Experience as Healing was the inaugural event of a series of experiential programming Normal created for Patina Hotels & Resorts to supercharge Patina brand experiences. Event took place on 2 -3 June, 2023 at Patina Maldives, Fari Islands.
Words: Jinou Park / Images: Guojie Khoo
For a short weekend in June, Normal brought together a group of leaders in the fields of nutritional psychology, health-tech and esoteric practices and headed to Fari Islands, one of the most beautiful, inspired places in the Indian Ocean, to explore new ideas about transformative powers of healing arts and sciences.
By 2025, an average connected person anywhere in the world is expected to interact with connected devices nearly 4,800 times per day – about one every 18 seconds (source – IDC). When technology wasn’t interrupting our natural rhythms, our lives were innately connected to the ebb and flow of the seasons, guided by the cadence of sun and the moon. Yearning to reconnect with nature and ourselves set the stage for deeper exploration of mindful habits and restorative practices. How we can unlearn old ways and acquire New Life Habits to ground, re-orientate and heal was the theme for Experience as Healing, which took place at Patina Maldives Fari Islands on June 2 and 3, 2023.
The two-day event kicked off with a call from a traditional Maldivian conch player to assemble. With the backdrop of the spectacular sunset, multi-instrument healing sound from Avery Whitmore, a Los Angeles based Healing Arts Practitioner led the guests settle into communal spirits. Some sat cross-legged on loosely thrown rugs and some on cushions to participate in ‘Learning to Breathe’, group breathwork session.
“Breathwork is a practice of conscious breathing that involves deep, intentional breathing techniques to help quiet the mind and promote relaxation. It is an integral part of many spiritual and mindfulness practices, including yoga and meditation, and has been used for centuries in cultures around the world,” said Avery. Avery is deeply committed to the transformative powers of sound, breath, and meditation and his commitment to live a life of service has led him to working with powerful, mission-driven clients and organizations – such as Chopra Global, Alo Moves, and more.
During the event, Avery hosted a masterclass on “Conscious, Connected, Deep Breathing” where participants practiced holding one’s breath for over a minute and, for some, even experience non-ordinary states of consciousness. After the class, some testified feelings of deep connection or a heightened sense of unity and connection to the surrounding. These were not just gimmicks of all-too-trendy wellness industry but genuine new awareness’s – something the guests opened their eyes to and took back home to further their New Life Habits.
Breathwork has gained renewed attention as a powerful tool for bodily, mental and emotional benefits with its hard benefits reported by the most rigorously peer-reviewed, respected medical journals. New England Journal of Medicine found that regular slow breathing exercises improved lung function and reduced asthma symptoms while International Journal of Behavioral Medicine reported breathwork was associated with improvements in immune system function in HIV patients.
When asked about the sources of such healing Avery says “while the benefits from this practice can be examined through a scientific lens, there is a profound spiritual aspect that cannot always be easily explained by science alone. Breathwork not only supports the immune system, but also bolsters emotional well-being. As energy flows more freely and our bodies become more connected, we experience greater unity with the cosmos, the earth, our hearts, and our visions. Breathwork offers an opportunity to deeply remember and reconnect with your truth and the universal truth.”
“while the benefits from this practice can be examined through a scientific lens, there is a profound spiritual aspect that cannot always be easily explained by science alone.”
Avery Whitemore
It’s not just esoteric and Eastern practices that are particularly resonating today. A deeply scientific topic that is getting much attention is sleep. Although we spend up to one-third of our lives asleep we know so little about it. Overall state of our “sleep health” remains an essential question throughout our lifespan. According to Sleep Cycle, not one country out of the 48 researched manages an average of 8 hours of sleep. In Japan national average is 5hrs 59min.
Experience as Healing invited Tony Estrella, a health-tech investor, author, and sleep expert to talk about ‘How great sleep helps creativity’. In fact, his debut fiction Comatose is about and inspired by his expertise in sleep and lucid dreaming.
On the foundational question of what sleep is and why it is important, Tony says: “the need for physical restoration for our overall health is obvious but equally important is the conscious and subconscious mind connection during sleep. What happens during sleep is conversion of short-term memory to long term memory and emotional regulation. Our sleep and dreams help us process ups and downs that happen throughout the day and remember those activities while dissipating the strength of the emotions tied to those activities.”
Tony started his sleep talk with a thought-provoking question: “What kind of sleeper are you?” and said, “If you actively dream, then it is likely that you are a good sleeper.” Drawing an analogy to different categories of runners, he equated them with various types of sleepers. At one end of the spectrum, he likened those who possess the ability to delve into the realm of lucid dreaming to ultramarathoners—an exclusive group capable of harnessing the power of sleep for creative purposes. Tony, being one of these individuals, utilised this gift to fuel his creativity in writing fiction novels.
“If you actively dream, then it is likely that you are a good sleeper.”
Tony Estrella
In the middle category, he acknowledged individuals who dream and recall their dreams but may not necessarily use them to inspire their creative endeavours. For those situated at the opposite end of the spectrum, referred to as “sleep hygienists,” who neither dream nor remember their dreams, Tony offered advice to focus on the wind-down period, approximately ninety minutes before bedtime. He suggested they explore activities that relax and unwind their minds, transitioning them away from being constant problem solvers.
Addressing the evolving consciousness surrounding sleep, Tony asserts, “In the near term, due to the growing interest in meditation, mindfulness, and corporate wellness initiatives, there will be an amplified focus on holistic health. Our understanding of sleep is intricately intertwined with the way we are reevaluating our lives.” Looking ahead, he foresees advancements in technology, noting that wearables and smart sensors will provide us with an more and more data, enabling us to better comprehend and enhance our understanding of sleep.
Reflecting on his time at the two-day program, Tony says “I love the notion of New Life Habits. The only way to build new habits is in a different environment, not at home where your habits are entrenched. Identifying what those new habits are and figuring out what level of commitment you need to have to establish those is key. I think that’s brining a little bit of this experience back home.”
While Experience as Healing introduced new and proper ways to breathe, sleep and dream, there was plenty of good-old fun, too. The two-day program packed in masterclasses and entertainment including shaking things up with Claire Warner, an award-winning positive drinking pioneer, to explore and enjoy non and low-alcoholic cocktails, learning to cook plant-based breakfast with Patina’s own garden-to-table Roots Restaurant Chef, Raphaella Llorente, traditional Maldivian Boduberu performances and late-night musical sessions with Umair, a Male-based DJ known for his creative use of world music samples.
Claire Warner eloquently encapsulated the essence of the event when she observed, “There’s a real interconnected understanding of how life works at Patina Maldives. Doing things mindfully and purposefully is about togetherness and connection and that’s what I want to encourage and raise a glass to”.
Experience as Healing event took place on 2 -3 June, 2023 at Patina Maldives Fari Islands. The program was the first in a series of experiential programming Normal created for Patina Hotels & Resorts.
Normal . 