affect the mind. At the same time, the body releases endorphins and oxytocin. Endorphins help relieve pain, reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being and oxytocin, the birth hormone, release love hormones. Essentially dancing makes us happy while it relaxes us.
September 22, 2022
BUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS ON RETREAT?
Retreats of all kinds have become increasingly popular in the last years, as people have been learning to navigate an ever-changing world. If we think about what we were doing ten years ago, we can see how much we have grown and changed as individuals and as a collective.
May 31, 2022
WHY YOU SHOULD GIVE JUICE FASTING A TRY
Juice fasting or cleansing has a unique ability to cleanse your organs and because of this, brings a radical shift to your overall appearance. When your organs are functioning at their peak, your hair shines, your eyes are clear, your skin looks smooth and radiant and you are bounding with energy and vitality.
May 13, 2022
WELCOME TO THE YOGA CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, Rishikesh is known as the 'Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas' and 'Yoga Capital of the World'.It is known as the pilgrimage town and regarded as one of the holiest places to Hindus. Hindu sages and saints have visited Rishikesh since ancient times to meditate in search of higher knowledge.
April 7, 2022
WHY DETOXING WITH JUICE IS SO IMPORTANT
Cleansing or fasting with juice or water is our body's natural way of removing or purging itself of poisons. Fasting purifies the blood, regenerating and rebalancing all vital functions in the body. Digestive functions use large amounts of energy and enzyme power in our daily life and fasting diverts this energy to detoxification and healing.
March 28, 2022
The principals of Ayurveda work with the body’s innate intelligence to promote natural self-healing. Ayurveda uses diet, exercise, body work, meditation and yoga to achieve results. Ayurvedic diets are customised depending on one’s body type which in simple terms is called a dosha. The Ayurvedic lifestyle is based on rhythmic changes found in nature, including the patterns of the sun each day and the changing seasons.
May 5, 2021
Even though there really is no certainty in life, there never has been and there never will be, we do normally have a sense of certainty regarding our lives. We normally make plans for the future and then go about our day to day lives fulfilling those plans. In business and in our personal lives. And, for a while, we had a certain knowingness that we could function within our way of life even if that is a collective constructed reality. With this sense of certainty we feel that there is solid ground beneath us both psychologically and physically and this helps us to pursue our desires.
February 8, 2021
THE AMAZING EFFECTS OF A JUICE FAST
We can get all the nutrition that we need from our diet as long as our bodies are healthy and as long as our diets are clean with little to no processed foods. When we overeat, consume too many food additives, too much alcohol, too many drugs, not being aware of or suppressing our emotions and are too stressed, our digestive tracts can become inflamed which makes it difficult for our bodies to absorb the nutrients we need. When our digestive systems are inflamed, it is also difficult to process the foods and properly eliminate the wastes which is a normal part of a normal healthy diet.
January 11, 2021
A lot is shifting and changing in our world. Each of us will be experiencing these shifts in our own ways depending on how well we have cultivated our individual ability to live with uncertainty. There really is no right or wrong way to live. How we live is a matter of free choice. What we choose to place our focus and energy on is a matter of what we feel at the deepest parts of ourselves, what resonates with us. This word ‘resonance’ is interesting because it speaks of an energy frequency or vibration.
December 17, 2020
With the new new normal of social claustrophobia and anxiety and a need to ‘boost your immune system’, many people will be looking for healing. Many people come on Yoga and Detox retreats expecting to be healed as if instant healing were a miracle. And indeed many are looking for the quickest, most effective and cheapest approach with the least amount of personal demands. As a consequence, there is a dilution of some of our deepest original philosophies of life and of the life of the mind. Yoga and Ayurveda are such systems of thought which are in so many ways about taking responsibility of our own minds and not expecting salvation from the outside. The salvation must come from within.
November 9, 2020
What we think and speak is directly related to our lives on a day to day basis. We are always manifesting even through our thoughts. Every statement, thought and action is a reflection of what is happening in our lives. Every situation or person that we encounter is a mirror reflection of what we are thinking or feeling.
What we think and see has a direct bearing on whether our thoughts are for our benefit or for our detriment.
September 17, 2020
HOME RETREATS ARE ALL THE RAGE
Retreats have traditionally been a way to pause our normal day to day activities, take ourselves off to a beautiful location in the countryside and reset our mind and body. With social distancing and travel restrictions in place, the entire world has had to look for novel ways to go on retreat and discover new ways to get away from it all all the while developing the self. One such way is to undertake an inner journey.
August 17, 2020
Our first priority in life must be good health. If you have ever been ill in any way, then you understand how debilitating that can be for you. Good health is very important in determining both material as well as emotional and indeed spiritual satisfaction. But what is yoga? Yoga is an integral system bringing good health to our body and mind as well as bringing a deep contentment with oneself no matter your culture, religion, race or sex. Yoga is designed for all of humanity to develop the self, heal the self and care for the self and others.
July 6, 2020
The skin is the largest organ in the body and it is the first way that we can tell how healthy a person is but it is also the last organ to receive the benefits of any healthy regime. So, by the time you can see that your skin looks naturally glowing and healthy, you are likely also feeling well. And there is a way to help your skin look and feel its best, especially during the winter months as the skin tends to dry out more easily and become more stagnant. Dry skin brushing is a wonderful natural and easy way to exfoliate dry winter skin
July 1, 2020
I CAN THINK, I CAN WAIT AND I CAN FAST
One of the greatest gifts that we can give ourselves during these strange times that undoubtedly none of us, except perhaps the true sages, saw coming, is to truly learn how to think. To be able to think for ourselves, create our lives and not merely follow the crowd, one must certainly posses an awareness of consciousness. True thinking requires focussed attention on the goal, problem or desire. Simply put, true thinking is a way of training the mind. Some of the most effective tools for training the mind are meditation and contemplation.
June 11, 2020
HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR TRIP TO INDIA
India is one of the most exciting travel destinations in the world and many people want to travel there but feel daunted by the stories of poverty and illness and dirt. While India is changing there are a few fundamental preparations you can do to make your trip just so magical. Be prepared by getting yourself into the right mindset before you go and you will never forget the things you experience there. Knowing a few India travel essentials before hitting the ground will help you adjust more quickly.
January 29, 2020
Wellness Travel is all the rage these days and for good reason. The world is becoming smaller and smaller especially for seasoned travellers. Even if you’re not used to travelling, we are living in the information age which means that we’ve investigated every part of our trip even before we take the trip.
November 28, 2019
JUICE FASTING TO DEVELOP CONSCIOUSNESS
Fasting is a practice that is as old as time itself. Mainly people would fast for spiritual reasons. Fasting cleanses the body while it purifies the mind. It stands to reason then that to be aligned with one’s spiritual nature which is clean and clear, one’s body also needs to be clean and clear in order to be a kind of channel for the spirit to manifest.
November 13, 2019
Emotional catharsis is an unconscious emotional reaction in which our suppressed emotions are displayed in all their rawness. It is often associated with situations where we’re feeling vulnerable or triggered. Because it is such an intense expression of emotion there is a great possibility this might spoil our relationships and leave us feeling regret or remorse.
October 10, 2019
SELF LOVE - part two
One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves as human beings is to become aware of our thoughts. As soon as awareness arises in us, we begin to make the connection between our thoughts and our emotions. Our thoughts literally tell us what we are feeling and it is through our thoughts that we can change what we are feeling.
August 27, 2019
SELF LOVE - part one
More and more people are waking up to this idea of self love. Since we are not one dimensional beings, we can look at the concept of self love on every level of our being. There are four obvious aspects that we can learn to love ourselves on. Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Of course if we focus on one aspect, the other aspects have a greater chance of being called into balance.
August 13, 2019
Transformation is a fundamental change in a person's sacred or spiritual life. In psychology, spiritual transformation is understood within the context of an individual's meaning system, especially in relation to concepts of the sacred or ultimate concern.
July 31, 2019
FIVE BENEFITS OF JUICE FASTING
Periodically one needs to cleanse in order to protect health, promote vitality and prolong life. There is no substitute for fasting as it is nature's method to cure disease at the root source which always involves toxicity. Fasting, yogic cleansing practices, breathing, bodywork, massage and exercise all assist the process of deep tissue detoxification and is more important than ever.
May 14, 2019
YOGA AS A TOOL TO DEVELOP CONSCIOUS AWARENESS
More and more people are now practicing yoga than ever before and this has to do with the fact that yoga deals with the evolution and development of the human personality. The very word ‘yoga’ in Sanskrit means to join together but what are we joining together? Different parts of our self and different parts of our personality. Many yogic texts define yoga as the union of the individual self with the higher self and it is this idea that is extremely important.
February 7, 2019
Why is the retreat trend just so hot right now? All of us know someone who is attending a retreat, hosting a retreat or working on a retreat and there is good reason. Retreats offer an opportunity to push the pause button on our lives, to remove negative practices, to detoxify, exercise or do yoga, relax and experientially educate ourselves.
January 24, 2019