There couldn’t be a better time to place more of a focus on our health as the autumn months lend themselves to contemplation of what matters, how to achieve it and how to feel good as the summer comes to a close and the winter months linger before us. Thus, we welcome two wonderful festivals that will allow to take charge of your body and mind with the holistic healing benefits of Ayurveda and Cacao with two festivals coming up this month in Bodrum.
Taking place this weekend on Nov. 16 and 17 at Bodrium Hotel and Spa, situated in the Eskiçeşme neighborhood of central Bodrum and conveniently located near Myndos Gate. Türkiye’s sole Ayurveda Festival, this is the second edition to be taking place in the country’s most popular holiday destinations, which now also counts as the largest city on the southern coast. For those who live there, this is one of the most anticipated times of the year as the summer seems to linger with temperatures drawing the daring to the sea, while also making it pleasant to be outdoors. With the bustling crowds of the summer having subsided, the fall months are also a highly desirable time to visit this beautiful region of the country, and the Ayurveda Festival coming up this weekend, definitely provides an excellent excuse.
Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The word "Ayurveda" comes from two Sanskrit words: "ayur," meaning life, and "veda," meaning knowledge or science. So, Ayurveda literally translates to "the science of life." It is a holistic healing system that emphasizes balance in the body, mind and spirit and aims to maintain health and prevent disease rather than just treat symptoms. The key principles of Ayurveda are based on the idea that the universe, and the human body, are composed of five fundamental elements: earth, water, fire, air and space, which combine in each individual to create a specific “dosha.” These dosha are Vata (air and space), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth) and are specific to each individual.
Ayurveda treats each person as unique, taking into account their individual constitution. Treatment plans are highly personalized and can include dietary changes, herbal remedies, lifestyle adjustments, yoga and meditation. Ayurveda believes that mental health and physical health are interconnected. The state of one’s mind influences bodily functions and vice versa. For example, stress or negative emotions can contribute to physical ailments like digestive issues or skin conditions. While Ayurveda is centuries old, it has gained widespread interest in the West in recent decades, particularly for its focus on preventative care, holistic health and the use of natural remedies. Many Ayurvedic practices, such as the use of herbs and yoga, are increasingly incorporated into modern wellness and integrative medicine.
Organized in conjunction with Bodrum municipality and the Indian Consulate, Ayurfest is Türkiye’s sole festival devoted entirely to promoting this type of wellness and healing. It is free to attend and open to all interested in learning more about this holistic approach to health. For two full days, the Bodrium Hotel will be hosting the leading medical practitioners and nutrition and sustainability specialists in Türkiye who will be introducing the concepts of Ayurveda in seminars held throughout both days. There will also be stands presenting various brands that contribute to and enhance the ayurvedic lifestyle throughout the festival. Bringing together a long line-up of experts on Ayurveda and holistic healing, there will be a number of panels held to discuss Ayruveda cuisine and its health benefits, from “Ayurveda as a Natural Living System,” which is the first panel to be held on Saturday, to the next, which will go into depth on the ingredients of this plant-based diet and how to incorporate them into meals. The third panel of the day will focus on Ayurveda and its role in balancing and transforming the body, which will include Dr. Ender Saraç of the Hay Clinic and Cardiovascular Surgeon Dr. Selim Tansal and Orthopedic and Trauma Specialist Dr. Nadir Şener, both from Bodrum’s Acıbadem Hospital and will be moderated by Dr. Buğra Öktem of Charak Ayurveda & Crassula Detox. The day will then close with a seminar on the effects of the chemicals in products on our skin.
Sunday’s sessions include a seminar on herbal teas, a panel on Ayurveda and mindfulness and the balance of the body. Spirit and mind. Moderated by Ekin İlyasoğlu one of the organizers of Ayurfest it will be attended by Ayurveda Doktor, Wellness & Spa Stratejist Dr. Koshlendra Pratap, Therapist Iris Steinfeld Akıncı, Dr. Rakesh Bishnoi of Ayush and Transcendental Meditation Specialist Barış Türkkan.
In the mid-day, there will be a seminar on sustainability in the kitchen with guests Aslıhan Mutlu Karnas from Slow Food and chef Gülhan Öz Özer. This will be followed by one of the most-anticipated panels on “Ayurveda and Longevity and Being Well.” It will be moderated by Dr. Ender Saraç and participated in by Dr. Buğra Öktem of Charak Ayurveda & Crassula Detox, both of which are the country’s most well-known experts in the subject. The panel will include Ebru Şinik, the founder of the Yükselen Çağ Wellbeing Academy and Association, Görkem Bayındır, an expert pharmacist and founder of the Wellself Healthy Living Platform, and Cardiovascular Surgeon Dr. Selim Tansal. One of the final events will be a session honing in on Ayurveda and breast health. The festival will close with a very special Q&A session with the doctors on board followed by a Satsang, which is a devotional ceremony that includes meditation and chanting.
Cacao refers to the raw, unprocessed form of chocolate and is derived from the seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree, which is native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. Not to be confused with cocoa, which is also the bean at a different stage of processing, cacao is revered for its mood-enhancing properties, being rich in antioxidants and magnesium and improving cognitive function and heart health. The awareness of its benefits has surged in recent years, leading to various cacao ceremonies in which people consume cacao as a drink together as a wellness practice.
Over the weekend of Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, Pab Bodrum, which is located right on the beach in Müskebi, between Bitez and Ortakent, will be hosting a free two-day event that will include workshops, seminars, exhibitions, musical performances, cacao ceremonies and stands of items surrounding this Latin American tradition that is now conquering the world.
