For a related commentary of a session next month, not spa focused but dealing with REAL wellness concepts, see http://www.seekwellness.com/wellness/reports/2010-06-23.htm

Be well – and thank you all for developing language skills – I so admire this capacity. If your language used more short words, I’m try to learn it, even at this late date. Das ganzes Beste. Mach’s gut und seien Sie gut. Sehen Sie Sie allen in Dusseldorf im August.

Don

If a vote were taken today on the question, Should earth be saved? the ayes would have it. Who would vote against their own planet? However, that assumes there are no conditions attached. What if the ballot question had a subtitle: Please note – saving the earth will require substantial, even painful sacrifices in order to dramatically reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and other natural resources.

In that case, the save the earth proponents would surely go down to a crushing defeat.

That has to change. After all, who wants to or could live on a barren planet? Who wants to be around when the consequences of unprecedented depletions of water, soil and other resources, when a 50 per cent growth in world population (approximately ten billion 2050) lead to predictable supply/demand imbalances-and famines, wars and other nearly unimaginable perturbations?

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has issued a report describing the nature and severity of the coming crisis – if we do not act so as to save the planet from continued degradation. Entitled, Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production: Priority Products and Materials, this document, unveiled on June 2 at the European Commission in Brussels, calls for reforming, re-thinking and redesigning the energy and agriculture sectors. Nothing less, the report advises, will enable needed environmental, social and economic returns essential to sustainability.

UNEP bills itself as the voice for the environment in the United Nations system. The report is a worldwide challenge. It is a call to world leaders and yes, wellness promoters, to muster earth’s defenders. It is urgent to educate the masses to support global strategies that can sustain a decent quality of life for all species to make it through the 21st century.

The greatest challenges seem to be in the areas of population limits, fossil fuel usage and food supply. New ways must be found to feed the world with the least destructive environmental impacts. In part, this requires dramatic reductions in our present reliance on fossil fuels. Sustainability is not possible unless citizens of the developed societies lead the way with sacrifices that preserve the larger Commons.

Higher taxes as well as fiscal incentives to consume less are needed, as are investments to find innovations that can decouple economic growth from environmental damage.

The problems noted in the report will not surprise scientists and others already alarmed by climate change, energy limits and unsustainable consumption patterns. They know all too well that humans are:

* Draining freshwater supplies and ecosystems (e.g., forests).

* Increasing disease and death rates with toxic pollutants.

* Raising pollution to unsustainable levels.

* Feeding more than half of all world crops to farm animals, a practice that accounts for 70% of the global freshwater consumption, 38% of total land use, 19% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and 60% of the phosphorus and nitrogen pollution.

So, what can those of us do who very much wish to save the earth? Are these matters not beyond the influence of even the most dedicated environmentalist tree-huggers?

The authors of the UNEP report address that question head-on. They suggest that change and reform begin at the level of the household – with family patterns of energy and food consumption. This means less use of our heating and cooling systems, fewer gadgets and appliances and less travel, especially in personal vehicles. The ways people travel do matter. Yes, we are talking change and pain, sacrifice and discipline – its not enough to just talk about saving the planet. Action is required. A big first step to begin now to shift diets from animal-based proteins towards vegetable-based foods, to use public transit systems, to run less residential heating and cooling systems, to buy fewer products made with plastics, iron, steel and aluminum. That’s all part of step one – wait till you get a load of the next ten steps!

Still want to save the earth? Maybe you’d rather see more tax dollars go into a search for economical ways to find another planet more hospitable to our present consumption? After all, who wants to make sacrifices if an easier way out can be found? Unfortunately, the authors do not mention any extraterrestrial environments readily accessible or out there on the proverbial horizon within our own solar system or one of the millions of billions extant in no fewer than 100 billion galaxies. It’s save this earth or, to quote Johnny Depp playing undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone in the movie Donnie Brasco, Forget about it.

By the way, natural resources are not all that seem unsustainable these days. Ben S. Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, warned the U.S. Congress last week that this country’s federal budget appears to be on an unsustainable path, as well. And who has not read of the unsustainable paths of such economies as Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Portugal, Spain, England and doubtless other European countries? Unsustainable seems to be the word most characteristic of the future and, come to think of it, I’m no exception. At the rate at which I myself, despite a wellness lifestyle, have aged over seven decades, I personally appear to be unsustainable. Unless something is done to arrest the toll of my personal energy consumption, in another 50 years or so years I could be a physical wreck – and not so hot in the mental realm, either.

But, let me get back down to earth here – after all, this UNEP report wasn’t about me.

The UN Under-Secretary General and the Executive Director of the body that produced the UNEP report summed things up nicely: Decoupling growth from environmental degradation is the number one challenge facing governments in a world of rising numbers of people, rising incomes, rising consumption demands and the persistent challenge of poverty alleviation – thus setting priorities would seem prudent and sensible in order to fasttrack a low carbon, resource efficient Green Economy. Well, maybe a little windy but it does seem to sum things up.

In any event, that’s the situation. What shall we do about it? How can we muster support for a save the earth campaign? I think wellness promoters everywhere, whether functioning in companies orchestrating worksite wellness programs for employees or spa managers providing lifestyle educational opportunities or coaches in medical or fitness settings or even lowly bloggers, newsletter editors and website journalists should shift their focus to the big picture, whenever possible. Enough already on medical management, risk reduction, body fat and the minutiae of personal fitness. That’s fine but none of that is the elephant in the room – let’s focus on REAL wellness. Let’s get everyone thinking about how to think critically, why it matters to ponder the great existential mysteries of what its all about, how can we live fully and well – and other such cosmic issues that motivate and inspire and make people receptive to appreciating and doing something brave about the kinds of challenges put forward by UNEP.

If wellness folks will do that-or some of it, maybe in time, when the roll is called and the vote taken, people all over the planet will cast ballots for the planet-with their wallets and behavioral patters-and do it not only for themselves but for their children, grand and many degrees of great grandchildren. A century from now and beyond, humans might think better of us if we do so.

Not that I expect it but I’d love to be mistaken.

All the best. Go earth.

A recent report by Silicon Valley-based SRI International (SRI) for the European spa industry entitled, “Spas and the Global Wellness Market,” forecasts a worldwide wellness industry “poised to cross the $2 trillion mark.” SRI describes a booming wellness industry and urges spa leaders to “seize the day” – to jump on the bandwagon. Wellness is termed “an integrated industry cluster with nine core segments.

To what extend do these core segments of what SRE sees as the spa industry’s “integrated cluster” comport with, reflect or otherwise encompass what those of us who favor a quality of life-oriented form of wellness call REAL wellness. Does it fit with a philosophy of wellness that is founded on reason, exuberance, athleticism and liberty – the REAL in quality of life wellness?

Let’s look at the report more closely. Let’s start with a bright side perspective and grant that most of SRI’s core segments at least resemble what wellness promoters might consider adaptable to a REAL wellness approach.

As visitors to this site know, the term wellness is currently applied so broadly, in Europe and American and elsewhere, that it cannot be a surprise that SRI would include disparate markets under the single category. For wellness promoters, there are many reasons to being enthusiastic about this internal spa industry document. Overall, it offers a golden opportunity to channel openness to wellness along what can be REAL wellness directions.

To appreciate why this is the case, look more closely at the content of the “Spas and the Global Wellness Market” reports. Begin with the trends identified
as driving the growth of the wellness market. Four that caught my attention are:

1. An aging world population.

2. The failure of conventional medical systems. Consumer, healthcare providers and governments want more cost-effective, prevention-like alternatives to the Western “sickness” model that relies too much on trying to treat medical problems and too little on preventing them.

3. Increased globalization, with consumers more aware of alternative health approaches via the Internet.

4. The influence of celebrities who address health topics.

These are trends justified by the data and trends that support greater attention and acceptance of what wellness promoters have to offer – education in how to manage a high quality life physically and mentally. Tragically, I was not mentioned as one of those celebrities described in the fourth trend! That’s bad enough but, Holy Horrors – SRI mentioned Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey and Jamie Oliver. There is no justice, it seems.

Of course, this simply shows how important it is to promote a closer look at what wellness is and to define the concept in rational, evidence-based terms that relate to advanced quality of life.

The report claimed that there are “289 million active wellness consumers in the world’s top 30 industrialized nations alone.” The SRI authors acknowledge that “wellness has proved exceptionally resistant to definition,” which might explain how Oprah, Deepak and Jamie got to be leaders of the movement. They acknowledge that the wellness market has not been well researched and little or no consensus exists on key definitions and benchmarks.

For wellness promoters in Europe, this absence is fortuitous. If definitions and benchmarks had been applied to the undisciplined mix of all that is considered “wellness” by one odd group or another, the final report might not have been such an enthusiastic endorsement of this market’s potential.

To better understand how SRI came up with a figure of nearly 300 million “active” wellness consumers (who, pray, are the “inactive” or “passive” wellness consumers?), consider the categories of activity SRI placed under the wellness banner.

1. All multidimensional and holistic activities that integrate physical, mental, spiritual and social approaches.

2. All complementary and proactive treatments and modalities.

3. All approaches that seek to prevent sickness and improve overall quality of life.

4. All consumer driven initiatives that are choices, rather than medical necessities.

Interestingly, the beauty, anti-aging and fitness markets are still seen as separate and distinct from the amorphous wellness spa market. One official at the Istanbul Global Spa Summit, where the SRI report was unveiled last month, declared, “consumers already associate spas with wellness. Increasingly modern spas are expanding far beyond traditional pampering. They are integrating fitness, complementary/alternative medicines, preventive health, advanced beauty/anti-aging, and weight loss/nutrition. They are becoming key players in medical and wellness tourism.”

People want to live healthier lifestyles – but they need help to understand not so much how to do it (the facts of exercise and nutrition and the rest) but rather how to sustain good intentions to do so. SRI found, for example, that:

* 81% of consumers are more than just mildly interested in improving their personal wellness – this very much interests them.

* 82% of people who have visited spas did make changes, at least in the short term.

* Those spas that invested in new wellness initiatives profited from doing so.

* Medical tourism has proven lucrative for spas (estimated $50 billion market); wellness tourism represents a market more than twice as large ($106 billion).

It may be time for wellness promoters in Europe and elsewhere to assist spa leaders to separate the proverbial apples and oranges for spa wellness purposes. Let’s assist the industry help their clientele to appreciate the nature of REAL wellness. No harm in offering all manner of activity and programming in all the rest, but the industry might benefit from becoming the leader in the next generation of wellness education – spa visits that enhance the quality of life. Spas can do more than offer stress relief, weight loss, facial beauty enhancement, imaginary anti-aging and a pleasurable experience and a good time – though all of these are well and good. Spas can offer an environment and educational programming that leads to an outcome that, until now with the advent of the SRI report and the growth of a wellness marketplace, has never be imagined, dreamed or spoken of – helping visitors to become better human beings. That and nothing less is the promise of the highest form of wellness envisioned so far – REAL wellness.

Offering REAL wellness will be a nice complement to the anything goes mish-mash of activities under the current wellness banner and the nine core segments described by SRI. Doing so would, in my view, be more profitable for spas and more consequential to the spa-going public.

In summary, the fact that the spa industry has been encouraged and even directed to promote wellness is a good thing. The likelihood that doing so will prove highly rewarding for the industry is also a good and welcome development. The SRI report is a broad endorsement for wellness. Now the challenge is to help spa leaders understand that wellness can be all that SRI says it is – and a great deal more.

Wir bieten im Deutschen Wellness Verband Herzpatienten seit 1994 eine Schule des Lebens. Das Programm findet an einem Wochentag abends statt, 18 bis 22 Uhr. Es beinhaltet 90 Minuten Yoga, 60 Minuten gemeinsames Abendessen und 90 Minuten Gesprächskreis unter psychologischer Leitung. Kosten pro Abend pro Teilnehmer: 17,50 EUR. Es ist natürlich ein gemeinnütziges Projekt ohne jeglichen kommerziellen Hintergrund. Aber die betreuenden Fachexperten werden fair bezahlt. Dennoch nimmt kaum ein Patient dieses Angebot wahr. Ich frage mich schon seit zwanzig Jahren, wie man Menschen – mit oder ohne Krankheiten – auf den wirklichen Wellnessweg bringt, jenseits von passiven Behandlungen, Pillen, und Wunderversprechungen.

The future direction of the wellness movement depends on many factors, one of which is the vision of the European spa industry. Another might be the success wellness promoters have in helping spa leaders refine and expand that vision. A new report suggests that the industry leadership has a high regard for the potential of the wellness market. The industry report describes the nature and scope of this expansive marketplace and recommends major investments to promote wellness in Europe and throughout the world.

The spa report provides a revealing picture of what wellness enthusiasts might expect of this industry and, most important, clarifies the challenges ahead if we are to succeed in guiding spa leaders to a fuller appreciation of the best kind of wellness philosophy, lifestyle and marketplace. A prerequisite to doing so is to clearly describe the differences between the form of wellness we have embraced and how that form of wellness differs from but complements other important spa initiatives. The latter might include such areas, all noted in the new spa industry report, as primarily medical, beauty, prevention, holistic, spiritual or single focused, such as exercise and nutrition.

This commentary and one to follow describes the report and offers suggestions for spa leadership to seize upon opportunities inherent in the unique and transformative advanced wellness concept promoted by DWV as REAL wellness. The issues related to developing an awareness of and support for this, what we view as the highest, most consequential and least developed variant of the wellness philosophy, are seen as critical both for the spa industry and all who support the wellness movement in Europe and elsewhere.

REAL WELLNESS AND THE BIG PICTURE

In ten or twenty years time, plans and commitments being made now could prove crucial both for the spa industry and the wellness movement. One shared challenge is find best ways to attract new business for spas while while at the same time shaping the evolution of the public understanding of genuine wellness. This must be done in a manner that not only attracts a dramatically wider audience for spa offerings but also boosts quality of life for all who participate.

I want to sketch a role for spa leadership that will help shape the wellness movement for decades to come – one that I believe can be both positive and transformative for the public and profitable and energizing for the European spa industry.

There are many factors that will affect the direction and impact of the wellness movement. The role of spas in one such factor, one I believe could be paramount. Others include but are certainly not limited to the following:

* The strength of the European Union and the global economy.

* The general quality of life that most citizens in Europe and elsewhere are able to realize.

Our individual fates are in our own hands, to a considerable extent. However, no harm comes from a little humility. Thus, we might want to recognize and be grateful for our good fortunes if certain events do not come to pass. We will remain vulnerable to forces and random events beyond our control, factors that could affect our ability to remain free to live in peace and enjoy life, liberty, wellness and the pursuit of happiness. To fully enjoy what will be described as REAL wellness, we require continued social tranquility, safeguards for human health and not too many Eyjafjallajökull-like volcanic disruptive eruptions. Or other totally capricious acts by Zeus or other gods, like the asteroid visitation that ruined things for dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

But, no point worrying about possible cosmic-scale misfortunes – we have enough troubles with man-made calamities to keep us fully occupied while efforts are made to advance the best future for the spa industry, the wellness movement and the people of Europe and beyond.

THE SPA INDUSTRY DECLARES A COMMITMENT TO WELLNESS

The spa leadership recently offered a partial sense of the industry’s wellness vision. In late May at the 2010 Global Spa Summit (GSS) in Istanbul, Turkey, an SRI International (SRI) report was unveiled. This report identified wellness as “a vast, mainstream and very real industry with an extraordinary global ancient and modern history.” Spa leaders were urged to view the wellness concept as a philosophy that should be adopted, celebrated and promoted by spas everywhere.  This industry report represents a major endorsement of the idea that spas must develop programming for wellness education, products and services.

Wellness promoters everywhere, especially in Europe, should welcome and support this commitment.  

That’s the good news.  There really isn’t any bad news but wellness promoters should now devote a great deal of attention to assisting spa industry leaders appreciate a full and progressive view about what wellness can and should be for maximum effectiveness. It is time to identify the nature of REAL wellness, separate from the sissy stuff that is woo woo, insubstantial, lacking in nutrients and unworthy of any association with the term wellness.

There are many reasons for spas to take a leadership role in REAL wellness promotion, besides the obvious fact that there is a lot of money to be made from doing so.  The latter incentive is a very good reason, but additional justification will affect the success of individual spas and the industry as a whole. The larger goals might be nothing less than revolutionary lifestyle changes for an expanded spa clientele.

I’ll write more on this topic soon, including a summary of the trends identified in the spa report, the economic and other factors that led the industry’s best minds to promote wellness as the wave of the spa industry’s best future and the nature of serious concerns about the incomplete picture of wellness reflected in the spa report, which by the way is entitled “Spas and the Global Wellness Market.”

All the best.

Es tut gut, solch grundlegende und geradezu philosophischen Ansätze zu lesen, die sofort meinen Horizont und meine Meinung beeinflusst haben.

Diese Fragen waren wie das letzte Puzzleteil, das mir nun einen ganzheitlichen, neuen Blick zu diesem Thema geben. Schon länger brüte ich jetzt daran, wohin sich das gesellschaftliche Empfinden gerade bewegt und ich spüre da einen starken Wandel und ein nie zuvor dagewesenes Streben nach Natürlichkeit nach all den Jahren des “hochentwickelten industriellen Hochglanzes”. Ich denke, dieses erste Empfinden wird nur der Anfang sein und bald definiert sich Luxus nicht mehr länger durch Perfektion aus Kunststoffen, sondern durch das höchste Maß an Ursprünglichkeit – die kubistische Form hat dann ausgedient und alles, was – weg von der Massenproduktion – “handgemacht” oder “natürlich entstanden” scheint, wird uns zufriedenstellen. Auf diesem Weg wird dann wohl auch die verloren gegangene Gemütlichkeit als Stilempfinden auf hohem Niveau wiederentdeckt werden und wir dürfen uns endlich wieder in einer Welt und in Räumen bewegen, die uns daran erinnern, dass wir organische und natürlich gewachsene Wesen jenseits der Kuben und Zylinder – und alles andere als sachlich – sind.

Wenn ich meine verschwendete Jugend noch einmal durchleben dürfte, würde ich, unter anderem, Deutsch als zweite Sprache lernen. Leider bekomme ich keine zweite Chance, im Gegenteil, ich muss zufrieden sein, wenn ich mein Englisch nicht vergesse.

See you in August. Be well.