
On the fourth day of a week-long retreat in the Tuscan countryside I’m standing atop a grassy hill at sunset. Alongside 14 other guests and the entire staff, I am dancing euphorically, barefoot. It’s all in the name of movement therapy, one of the Ayurvedic practices which promises to help rebalance my doshas (life forces) in the name of better health and wellbeing.
Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medicine, has been gaining pace with westerners in the past few years, due to an increasing feeling that mainstream medicine is failing to address the health issues caused by their hectic lives. So while Italy might not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of where to practice it, Datu Wellness is among a growing number of Ayurveda retreats where you can reboot without the long-haul flight.