Hydrotherapy, involves the use of water for soothing pains and treating diseases. Its use has been recorded in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilizations. Egyptian royalty bathed with essential oils and flowers, while Romans had communal public baths for their citizens. Hippocrates prescribed bathing in spring water for sickness. A Dominican monk, Sebastian Kneipp, again revived it during the 19th century in the US. His book My Water Cure in 1886 was published and translated into many languages.
The first naturopathic physicians, at the turn of the century used hydrotherapy as a major treatment for illness. In Europe, water has along history of use for all sorts of ailments in particular rheumatic disease. Clinics built on the sea shore use sea water while other facilities built on hot springs use mineral water, for their medical value.
Sea water, acidic water and brackish water are all used in our therapies for relaxation and more precise physical therapy treatments for conditions such as arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or spinal cord injuries, spasticity, stroke or paralysis. Relaxation is promoted from just floating in warm water, enjoying the caress of the soft breeze. Deeper emotional work may be accomplished in water such as facing fears and deepening trust.
Our Kapoho sanctuary has been chosen for its location in the middle of tidal pools and natural geothermal pools. It is our favorite location for watsu sessions.
WATSU
Water is the perfect medium to learn how to relax and to work on body tensions. Floatation activates the parasympathetic system and triggers a relaxation response.
Feeling light creates a pleasurable feeling, makes you feel supported accepted and well. Some movements are possible in water that are not in normal circumstances and it benefits anyone with physical restrictions or enhances one’s physical abilities. Water dancing, floating watsu are all offered near the ocean in the magical environment of the warm springs.
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The following health benefits have been observed during floatation
•Oxygen consumption decreases
•Breathing slows
•Heart rate slows
•Blood pressure decreases
•Muscle tension decreases
•A growing sense of ease in body, calmness in mind
I first started integrating water floatation in my practice in the 70′s at Orr Hot Springs. At the time, I was leading healing circles and had a few weekend retreats where we explored floating each other in the warm spring.
Testimonial: Meg
Weight loss, emotional healing & water therapy (Watsu)
August 12, 2007
Dear Dr. Baylac,
Thank you so much for your whole-souled approach in helping me physically and emotionally!! What a beautiful expression of love for life and truth you are!
Thank you for honesty and your patience with me. – I know my path forward now to reclaim my health will be slow, but you’ve given me good guidelines to follow. When you told me my first day here, that you represented my commitment to myself. I felt relief. At last! -
Water therapy! – Wonderful experience. I felt like a little orbiting sphere at the mercy of nature, but trusting that good would happen! –
I will work on maintaining the unresistant spirit I felt in my spiritual path and stop focusing on the problems.
Anyway – thanks for everything! -
Meg
P.S.
The following is how I felt about the water therapy treatment.
It is said that touch has an honesty beyond words. I found this to be so true as I experienced the Water Therapy Treatment at the Hawaiian Naturopathic Retreat Center!!
The experience gave me memories I will never forget! Gently swirling in a volcanically warmed pool, framed by softly swaying palm trees, and cooled by the occasional light wave from the ocean, I felt:
Unresistant
submissive
free of judgment…(no thoughts of fat, thin, good, bad)
new
in awe
sense of wonder
innocent
silent communication
raised up…exulted
like a leaf in a gentle current
fragile and at the mercy of nature, yet trusting that good will happen
buoyant
expectant
exciting
surprised
playful
love
The Water Therapy Treatment touched me on a physical, emotional and spiritual level!!
Thank you Dr. Baylac!! That was a truly wonderful and unforgettable moment!!
Meg
BATH SALTS – ALKALINE CONCENTRATED
Waste is acidic and during a detox, we recommend warm alkaline baths. We use a product from Germany called AlkaBath. AlkaBath® stimulates the skin’s natural oils and at the same time cleanses the skin, making it perfectly supple.
Body care has been alkaline since the time of the Egyptians, the ancient Greeks and the Romans. These civilizations used sodium bicarbonate, milk, or alkaline soaps for body care. Grandma’s curd cheese compresses also belong to this tradition of alkaline body care. In former times, all care of the elderly was carried out with soft soap with pH values of greater than 9.0.
AlkaBath® concentrated bath salts, with a pH value of 8.0-8.5 (depending on initial value and hardness of the bath water), stands firmly in this venerable tradition.
AlkaBath® is extremely well suited for both full baths and hip baths. Special applications include salt socks, gloves, shirts and compresses. AlkaBath® can also be used for massage, dental care and alkaline rinses.
Why not try out the soothing effects of long baths in alkaline bathwater – for your feet or your whole body. Experience the feeling of well being that caring for your skin, hands or feet with salt gloves, socks, or shirts can bring. AlkaBath® is also ideally suited for care of the genital and rectal regions in conjunction with a bidet.
We recommend that the bath water be at a temperature of approximately 36-38°C and that you bathe for at least 30 minutes, but preferably for 45-60 minutes. Leaching baths lasting for hours were traditional in ancient Japan and Mexico, and are still practiced in those cultures today, for the achievement of physical and spiritual well-being. Rubbing down the body every ten minutes during the bath with a granular washcloth or stiff bathbrush has been shown to promote circulation and stimulate the organism as a whole.
Warm, alkaline baths do both body and soul a world of good during the cold winter months. By the same token, refreshing full baths or foot baths have been shown to have beneficial effects during the warm months as well.