Ancient Healing Practices and The Village Pharmacy

The small villages that lay above the Ayung River on the Sayan ridge just outside of Ubud offer guests the chance to heal their minds, care for their bodies, and soothe their soul.

As soon as you step out of the car and onto the bridge at Four Seasons Sayan, you know you are somewhere special. The wooden bridge allows you to walk over the jungle and paths below, before leading you past the awe inspiring fishpond that appears as a giant bowl suspended in the air, down two flights of stairs and into the spa reception. From here, you are led through a corridor where water runs beside the path, exquisite Balinese art hangs on the walls, and the blue green of the water filled bird baths catches the eye and soothes the mind. Then wander past the rice paddies planted by guests as they learn about the day-to-day lives of Balinese rice farmers. As you walk, you can't help but be calmed by the lush, green, natural environment around you, which encourages a feeling of peace that seeps deep down into a person's soul.

The Spa Villas at Four Seasons Sayan offer friends, couples or individuals the perfect opportunity to unwind from the pressures of the day-to-day life and to take a minute to free oneself from the rush of modern society. Secluded from the main resort buildings and immersed in the natural surroundings of the valley, the villas seemingly float on a large lotus-filled pond, providing an idyllic setting for a luxurious treatment.

The spa offers one particular unique treatment, perfect for healing the body and the soul, known as ‘The Fountain of Youth'. The two and a half hour treatment is based around neem, a tree that has been revered in India for over 4,000 years and is a major herbal ingredient in Ayurvedic preparations.

From almost the very beginning of recorded human history, people have taken advantage of the remarkable neem tree. They use its branches, fruit and leaves to cure a surprising list of illnesses, some of which are considered to this day to be incurable by western medicine. Its medicinal qualities are outlined in early Sanskrit writings and its uses in Hindu medicine date back to very remote times. Even today, rural Indians refer to the neem tree as their "village pharmacy".

The Fountain of Youth begins with a foot soak followed by a coarse scrub made with neem and date seed, which when applied, alongside the strength of the therapist, leaves the skin renewed and the body ready to face the world anew. A quick shower follows, before a massage with neem oil and the application of a green tea and neem body mask, a cool lemon and frangipani bath, and a final application of neem body lotion.

An alternative treatment available at Four Seasons Sayan is the Tiger Grass Cooler. Based around tiger grass, or gotu kola to give it its local name, this treatment promises to tighten and tone skin naturally, while its hydrating properties leave skin positively radiant with health. A gotu kola and walnut body polish exfoliates skin, leaving it silky smooth, before the therapist performs an Abhyanga massage using warm oil. The long, looping strokes of this particular massage are extraordinarily relaxing, and prepare the mood for the subsequent tiger grass and oat mask wrap, designed to firm and moisturise the skin. After a scalp, neck and face massage, a frangipani and pandanus leaf bath awaits in the shady garden bathroom. Tiger grass and kukui nut body lotion provides a soothing end to the treatment and leaves skin feeling soft for hours after.

There's nothing quite like nature to soothe and rejuvenate the soul and senses and the treatments and environs of Four Seasons Sayan take advantage of only the best natural elements to induce total serenity.

Four Seasons Bali at Sayan
Sayan, Ubud, Gianyar 80571
T: +0361 977 577
fourseasons.com