A review of the healing treatments and plant-based menu at Fivelements, Bali

With the announcement that Fivelements will be opening its first Fivelements Habitat, a new urban retreat in Causeway Bay this summer, we headed to the original award-winning wellness retreat in Bali to experience some of its diverse offerings: plant-based cuisine, holistic health and natural spa treatments, and sacred arts.

The consult

Prior to my visit, I consulted with Fivelements’ wellness curator about the different experiences available at the retreat, which ranged from culinary retreats to healing journeys. We settled on an “emotional detox” in order to prepare for the new year.

See also: 7 Healthy Eating Havens In Bali

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Above A suite at Fivelements Bali (Photo: Courtesy of Fivelements)

Healing treatments

During my two-day stay at Fivelements Bali, I experienced three healing treatments: the Panca Mahabhuta, reiki session and fire blessing ritual. Note: it's not recommended to do all of your healing treatments in one day, so mine were spread out during my stay.

Panca Mahabhuta

On the first day, I experienced a traditional healing treatment (Panca Mahabhuta) with Balinese healer Pak Wayan, whose aim was to balance the five elements (water, air, fire, earth and space) in the body.

Coming from a family of healers, Wayan started the session with a prayer and chanted some mantras while I began to relax. Moving his hands over my body, he checked my chakras and immediately set about clearing the blockages—mental, emotional and physical—by pressing lightly on different parts of my body.

Word of warning: if you suffer from blockages, this treatment can be quite painful especially on the feet. After the treatment, Pak Wayan told me to meditate more (to slow down my mind) and to eat more fruit and vegetables.

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Above Cleansing the feet (Photo: Courtesy of Fivelements)

Reiki session

I also experienced a Reiki session with energy healer, Joanna, who combines shamanic and Reiki energy healing. Using crystals, sound and sacred essences, she is able to pinpoint the potential causes of emotional trauma that might be stuck in the body and manifesting in illness. 

I quickly fell into a meditative trance while she set about balancing my energy and at the end of the session, we discussed what I had felt and seen during my “journey.” She also gave me her insights about the potential emotional causes to my physical ailments, along with some further reading. I would definitely recommend this treatment to anybody open-minded to holistic healing. 

See also: 7 Beauty & Wellness Trends For 2019

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Above Energy healing at Fivelements (Photo: Courtesy of Fivelements)

Fire blessing ritual

The final step of my emotional detox was a fire blessing ritual to let go of any unwanted aspects in my life. By far my favourite treatment at Fivelements, this healing ritual with the ever-cheerful Balinese priest Pak Nyoman started with him ringing the Balinese bell over a ceremonial fireplace while chanting Sanskrit mantras. 

I started out slightly confused whether I should say or throw anything into the fire, but I quickly settled into a rhythm by pouring ghee into the fire to feed the flames while he recited the mantras. As the fire burned, I became aware of all the things I needed to let go of in life in order to move ahead.

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Above The fire blessing ritual (Photo: Courtesy of Fivelements)

Spa treatments

Fivelements is as well-known for their spa treatments as they are for their healing treatments, and I was able to experience the Super Food Facial and Sakti Ritual during my stay. 

Super Food Facial

I'm no stranger to chemical peels and laser treatments, so I was intrigued whether this Super Food Facial (which makes use of natural ingredients only) would be effective. It started with Bali-grown neem to cleanse the skin, followed by an aromatic floral steam bath to open the pores before a fresh pineapple enzyme serum was applied to draw out impurities.

The therapist then massaged my face gently with chilled quartz crystals to stimulate and energise the skin before applying fresh aloe vera gel to calm it down. Lastly, the therapist gave me a relaxing arm, shoulder and head massage while my spirulina-seaweed mask worked its magic. The result? Baby-soft skin, tighter pores and not a blackhead in sight.

See also: The Best Wellness Retreats In Asia To Visit Now

Tatler Asia
Above The bath at Fivelements (Photo: Courtesy of Fivelements)

The Sakti Ritual

For those who love to be pampered, the Fivelements Sakti Ritual is a must. My treatment started with a quick meditation followed by a relaxing deep muscle body massage, followed by a strong body scrub using crystal sea salt infused with holy basil and lemongrass to exfoliate the skin. Next, I soaked in a luxuriously revitalising bath filled with healing ingredients such as lemongrass, orange, lime, pandan leaves and ginger to improve circulation and awaken the senses.

Plant-based food

Fivelements’ Sakti Dining Room serves “epicurean plant-based, raw vegan living foods cuisine." Before the trip, I had mentally braced myself for a low-calorie, starvation raw food diet (like I'd experienced at many other wellness retreats), but was pleasantly surprised to find that my meals were not only delicious but included many extremely filling, hot dishes made with organic ingredients sourced from local farmers.

See also: 15 Hong Kong Vegan Accounts To Follow On Instagram

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Some of my favourites included the “Barley Risotto” with moringa, miso, fermented cheese and herbs from their medicinal garden, the “Balinese Green Urab-Urab” with organic greens, vegetables, herbs, coconut bacon and aromatic Balinese dressing, and a smoked pumpkin soup with fresh tomatoes that the chefs had made off-menu that night as an experiment for new dishes.

Verdict

During my short stay at Fivelements in Bali, I learned that even though I regularly detoxed physically, I also needed to detox emotionally, since holding on to past emotions can also manifest in physical illness.

With the opening of Fivelements Habitat in Times Square this summer, it's great to know that all these treatments will be so much more accessible now for city-dwellers like me. 

Fivelements will open the first Fivelements Habitat in Times Square, Hong Kong from summer 2019, followed by two other locations in Hong Kong’s central business districts over the coming 18 months. For more information, visit fivelements.org

See also: Fivelements To Open Yoga & Sacred Arts City Destination In Causeway Bay

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