In a world of instant everything, Lucia No. 3 puts you in a hypnagogic meditative state as quickly as switching on a light.
Wading through the city's rainwater pools—a bit harrowed and somewhat drenched—I arrived at the lush green Alfred Creado Lane in Juhu. The quaint buildings and colourful grafitti complemented the wellness sanctuary, 1000 Petals, where I was headed for a transcendental meditative experience: Lucia No. 3. Inside, the drops of rain on the glass window framing the grey clouds, the crystal rocks and hibiscus tea on the table and the soft, soothing sounds of gongs emanating from one of the rooms made it surreal already.
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In one of the dimly lit rooms, I relaxed on a mat on the floor. The lights were turned off and they instructed me to shut my eyes at all times. Above my forehead was Lucia No. 3, a light machine that looked like an ordinary lamp. When the focus of the light hit my eyes, it created a series of hues and a beautiful bokeh of patterns. The train of thoughts begun. The sound therapist worked on the points, and the music that played kept transporting me to different doors of memories: some real, others not.
In about seven minutes, the speed of thoughts reduced, and I felt I could slide them, one after another. Unlike traditional meditation, I experienced a state of deep relaxation and focus in very little time. At one point, there were tears, too, but I felt the drops were healing old wounds and offering answers to pestering questions in my head. When the session was done, I opened my eyes gently and it felt hypnagogic again.
Founder Amitabh Swetta explains, "Light is an important factor for our brain and consciousness to operate. In an urban environment, the lack of exposure to light works adversely on the brain. The hypnagogic light machine supercharges the brain and takes you on a very, very deep meditative state, where you are not sleeping nor awake, more or less instantly. If you have lost someone, they may come and talk to you. We do not know where that is coming from but it does come. These reconciliations are crucial for mental health."
Where: 1000 Petals; 1st floor, Silver Crest Apt, Alfred Creado Lane, Juhu; 8828844770
Cost: Rs 2500 for an hour
Log on to: www.1000petals.in
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