4 minute read
WELLBEING
from Boardmasters
by Steve Bough
Advertisement
BY LEONORA ELLIS
You might think that ‘wellness’ is a modern gimmick born out of TikTok beauty trends and hopeful yoga instructors, but the word comes from a wealth of history on humans’ overall health. Dating back to ancient philosophies and medical practices (3000-1500 B.C) a holistic system was born: Ayurveda (“life health”). Originating from Hindu texts that typified the importance of creating harmony between the body, mind, and spirit. Sounds pretty good right? Boardmasters thought so too, opening a Fitness & Wellbeing area in 2016. Boardmasters Festival is all about maintaining a balance between enjoying that late night rave and looking after your aching body and incessant headache the next morning. Welcome to Zennor Haven wellbeing area, somewhere that has its roots firmly placed in legend. The Mermaid of Zennor, so the story goes, is about a beautiful young woman who attended services at St. Senara’s Church (not far from St Ives).
The parishioners were enchanted by her beauty; she never seemed to age (lucky for some!), and her singing voice was unlike anything they had ever heard. A young man who attended the same church, Mathey Trewella, fell head over heels for the beautiful woman and one day followed her home. Neither of them was ever seen again. One Sunday, a ship cast an anchor a mile from Pendour Cove, soon after, a mermaid appeared and asked for the anchor to be raised because it was resting on her door. The sailors obliged and quickly set sail. The villagers concluded that the mermaid was the same lady from the church, and she took the young man to live with her in the sea. To commemorate her, they carved the mermaid onto one end of a pew in the church. This fifteenth century carving, the “Mermaid Chair” still stands today. The Zennor Haven area is perched high upon the jagged cliffs of Watergate Bay, with a view across the same wild ocean
Here are some ways you can improve your mental & physical wellbeing at Boardmasters Festival:
1. KEEPING ACTIVE: transport yourself in our Chakra Temple, the heart of yoga for the mind, body & soul. Wanting something more high-energy, check out aerial yoga or join a group coastal run. 2. MENTAL STIMULATION: the Kula Den offers a variety of talks and workshops from wellness experts. 3. HEALTHY EATING: you are sure to be feeling peckish after a session of beach yoga, head on down to the Wellness Café and chill out space. 4. WIND DOWN: at Kernow Springs, home to our woodfired hot tubs. Finally, Boardmasters’ ambassador, Corinne Evans, advocates more sea time and less screen time. Until recently, cold water swimming was exclusive to athletes and extreme competitions. In the last few years, however, the benefits of sea swimming have swept the country, enticing young and old alike to get their kit off and swim outdoors. The more time you spend in the cold water each week, the easier the process gets and generally the better our wellbeing is. Wash off the night before at Fistral beach, backed by rippling cliffs and silky sand dunes.
