A Place of Profound Healing

Imagine for a moment, a landscape, perhaps once volcanic, a picturesque combination of rocks, grass, trees and shrubs, encasing pools and gentle streams of warm and hot geothermal water, steam rising into the air, birds flying about, a playful breeze blowing in off the ocean, all bathed in gentle sunshine.

And further imagine, at this ancient place, different tribes coming to visit, to immerse themselves in the healing powers of mother nature, acknowledging each other without conflict, giving each other space, sharing moments, perhaps unable to communicate yet sharing a knowing, reuniting themselves with the healing gifts and regenerative powers of their mother earth.

We modern humans are a forgetful lot. As we dress in our designer clothes and strive to perfect our physical appearance, we lose connection with some deeply important wisdom.

The human body comprises trillions of cells. Only about 2 to 5% of those cells are actually human. Only this tiny percentage of cells combines to form our physical bodies, the bones, skin, connective tissue, muscles, organs, nerves, vascular tissue, blood, fascia and joint tissues. We refer to this group of cells as the human genome.

The remaining 95-98% of cells are microbes, predominantly aerobic bacteria, and fungi. This amazing group of microbes is called the Microbiome. It covers all of the external surfaces of our bodies: the skin; the gastrointestinal tract; the thoracic cavity; the respiratory passages; and the birth canal and vagina.

When the microbiome is thriving to its fullest potential, it creates a type of protective cocoon around the genome that prevents disease and sickness. The microbiome is 80% of our immune system.

Without it, we cannot live. Yet, for the past 100 years or so, not only have we been doing little to support it we’ve actively attacked it with antibiotics, chemicals, poor dietary habits, and an obsession with sanitation beyond what is necessary.

When we were conceived, that one fertilized cell multiplied only about 50 times to become the baby that was born. 100 trillion cells. More than all the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.

The whole thing was epigenetically orchestrated from outside the gene. Our species epigenome, working with the intergenic DNA led to some cells becoming organs and others becoming limbs etc. During this 9 month process, every phase of evolution was remembered, from the beginning of time.

On the day we were born, as we passed down through our mother’s birth canal, she gave us a final gift when she planted the ecology of the entire planet on our skin in the form of the white pasty substance called vernix. This was the start point of our microbiome. And during the first days of breast feeding, she gave us the rich colostrum which formed the microbiome in our gut.

Without this vital microbiome, we could not live. However, until recently we did not understand it and medicine dismissed it as a summary curiosity.

Whilst all of that may amaze you, there are many other aspects to human life that slide past our attention and are barely noticed. These include:

• The powerful impact of minerals on vital bodily functions. Minerals can be absorbed through the diet and through the skin.
• The subtle impact of magnetic fields and how they can either disturb or correct human biochemistry and physiology. For example, artificial magnetic fields coming from electrical cables have been shown to be destructive and cause disease, whilst gentler, more natural magnetic fields have been shown to be therapeutic.
• Walking barefoot on the earth, our bodies absorb the free electrons flowing up from the ground. These electrons neutralize free radicals which, in turn, leads to a lowering of inflammation and a de-clumping of blood platelets, thus improving circulation.
• Immersing ourselves in both heat and cold, helps to improve blood flow. Cold drives blood deep into the muscles whilst heat draws blood closer to the skin. A day of transitioning through a variety of different temperatures helps to tone the tissues of the vascular system.
• Walking around barefoot has a significant impact on our postural balance, core strength and kinesthetic awareness. There are over 8000 nerves in the feet, more than in any other part of the body. As we walk barefoot, we re-program the neuromuscular function of our entire postural structure.
• Walking barefoot on coarse ground also stimulates a variety of meridians that positively stimulate all the organs in the body.
• Exposing our skin to sunlight allows us to build our vitamin D levels. If you were to look at the human immune system as a grand orchestra, vitamin D would be the conductor. Without it, our immune response to viruses and disease is weak at best.

So, a visit to The Peninsula Hotsprings is an incredibly nurturing and harmonizing experience for your body, mind, and spirit.

It is not just about dunking yourself in mineral rich geothermal water. There is a complete and profound nurturing experience that takes place here.

As you walk down the path to the entrance, surrounded by trees and nestled in the sand dunes, it is as if you are walking into the doorway of mother nature’s heart. This is a moment for reverence, gratitude, and acceptance. You are entering what many cultures would observe as a sacred ritual. For you, it can be that.

Once inside this peaceful shrine of healing, clad in your swimwear and draped in a robe, you can set about a gentle wandering through the many experiences on offer. Different temperature pools, ranging from hot to almost freezing, saunas and ice caves, relaxation zones, water fountains, places to eat and open areas for communing, all welcoming you as you cast off the fatigue and cares of everyday living.

And whilst you consciously enjoy all these things, the delightfully crafted vegetation comprising trees, shrubs, water plants, grasses, and a food bowl, give off rich micro-organisms that flow into your body and enrich your microbiome.

The gentle breeze sweeping in off the Southern Ocean delivers fresh, ion rich air to your lungs whilst the sun gently warms and nourishes your skin. Walking barefoot across the ground, all manner of healing forces go to work, neutralizing free radicals and offering much needed therapy to your central nervous system and your postural muscles.

In his book “Chasing the Scream”, Johann Hari writes that the opposite of addiction is connection. As you meander through the springs, taking time in pools and stretching out in relaxation zones, or strolling along paths, you meet many strangers, fellow humans who are also immersing themselves in the healing powers of the earth.

Without needing to say a word, you connect, perhaps smile, or a nod as you pass. This continues for the duration of your visit. Connection does not require a verbal exchange. It is a sharing of a moment. With each connection, your heart opens and your mind calms. The normal competitive push and pull of daily life does not exist here. You get a chance to just be you, connecting peacefully and appreciatively with others.

Self-consciousness fades as your attention naturally wanders out into the world, noticing the beauty, the fun and the lightness of people communing to rejuvenate.

And all of this is supplemented by delicious and nutritious foods, juices, massage and a variety of other healing modalities.

As you leave the area and head back to your car, you can feel the experience in every cell of your body. Refreshed, restored, ready to re-enter the world.

Peninsula Hotsprings is more than you might have thought. I ask that when you prepare to enter, take a moment. You are entering a special place and will be engaging in a sacred ritual as you commune with mother earth. This is a truly magical experience.