Thomas Tuchel: New England boss rebuilt his life at spiritual retreat in India with Ayurveda rituals - what are they and a look inside the luxury retreat
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Tuchel spent three weeks at the Sitaram Beach Retreat, where he took on the practices of Ayurveda - an ancient Indian system of medicine that prioritises holistic wellness and healing. TripAdvisor describes the retreat as being an “experience of authentic Ayurveda, Yoga, and laughter therapy to heal, rejuvenate and connect your body and mind.”
It adds: “At Sitaram, our purpose is to show you the path to connect to your Highest Self and transform on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. While our treatments help you cleanse and rejuvenate on a physical level, our way of life helps you take a break from your normal and experience an ayurvedic way of life to reach your breakthrough. We strive to help people realize that health is a necessary choice that needs a conscious effort to achieve and maintain.”
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Hide AdThe retreat is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea. It is where Tuchel visited after he was sacked by Chelsea and after his marriage to long-time partner Sissi was dissolved in court.
Tuchel sat down with guru Dr Vignesh Devraj to discuss how the experience changed him. He said in a video clip: “For a long time, I've been getting closer to Ayurveda through meditation and got familiar with the lifestyle - with the routine that is attached - to this philosophy. I always had a good feeling about it. I had a very demanding year, and a very demanding year privately and personally."
During his 21-day stay he was able to leave the pressures of the football world behind him and embraced a minimalist lifestyle and engaged in local culture. Soon after his arrival, Tuchel went six days without sugar.
Tuchel told Dr Vignesh Devraj: "I got a bit grumpy. There was zero sugar and the ghee drinking was not very pleasant. I was not in the best mood but I wanted to be here. Now I feel a difference. And when I look in the mirror I see I lost some kilos.
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Hide Ad“How the place is set up, the memories, the temperature, the location, having this kind of routine, having this limited amount of distraction, and being with yourself. It actually gives me a lot of self-confidence in the basic meaning of me.”
He added: “After three weeks, I am very aware of myself and I am happy with myself. I feel healthy and it was kind of a ceremony to close things, but also restart things."
Sitaram Ayurveda offers a variety of treatments including the Panchakarma treatment which is an ayurvedic treatment methodology which specializes in intensive waste elimination from our body at a cellular level. Panchakarma treatment helps in rejuvenating the body by detoxifying and purifying at cellular level thereby enhancing the immunity of the body. It also heals pains due to inflammation and helps in losing excess weight from your body.
It also offers Vamanam, an induced vomiting procedure, that is performed to release the toxins present in the upper part of the body. It is not known what procedures Tuchel chose to do. Luxurious rooms include stone or wooden cottages, as well as premium villas. Prices start at around the £3,000 mark for a 14-day package, but rise with the different treatments you may want.
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Hide AdAfter the retreat Tuchel went on to be the manager of Bayern Munich in 2023, however, the team went trophyless in his second as Bayern failed to win the league title for the first time in over a decade. Now, Tuchel will take on the role as England manager in January - let’s hope his “self-confidence” he gained from the retreat shines through next year.
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