Throughout the ages, the experience of healers, sages, and yogis is that life is not linear and fixed but rather a world of gradations of phases of subtlety. Underlying the apparent phenomenal world is a more refined realm of energy and creation. This is the realm of the 5 elements, which mix and blend to create healing as well as our senses of mind and matter. These elements are our first love. They are that from which the universe, and ourselves derive. And to maintain, or re-find health, contentment and meaning, we need to periodically revisit the elements in their most specific yet full representation. SUKUPAT is the concept of balance of mind and body–in which they vibrate at the same frequency. When the 5 elements are balanced, you are complete.
Earth
Water
Fire
Air
Sky
Earth provides us essential components of life for all its creatures: fruits, trees, wildlife, beauty, creatures, inspiration, healing properties and so much more. Here at La Casa, you can enjoy all of these. Varying from different sizes, colors and breeds, our farm thrives with animal life: Tootsie (a dog we nursed back to health from a seriously ill infancy); 14 rescue cats; 30 or so chickens; 2 roosters; 2 turkeys; 2 peacocks; more numerous lizards than we can count; an occasional spider; songbirds ( a threatened species); and most blessedly, our native frogs, the ever-present Coqui. These amazing friendly animals and critters who we consider to be our friends, provide the true, realistic experience of jungle living, or as we call it, a living earth experience. Take a walk on the wild side, and enjoy our full-throated nature retreat.
At La Casa, as well as eating from our organic gardens, we offer earth therapies consisting of mud and sand wraps and body scrubs. .
Water gives us the opportunity to cleanse. Our farm is located adjacent to and a short walk through the forest to the Espiritu Santos River. The river originates in the pristine peak of El Yunque, making it one of the cleanest waters in this hemisphere. Above the farm, the river manifests itself as majestic waterfalls. We begin many mornings with a short ride to one of two waterfalls that we immerse ourselves in, utilizing the properties of the natural therapy of cold thermogenesis, and the best hydrotherapy back-massage you will ever have in your life.
We also make frequent trips to the near-by ocean. Sea water is antiviral, antibacterial and enhances healing due to the high sodium and iodine content. It reduces stress, strengthens the immune system, supports the thyroid, and strengthens the respiratory system.
At La Casa, as water therapies, we offer therapeutic herbal baths as well as cold thermogenesis in our tubs.
Fire is represented by the tropical sun and heat. Although rain happens (we are, after all in the foothills of a rain forest), it is usually brief, and the sun reappears as though it had been lurking behind the rain the whole time. The health benefits of sunlight include supporting bone health, lowering blood pressure, preventing disease, and promoting good mental health. The sun’s UV rays help your body make the essential nutrient, vitamin D, which is important for bones, blood cells, and immune system.
Although the sun looks yellow, or orange, or red (the colors of fire), it actually consists of the full spectrum of light colors. We encourage guests to spend time outside as soon as the sun comes up. This is when blue light is most emphatically present. Blue light is the wake-up light. Our Body/Brain responds positively to this light in early morning.
At La Casa, we offer red light and infrared light as a therapy. This has been documented as the most healing light. Near-infrared (NIR) and red light applied specifically to the head has numerous positive effects to the brain, including increased cerebral blood flow, increased (ATP) energy production, increased neuroprotection and brain repair, and reduced inflammation. Red light therapy also alleviates chronic inflammation by increasing blood flow to the damaged tissues, and it has been found in numerous clinical trials to increase the whole body’s antioxidant defenses.
Air is that which without, we cannot live for more than a few seconds. Air, through our respiration, fills our internal spaces. The air at La Casa is often quite special, as it is replete with ozone. Although it is commonly thought that ozone is toxic, the truth is that it is a healing response of Mother Earth to a toxic condition. When there are too many pollutants in the air, ozone is generated to cleanse the air. When the weather forecaster says stay indoors because the ozone level is high, what he should be telling us is to stay in indoors because the pollution level is too high. An he should follow his instruction by telling us to wait a little while so that ozone has time to correct the toxic situation that man has created. Ozone is also created by atmospheric conditions from rainstorms. We are fortunate at La Casa that here are frequent rainstorms at the peak of El Yunque, and on lucky days, we can smell the healing ozone wafting down from the peak. Indeed, it has a cleansing smell. We welcome naturally-occuring ozone to keep our farm air cleansed and healthy to breathe.
We provide ozone therapies at La Casa. Ozone, as a therapy, is performed in most holistic clinics in Europe, and many in the US. Ozone kills all pathogens; it kills cancer cells upon contact. It is one of the most powerful anti-carcinogens and detox therapies on earth.
Sky is that which surrounds us day and night, enveloping us with its immensity and its mystery. The sky reminds us of an aspect of human life that we sometimes forget: that we, and all earth’s creatures embody a transcendental aspect.
La Casa has a platform on the top of our main building that gives the best view possible: in one direction, we see the vast ocean; in theother we see the peak of El Yunque. We use this platform for yoga classes, exquisite outdoor dining; and moonbaths at to gaze up at the star-studded nights,