Page 31 - DreamScapes Magazine | Winter/Spring 2022

Channelling Spirituality and Nature
Their dedication came through clearly in my encounters with everyone from gurus and resort staff to fishermen and farmers. Jakes Hotel’s resident health and wellness coach, Dr. Empress Thandi Wise, demonstrated how yoga helps healing and led us in meditation while her musician husband, Stephen, played the didgeridoo. She also taught us the benefits of juicing local produce such as callaloo, fruits, herbs and coconut.
In addition to yoga and meditation, the on-site Drift- wood Spa offers massages and herbal wraps in open-air treatment rooms at the water’s edge. I surrendered to the fragrant Irish sea moss and aloe wrap. By contrast, 65- year-old Rasta herbalist Shirley Genus dishes out tribal steam baths, deep-tissue rubs and liberal doses of mysti- cism from her fieldstone-and-stucco studio in the wild.
I started every morning at the elegant eco-friendly Sea- weed Villa with freshly brewed Blue Mountain coffee and assorted fruits. After dipping into the oceanfront pool, I’d stroll over to the funky outdoor restaurant to check the chalkboard for the breakfast menu. Made-to-order items included callaloo omelettes, banana porridge, bammie and watermelon juice. And at a cooking lesson by chef Kern, we learned how to stir-fry a traditional Jamaican ackee-and-saltfish breakfast.
Our carefully crafted meals at the hotel varied with the seasonal homegrown ingredients. One casual beachfront lunch at Jack Sprat featured just-caught grilled snapper,
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