The Story Of ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy

Nestled at 32/8 A Flower Road, you may find the innovative and inimitable ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy establishment, which is the only establishment offering Genuine Ayurveda in Colombo. I happened upon the place while scouring Tripadvisor, and I was fortunate enough to experience the healing virtues of one of their treatments — known as Shareera Abyanga — that lasted 60 minutes.

Unlike other Ayurveda establishments in Colombo, the ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy offers not only just a treatment but an analysis of your body type and advice on self care and diet; a certificate detailing your dosha, a list of dos and don’ts, and a food list applicable to your body type is provided. This was certainly something novel, and is not something I’ve come across in Sri Lanka.

The half-, full- and multi-day Ayurvedic programs begin with a consultation and dosha diagnosis by an Ayurvedic doctor who has undergone rigorous training in the discipline. Clients are assured of privacy and confidentiality as far as their medical history is concerned, while the  ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy have the facility of offering you a prescription along with medication for whatever ills that you may have.

The establishment is certainly very professional and genuine, and uses proper Ayurveda oils that are mixed specifically for your body type and addresses whatever ailments that you may have. It is also a very clean, and is an oasis of peace and quiet. Having being registered by the Department of Ayurveda under the Ministry of Health, the CEO of ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy, Mr. Wantanabe Yasuma, passionately spoke of the 5Cs that form the pillars of this establishment.

The 5Cs are as follows:

Consultation: Provide a doctor’s consultation to all

Certificate: Issue the medical certificate, describes Dosha and a treatment record to all

Combination: Body massage is done by two person, it is ‘Genuine Ayurveda’ based on medical evidence

Clinical record (Karte): Save a clinical record (Karte), for supporting a continued treatment

Cleanliness: Provide a service in the always clean environment.

Walking around the place, you will be pleasantly surprised at how courteous and polite the therapists and doctors are. Moreover, I have not come across a more cleaner, genuine, and hygienic establishment in Colombo. The ambience is calm with rustic overtones, and the decor is visually quite pleasing with facilities such as hot water showers being present.

While the majority of spa venues in Sri Lanka are locally-owned, this particular establishment is Japanese-owned; Mr. Yasuma has lived in Sri Lanka for over 5 years, and speaks of how enticing Sri Lanka is, and he firmly believes that Ayurveda is a national treasure and can be showcased to the rest of world in a better way.

While many locals do visit, it must be said that at present, most of the clientele who visit ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy are foreigners at the moment, but the majority are impressed enough to keep coming back. With professionalism being an important component when it comes to the ethos of the place, which focuses on being very genuine, it needs to be mentioned that therapy sessions are done male-to-male and female-to-female.

The treatment packages are extensive and feature a la carte spa treatments including abhyanga, which is a four-hand massage with lots of herbal oil. While you certainly can choose your own treatment as per your preference, the Ayurvedic doctor may propose a different treatment based on your dosha type.

Speaking of my own experience at the ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy establishment, I’ve learned more about Ayurveda and my body type than ever before. I found out that my dosha type is Pitta, and that I should avoid foods such as tomato and mustard while favoring foods such as apple, snake gourd, lotus root and ghee. Additionally I should avoid loud noises, long trips and overthinking; whereas, meditation and swimming are things that I should consider doing.

Suffice to say, there aren’t other places in Colombo that offer such an extensive list of treatments and health-changing advice. In this day and age when modern life comes with a too many stressors that affect both mental and physical health, it needs to be stated that one needs to be prepared to take on life with a sense of vitality. It is certainly advisable to check out ExSerendib Ayurveda Cure & Therapy and find your sense of balance mentally and physically so that you’ll find yourself in excellent health.

For reservations: 077-8929-111/ 011-7446-111.

Website: www.exserendib-ayurveda.com.

Healing Island: Nature’s Bliss

By Michelle Alles

All you lovers of natural products get ready for a luxurious and uplifting experience as Healing Island by Fired Earth (Pvt) Ltd. brings you a delightful array of all natural, coconut oil-based Aromatherapy oils, Massage oils, Incense sticks, Face packs, Bath salts, scented and unscented candles, Handmade soaps and Tea-light candles that you will adore!

Stopping by the beautiful home of Dila Weerasinghe that exudes such serenity, she told us that she took over Healing Island 2 years ago from a close friend. Dila is an artist and held her first solo exhibition in 2014. After 17 years in the apparel industry, Dila decided to take a break from it in order to pursue art full-time, but fate had other plans when a long-time friend asked her to take on her company of 15 years which had been and still is retailing their products exclusively at Odel since its inception. Having associated with the employees of Fired Earth before, Dila was well acquainted with them, their abilities and expertise and she knew she could make a success of it.

With her own experience and glowing skin, Dila noted that most people actively try to minimize the amount of toxins that enter their body by eating good food, drinking purified water and detoxifying as often as possible. However, what many don’t realize is that toxins can be absorbed through the skin. “People should take more care in selecting the kind of soap they use and other things they rub on their skin” she told us.  Switching to natural soap might be a good idea if you want to minimize the toxins you are exposed to,” she said.

“Healing Island is a niche market brand that is for holistic living and making healthy choices. All of the products are blended in Sri Lanka to exclusive recipes of Healing Island,” Dila stated. “There are no added chemicals and every product is made from 100% natural ingredients. For example our handmade soaps are 100% vegetarian and glycerine free. In order to set the soap; the natural glycerine created from the coconut oil itself is what is in the product. What’s more, the packaging for each product is made out of natural paper and leaves in keeping with the product standards. Healing Island also seeks to assist the smallholders and give them business in their area of work. We want to empower women in the rural communities to make their own living, so we have them make the packaging for all the products and even the package labels are done by very small-time businesses to help them,” she said.

 

 The Aromatherapy oils are basically burn oils to be burnt in aroma pots for fragrance. Massage oils are blended to a special recipe to pamper your body and feel rejuvenated. Face packs are all natural blends powdered finely to be used as a face mask and scrub. Ingredients in these masks and scrubs were used by our queens in the times gone by. The luxury of scented bath salts helps the body to relieve aches and pains. And of course to enjoy all of this, light up a fragrant candle to experience the fragrance of romance and feel the bliss!

Dila further added that Fired Earth (Pvt) Ltd also produces custom-made/private labelled gift packs with an assortment of their products and takes on bulk orders for companies as seasonal gifts for their clients. Healing Island has a very bright future as its products are set to attract many consumers who desire a natural holistic life style. Dila informed us that she hopes to expand her business by creating awareness on being natural. “I want our customers to experience the wonderful products offered with natural ingredients and have a truly Sri Lankan blend of pampering,” Dila said with a smile. She also added that a wide range of Healing Island products are available exclusively at ODEL (Pvt) Ltd in all their store locations.