about usAs we move further into the new millennium,
it has become increasingly apparent that it is evolution’s imperative that we as a species must learn to embody a “both-and”, sometimes recently called “integral”, consciousness. The either-or adolescent era of the modern and “postmodern” world of seeking happiness through concentrating on building up the body, material wealth -- or building up the mind with spiritual disciplines – seeking self-advancement or self-improvement in one manner or the other, has proven disappointing to many. Despite, or in reality because of, the many “silver bullet” approaches recommended and undertaken in the last 30-40 years by any number of teachers or coaches, it has become apparent that neglecting the body in favor of the mind or spirit, or vice-versa, does not bring satisfaction. For us to be truly healthy, happy, and (w)holy, we now know we must be in balance. We are called to create open pathways in both our body and psyche in order for “the inexhaustible energy of the universe to flow through us into time” (one definition of “finding the Grail” offered by mythologist Joseph Campbell).
The life story of Guy Hopkins and the pioneering and still leading edge spa environment he has created with his wife Toi on the Thai island of Samui (and soon to be extended to Spa Chiang Mai) is one integral and holistic approach that has been bound beneficial by literally thousands of adventuresome people from around the world -- a great number of whom return repeatedly to give themselves a tune-up in whatever individual life vehicle they may be humming or sputtering along in at any given time.
- Duncan Campbell, Host of Internationally Acclaimed Living Dialogues.
"Duncan Campbell’s program, Living Dialogues, is a real trend-setter for the kind of media programming we need in the future. It is uniquely transformative and deep."
- Deepak Chopra
The SPA Story Has Its Roots in My Personal Experience, Together With That of My Wife Toi – by Guy Hopkins
In 1979 I had lived in Maui, Hawaii for almost 4 years, where I had a restaurant and bar in Paia, an old cowboy town on the way to the famous Hana. As I came to realize, I was not experiencing the healthiest lifestyle, despite the beautiful surroundings. Like a number of others of my generation in that era, my idea of relaxing and having a good time was to sit socializing and drinking a lot with friends (and customers). I didn’t really exercise or pay much attention to my diet, etc. So at the age of 38 I decided to do something about my bad habits and start to do something in line with taking care of myself. I had a friend in much the same state so one night while tanking up at the local Lahiana gin mill we decided that jogging would be a good start to the road to feeling better and living longer. On the next and first morning, I ran about 1/2 mile and fell in the dirt, on a sugar cane road, gasping for breath. That was entirely due to the fact that I couldn't jog if I couldn't breathe. So the next thing to do was to stop smoking and drinking. Soon it became apparent to me that exercise was something that could bring me great benefit. After about 6 months I was running up to 35 miles per week.
Then the next revelation.
My mother called me from California to inform me she was "terminally ill" with cancer and "could I come home and help her". So within a few weeks I had sold my business and I was back in Tiburon, California. When I walked in the door my mom handed me a copy of a book entitled "The Cure for Cancer with Vitamin C" by Dr. Linus Pauling. As it turned out this book also recommended colon cleansing and fasting. Well we tried this and a few other therapies but unfortunately it was too late a start for my dear mom. She died on October 1st 1980. In the meantime I had taken very seriously the idea of getting her well and taking responsibility for my own health and had enrolled in a 200-hour "Swedish Massage" course at a Marin County Health College. What I began to learn here would take me to investigate why we have sickness and what can we do to feel better and not get sick. Over the next 10 years I kept thinking about this end.
What would it take to make us all feel healthy and happy? Is there a way to great health and longevity? In 1981 my life’s journey took me to Thailand, and I have remained based there ever since, discovering and implementing the answers I discovered to these questions.
On May 15,1992 my Thai wife Toi and I opened The Spa Resort on Lamai Beach on the Thai island of Samui. How this came about and what happened after is very well described in the most interesting and enjoyable dialogue I had after his first visit with repeat guest Duncan Campbell, host of the internationally acclaimed program Living Dialogues (and now townhouse owner in the Spa Chiang Mai). You can listen to this very informative dialogue by clicking on www.tinyurl.com/2jkuna, and scrolling down to our dialogue entitled “Integral Health-Spa Samui”. More dialogues and information regarding the numerous other transformational thinkers Duncan has dialogued with can be found by scrolling on that www.tinyurl.com/2jkuna site and on www.livingdialogues.com, and in the Spa’s video library.
I realized that with the longer life span we have developed in the 20th century, chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and others are now attacking many of us. And the sad thing is it is simply does not have to happen. I found by getting back to basics.... cleaning out the body, exercise, relaxation, proper diet and proper breathing, one could enjoy optimum vitality, rid oneself of disease and feel great. I have come to call this integral approach to health, longevity, and happiness “The Five Habit System to Longevity”.
There are growing concerns throughout the world regarding one's own personal health and health care in general. The simple answer is not to get sick. It seems to be eluding most of us. It is more sensible for the population to promote the basic integral health practices such as those embodied in the Five Habits: nutrition, fasting, exercise, proper breathing and relaxation in order to get ourselves back on our feet! But the responsibility for everyone's health, vitality and wellness lies with each individual. That's what the SPA (Samui) Resort is all about. We offer the tools for you to learn to develop better health and a better quality of life, and it's up to you.
Many people, from all walks of life and professions, are discovering that it is their own responsibility to take care of themselves and not get sick. At The SPA Resorts we now offer a wide range of holistic health practices. In addition we have a Health Library of healing, rejuvenation, meditation, holistic health and exercise books as well as audio and video cassettes for further learning those things and cutting-edge evolutionary discoveries that make us feel good naturally. These are for body and mind purification to rejuvenate and help us all learn the way to better health and awareness. Part of our philosophy is that the "The Deal" is still alive and well in Thailand, as it was in1981 when I moved to this wonderful country. Therefore all our services and programs are very reasonably priced and optional, to make them available to as many people as are interested. The programs are outlined on our website: www.spasamui.com. Here the "Five Habit System to Longevity" is the basis, supplemented by many other offerings. Nothing is compulsory, and you are free to take advantage of our extensive book, audio, and video library, and put together whatever components you feel are best suited to your own health and interests. We also have health practitioners and other workshop leaders visiting throughout the year to help enlighten each other.
We now offer Yoga, Chi Gong, Meditation, Massage and Rieki classes on a regular basis, as well as four times weekly “tea times” for our amazing guests from all parts of the globe to take advantage of getting to know one another in an informal atmosphere, accompanied by the best oolong teas of Taiwan and Thailand.
We strive to offer our friends (guests) a "part of the family" atmosphere. We have over 140 Thai employees now of which 35 are blood relatives to my wife Toi. They are all from the Northeast (Esan) part of Thailand known for their loving kindness.
Everyone feels the difference.
We offer splendid home cooking with our Thai Vegetarian, Raw food & Seafood cuisine at our Radiance Restaurants , it is superb! We have traveled all over Thailand to find the best of all recipes and we think we've got the finest selections of Thai Vegetarian food, together with splendid chicken and fish dishes. We've brought top Raw Food chefs from USA to teach us, and have added that component to our menu as well. It's not just one of the best restaurants in Thailand, but rated one of the 50 best restaurants in the world by a leading British food magazine.
A great spot to rebuild your body, your mind, and change habits! This has been, and continues to be, my life work, and I am dedicated to sharing the insights I have received from so many others in turn with others at whatever level of interest anyone may have.
"The Art of a Healthy Good Time"
