The tropical or southeast Asian health and beauty philosophy stands in stark contrast to traditional Western beliefs that put faith in the contents of a gold-topped tub or in the hands of white-coated laboratory technologists. Year after year, the bible for beauticians across Europe and America has preached skin deep remedies, from wrinkle-reduction creams to liposuction, for the ultimate in cover girl glamour It is, however, a relatively recent revelation that beauty from the outside in is back to the front Now it is more a case of a leg wax plus a dose of soul nourishment, please, for today's 'mindful' and rejuvenating treatment.
The Source at Begawan Giri Estate has taken the outdoor spa concept to its ultimate, natural conculsion.
"The mind and the body are like parallel universes. Anything that happens in the mental universe, must leave tracks in the physical one." Deepak Chopra
This worldwide vogue for spiritual and mental, as well as physical, fitness has been at the core of Asian beauty custom since the beginning of time. Lasting beauty comes from deep within the body and mind; how we feel about ourselves and the world around us directly affects our facial expression and outward appearance. Modern mind-body science has now shown that when we are relaxed and happy, the biochemical rhythms in our bodies are significantly different to those present when we are angry, tense or sad. In his best seller; Quantum Healing, celebrity physician and mind-body guru, Deepak Chopra, writes: "... the mind and the body are like parallel universes. Anything that happens in the mental universe, must leave tracks in the physical one."
In Indonesia, the birthplace of many tropical health and beauty secrets, there is an ancient Javanese expression: rupasampat wahya bhiantara, - which encapsulates exactly this notion. It roughly translates as 'the balance between inner and outer beauty, between that which is visible and that which lies within' and it is the parable by which women in this part of the world live without even thinking about it.
According to Dr Martha Tilaar, the founder and president of one of the country's foremost natural cosmetic groups, outer beauty involves a ritualistic process using natural products for skin, hair and body. This is balanced by a number of inner beauty techniques, which include taking jamu (traditional herbal tonics and medicines); practising Daya Putih, a spiritual form of exercise which unleashes inner power to maintain purity; fasting; and making more frequent giving, selfless gestures in our lives. "A sense of gratitude and taking care of others," she explains, "empowers us inside. This is not religious practice; it is all part of beauty ritual."
The outdoor shower, such as this one at Begawan Giri is synonymous with the Tropical Spa.
"To twist and... stretch is... a body holiday. There is the unexpected delight in meeting earth and sky at the same moment! Gravity." From Awakening the Spine -A New Way of Yoga by Yanda Scaravelli
The crème bath is a ubiquitous hair product in Asia. It contributes to the sleek shiny locks that women from this region are renowned for.
It is also part of the Asian ideology that says that a desire to be beautiful is valid; it is not the vacuous pursuit of vanity that tends to be associated with beauty practices in the West. In his treatise Daya Putih for the Inner Beauty, the Daya Putih foundation's leader, Sumadi Kertonegoro, makes the lofty claim that 'the path to beauty is the path towards consciousness and the origin and purpose of life'.
While Kertonegoro's path to beauty and life's purpose is through the spiritual patterns of Daya Putih, which claims that the Hindu gods dwell in our body's organs and must be assuaged through mindful movement, there are other more familiar routes such as the soft exercise techniques of yoga, meditation, tai chi and qi gong. In practising these oriental art forms, which concentrate our attention on breathing and body rhythms, we can go a long way toward clearing our minds from daily dross and becoming aware of our mind-body interdependence.
What this enlightened subterfuge means in plain English is that these forms of gentle exercise do as much for easing tension as treatments themselves. And a relaxed state of mind enables clarity of thought, which in turn, enhances beauty. Again, Deepak Chopra stresses the importance of meditation:"To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solution. Ultimately the only solution to all problems are spiritual."
"Women today are losing their vital force. Even their posture says, 'I don't feel great any more.' We help them get back in touch with their sensuality." - Nazli Anwari
Besides meditation and yogic exercise the ritual of body care is another route to spiritual growth. Trained aromatherapist Nazli Anwari says, "Women today are losing their vital force. Even their posture says, 'I don't feel great any more.'" In her Asmara Spas on Bintan island, Anwari focuses on helping women get back in touch with their spirituality. A hushed atmosphere, doors painted in bright, primary colours and decorative, brocaded saris floating from wooden hangers, set the inviting scene at their flagship Bintan spa. In the sound belief that there is an alchemist in us all, spa guests are encouraged to understand the process of mixing of herbs and spices to make body scrubs, of blending floral oils and herbal tea infusions. It is their belief that this helps people get back in touch with nature and so with their spiritual souls, which have little role in day to day urban existence. And as Anwari's partner Cheyenne Goh adds, "We believe that spas are places where you can feel relaxed and spiritually at ease."
Mindful exercise is integral to the Asian spa philosophy. Even though it is in the heart of Bangkok, The Oriental Spa is an outpost of serenity, ideal for some meditative moments.
The Spa at Jmbaran is the only tropical spa where you can take a shower lying down. These jets replicate rainfall to send you into a relaxed state.
All of this could be described as humanizing herbs and spices. But whatever guise you choose, the focus on nature's store cupboard and her rich aromas is giving Asian beauty worldwide appeal. Leaf shampoos, crushed nut conditioners and coconut body scrubs fall in line with the new mood for 'eco-chic', where eco-consciousness and style are no longer mutually exclusive.
While a deepening commitment to a kind of environmental consumerism now grips people in the West, it has been the mainstay of Asian culture until recent economic development. In the realm of health and beauty, answers to radiant skin, shiny hair and even more critical issues such as cures for cancer have been found in the region's vast botanical heritage. On the Indonesian island of Java alone, 6,500 species of plant, 4,500 of which are native to Java, have been recorded. Malaysia lays claim to 3,600 species of tree, and other tracts of rain forest in the region still wait to be discovered.
An entity unto itself! The Spa at Hotel Tugu is truly 'traditional', with barely a hint of 20th-century trappings.
Many of the natural treatments that are now commonly used throughout tropical Asian countries trace their origins to the palaces of Central Java. From the 17th century until today, princesses from the keratons of Solo, Yogyakarta and Surakarta experimented with natural potions and lotions, concocted by themselves. Some secret remedies are still kept under wraps behind palace walls; others, such as the Javanese Lulur, have found their way around the region, even around the world. This famous body scrub of rice, spices and splashes of natural yoghurt is a skin softening elixir set to beat the best designer bubbles and moisturizing body creams money can buy.