The third annual initiative was celebrated in more than 70 countries.
Andy Clay and Rick Hagaman of Blue Clay Fitness say “Yes!” to Global Wellness Day.Andy Clay and Rick Hagaman of Blue Clay Fitness say “Yes!” to Global Wellness Day.
On Saturday, June 13, Global Wellness Day was celebrated in more than 70 countries across five continents. The increasingly popular initiative, which was founded by Belgin Aksoy in 2012, aims to encourage people around the world to foster a healthy lifestyle by adopting simple practices, from drinking more water to shopping locally.
“According to research by the World Health Organization, the greatest threat to global well-being is depression,” says Aksoy. “Noticing that we were drifting toward this danger, I made it my mission to launch a different project. Everyone needs to feel better and live a better life.”
The day’s agenda included a wide range of spa, fitness and wellness programs thanks to Aksoy and a team of 50 GWD ambassadors around the world. Here’s a smattering of the offerings:
Australia: didgeridoo meditation, yoga, a happiness retreat, and a raw food and smoothie demonstration at Peninsula Hot Springs, Victoria
France: A “Royal Power Walk” in the gardens of the Château de Versailles, with Guerlain Spa Waldorf Astoria Trianon Palace
Spain: A yoga class and Wellness Walk and Talk at the Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona
Turkey: educational panels and activities in Istanbul’s Maçka Park, which was transformed into a “life-changing experience center”
Several spa and wellness companies truly took the message to heart and embraced the day on a global scale. Throughout its portfolio, Six Senses Spas provided activities and health advice, with an emphasis on yoga and meditation. The Four Seasons also hosted wellness events at every location—including the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills property. DAYSPA editor Lesley McCave and a group of fellow media representatives braved chilly, foggy conditions for rooftop yoga with celebrity yogi Rainbeau Mars (the reward was stunning panoramic views of the city).
Next came a Wellness Breakfast in the hotel’s Culina restaurant, which was attended by Julie Andrews, vice president of PR at Kerstin Florian, as well as the hotel’s general manager Michael Newcombe. “Wellness is here to stay”, stated Newcombe, who also oversees all Four Seasons spas in North America and is a passionate advocate for GWD.
Later, energy healer Jeannette von Johnsbach led a group BioMeditation class, and the day concluded back up on the roof with a (strenuous!) group workout held by celebrity trainers from Blue Clay Fitness.
Across town, the Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel) celebrated the day with sunrise yoga (at 5.30 a.m.!), an essential oils class with d?TERRA, a communications workshop with life coach Morgan McKean and a class hosted by cookbook author and nutritional expert Jenny Ross.
Below, DAYSPA checked in with Aksoy for more of her tips and insight.
DAYSPA: Why is now the time to celebrate Global Wellness Day?
Aksoy: Everyone needs to feel better and live a better life. Not only is depression the biggest threat to our collective well-being, but according to the WHO, many lives are lost each year from an inattention to wellness:
• Almost six million people die from smoking each year
• More than three million people die from physical inactivity
• More than two and a half million deaths are related to diets low in fruits and vegetables
• Over two million people die each year from harmful use of alcohol
The rapid development of technology has made us unhappy and lonely individuals who work quickly, eat quickly, and don’t exercise or make time for ourselves. The hustle and bustle of modern life has left us all tired and worn out. We’re witnessing the first generation that’s being raised as “together-alone”. During our childhoods we were either occupying ourselves alone, or playing out in the streets with our friends. However, technology today has developed to the point where while children are at home alone, they can be ‘together’ with their friends through a screen. In other words, they are ‘together-alone’. For me, this paints a very scary picture. With Global Wellness Day, we invite people to stop and think, to slow down, to look for ways to live a better life, and to find ways to apply these changes—even if it’s just for one day.
The awareness of wellness has been more crucial. As people who understand the importance of wellness, we have never before engaged with it in this way. This negative outlook has brought us together under one positive umbrella. One day of little things won’t seem overwhelming, and it could kick off changes that could become a habit, adding years to your life.
DS: How are spas getting involved?
Aksoy: Spas can play an important role to build a better future together. We can create community education centers to cross-pollinate with the healthcare industry in order to provide better lives for our employees and to pool our resources to find ways to give back and share the wellness message with the masses. The biggest health threat facing the world is depression and spreading the message of spa can help to combat it, the solution is in the spa and wellness industry itself. Every investment we make in order to improve and enhance our spa is very important. But in fact, when it comes to ourselves, we have just a single investment—and that’s ourselves.
DS: How can the average person get involved in Global Wellness Day?
Aksoy: As an individual participant of Global Wellness Day, volunteers can contact us to become supporters for their countries. We evaluate the applications with GWD country ambassadors from the individuals, especially the opinion leaders, who are looking forward to work voluntarily in their countries. It’s also possible to hold a Global Wellness Day event in a public place in an interested party’s city. The only thing we look for is motivation and dedication.
We all can make a commitment to invite our community to become a part of this special day—by changing just one thing in our lives. All of us can lead the way by committing to the following seven simple things:
• Drink more water
• Walk for an hour a day
• Shop locally and eat organically
• Stop using plastic bottles
• Do a good deed
• Eat dinner together as a family
• Go to bed by 10:00 PM
