Spa treatments just the tonic for what ails you
Spa treatments just the tonic for what ails you
Judy Chapman, Contributor, Ubud, Bali
There is a welcome stillness in the air and nothing but the sound
of a waterfall below. Before me, dozens of coconut bowls are
filled with brightly colored substances, creating a visual feast
for my eyes.
The aroma of fresh lime caresses my nose, lifting my spirits
for a moment before being grounded by the earthy tones of
cinnamon and clove. Enthralled, I watch a goddess of Indonesian
beauty, Feni Sri Sulistiawati, at home in creating long lasting
beauty through her innovative spa range Jamu-Jamu.
I am here at what is considered to be Bali's first holistic
spa retreat.
Bagus Jati, the newly opened five-star wellness retreat -- it
chooses the term "well-being" -- set high in the mountains above
Ubud, has truly one of the most beautiful spas I've been blessed
to experience. Yesterday I had an Ayurvedic shirodhara -- where
warm oils are poured over the head and massaged -- and today I am
looking forward to the exfoliation scrub made out of pandan leaf
and cinnamon under a Vichy shower that I'm going to receive
today.
Feni is the woman behind both the products and staff training
for Bagus Jati health and well-being retreat, with her product
company Jamu Jamu -- a comprehensive spa range that is currently
being launched in spas and retail stores around Europe, Australia
and Asia.
The range includes unisex skin and body care together with a
unique range of pre-blended and dry mixes that can be used in spa
treatments.
Of course, the name is taken from the time-honored Javanese
medicinal remedies and herbal tonics created from fresh blended
ingredients which are sold every day on the streets of this
country.
"Jamu has its essence in the translation 'to serve life'" Feni
said. "It's a manifestation of a miraculous system of Indonesian
medicine mainly derived from Chinese and Ayurvedic influences."
She explains how traditionally women would come around to
villages with their medicinal tonics made from plants, and it
continues to have a hold on the public, with an estimated 70
percent of Indonesians still using it for what ails them.
"Many modern men and women still use and practice every day
the ritual of making jamu from fresh herbs, fruits, spices, roots
and vegetables as remedies and tonics for vitality and health,"
she said.
"We are a modern company maintaining a relationship with the
natural world by practicing the science of Asian botanical
rejuvenation through the use of natural beauty treatments.
"Jamu is in my blood. My birthplace is Semarang in Java, the
traditional birthplace of Jamu and as a child I experienced
firsthand the true medicinal qualities of my grandmother blending
jamu.
"My inspiration for a new product often comes when I am in the
process of blending," she said, laughing. "I love seeing and
playing with color and texture. When I was pregnant I would often
think what oil would make me feel good today and before I knew it
I had created a body cream."
She says that her approach to beauty and spa combines the
science of aromatherapy.
"I try and capture the life force of indigenous plants and
flowers, roots and bark and bring this into the gentle ritual of
the spa."
She says much of her motivation stems from her passion to
bring the story of the natural ingredients that she learnt from
her grandmother and combine this with East and Western
philosophies to the world. She said this was why this year's
product range is called "secrets of the east".
Feni explains that in the past recipes were not recorded and
many therapeutic recipes have disappeared.
"Traditionally, they were recorded on dried coconut leaves or
verbally passed down from mother to daughter, and hence many
recipes are at risk of being lost forever."
This has led Feni and her husband to set up a non-profit
organization and an archive library, the Tamtuwamsi Foundation,
to preserve these traditions. They have also started a medicinal
herb garden at Bagus Jati to begin preserving endangered plants
and record the growing patterns, and are also initiating local
community trade programs.
"Our mission is to preserve and keep alive ancient traditions
of herbal medicines and remedies and preserve the beautiful
mystery of nature," Feni said. "The sacredness of this earth
depends on our combined mission to care."
Her product range is packaged in classic recycled glass
bottles, nonbleached paper using vegetable inks and stylish
labels. Their latest range brings back the fun of the old postal
system and the idea of receiving from an exotic far away land --
with stamps defining the main active ingredient used in the
product.
Newly added this season are shampoos and conditioners, mood
scents and shower gels.
While their product range is expanding rapidly and the Bagus
Jati Wellbeing Retreat is considered one of Bali's most holistic
destination spas, like many individuals and businesses around the
world, they have undergone some major shifts in recent years
"Before the Kuta bombing we had many projects on the go," Feni
said, referring to the Oct. 12, 2002, terrorist blasts that
killed 202 people.
"However, since then we have taken a step back and have
decided to take things more slowly. We are most interested in
refining and cultivating our range so that it becomes one that is
classic and not another 'pop' product, something our children's
children will be using in years to come."
She says they are expanding with integrity in line with the
company's philosophy. Eventually she hopes that Jamu-Jamu will
become an "Asian Body Shop".
She says of Bali: "It is a place that has been culturally
preserved by it's people, the perfect sanctuary for developing
natural traditional products. I hope that others will sense the
spiritual mysticism and experience the beauty of this tropical
island through my creations."
Having already experienced it firsthand, I retire under the
Vichy Shower and allow the therapist to smother my body with the
turquoise mix of pandan leaf and other delicious smelling spices
and herbs.
Ah, that's heaven!