Category: Interview

An interview with Mr. Chavalit Frederick Tsao, Chairman of IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group; Founder of Octave Institute

While everyone is talking about wellness today, Mr. Chavalit Frederick Tsao puts forth a new idea: “What is wellness? One word. Alignment. What is wellbeing? Freedom. Where do I derive this from? Taoism.” Based on this concept, he created Octave, a comprehensive platform of life experience.

Chavalit Tsao, known as Fred, joined the family business – IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group – at the age of twenty after graduating from the University of Michigan with a master’s degree in Science and Engineering. In 1995, at the age of thirty-seven, he took over as Chairman of IMC Group. Under his stewardship, the traditional shipping company transformed into a multi-national conglomerate with diverse business interests. Fred believes that thriving, sustainable businesses can both serve human well-being and also create wealth.

In terms of understanding issues of human development, Fred is deeply interested in the connection between Western science and traditional Chinese philosophy. In the emerging fields of quantum physics, evolutionary biology, neurophysiology, and consciousness research, he sees evidence of the interconnectedness and essential oneness of the world.

Octave’s concept is the manifestation of Fred’s numerous years of research and contemplation. Octave is a unique blend of Eastern wisdom and Western science. It is a place that responds to societal needs for healing in all relationships and the fostering of a harmonious community. Octave is a platform for anyone seeking his/her possibilities. SpaChina interviewed Fred.

How do you define holistic health?

Health is always holistic. But I would like to put forth the Chinese perspective, and also validate it from the perspective of quantum science. This is what my advocacy is about. As I mentioned, wellness is an alignment process. And wellbeing is freedom. Where does it come from? The Taoism concept of the Way. The Way is the Way, so align to the Way. When you are aligned, your mind/body/spirit needs to do a particular practice. So your mind/body/spirit maintains good energy and evolving energy. Evolution is important because it is the way. So your life will be aligned to that. So all the Chinese culture supports this idea of the Tao, the Way. Do energy work to support your mind/body/spirit and live according to that in the correct way. And the correct way is not one way, because each one of us is unique. I might be able to drink five bottles of wine and be okay, but another person can drink one drop of wine and collapse. Our bodies are different, and more important, different at different times. You need to customize yourself. This is an alignment process. Aligning your mind body spirit of the internal reality to the external and make sure you are dancing. Only when we are dancing are we unified. It’s not balancing, it is aligning. When you are dancing with your partner, you are not balancing your body. You are aligning to each other into the dialogue of dance. The internal and external is a dance. You are not balancing internal and external. Most people think of holistic health as a balanced life. That’s because we have a divisive and separated mindset. But we have to rather have an integrated mindset. Why do we have a divisive mindset? Because today we still use algebra, our thinking is on a linear level. At least we should graduate to calculus, which is integrative and multi-dimensional. If we think like calculus, upgrade our thinking, we understand the integrative, we understand mathematics, we can understand dimensional reality. So it’s one simple word. Alignment. And what is wellbeing? The Chinese phrase is ziyou zizai (自由自在). That’s wellbeing. What does it mean? Freedom. So two words. Align and set yourself free. No stress, no resistance.

What are the essential differences between Sangha Retreat and other wellness resorts?

Sangha is built based on quantum science and also Chinese life science and Chinese culture. No other such place exists in the world. Nobody is offering Chinese wisdom to the wellness industry. Supported by the latest science, the whole design is based on the fundamental importance of shifting our belief systems. Aligning our minds is very important. Changing our habits and patterns. Alignment is what we sell. Have you seen any other wellness center that sells alignment? And sells the concept of a journey? We sell a journey towards alignment so you can be free. And the full potential of your life still be realized.

Who are the main guests now for Sangha? Are you satisfied with the results of this wellness property so far?

We have guests in all age ranges. This is still early days, and we are still dancing and developing with our customers. We are still building up all the details. The faculty is being built, the licenses are being approved. In China it is important to be careful and not do things too fast.

In the younger generation, there are increasingly people who need to find purpose. And there are two questions in their minds. What is the direction of my life, my life purpose, and how can I find my mate. The main dynamic for this group is that they are lost and lonely. You are lonely because you are lost. This is very natural. The world is already affluent. So what do you do when making a good living does not guarantee you a good life? So the seekers are one type of our clients. But there are other clients too. People who are retiring, and they ask, what I am going to do in my second life. And besides, I’ve got to fix this old body of mine. And then there are the F-1 racers, the people who need a pit stop – fix me and then I go back into the race. Then there are relationship problems – problems with children or spouse, family, anybody.

We are a life center. But we are more than a school of life because we walk with you on the journey. We are not educating. Education is a conditioning process. We are a deconditioning process. I can say it’s called “de-education”. Because from the moment we are born, we are taught to comply, we are taught to say what’s right and what’s wrong. That creates limited thoughts in our mind, which is okay within a certain span. But we are now at the end of the industrial era and a new era is coming up. We see so much disruption. We need a new paradigm to move into the new era. And what I am helping people to do is to shift the paradigm. Not giving them an education, but to help them shift. Our thinking needs to move beyond algebra and do calculus.

How do the daily operations of Sangha work to help guests find something that benefit them?

It is early days yet, and the perfect faculty and programs are not yet in place. But we are getting there. We can do simple retreats. If you have family issue, we can have family retreats, and a big spa to do detox and replenishment. Of course, we can also do assessments, yoga retreats, fasting retreats, and customized retreats, mindfulness, team building, quantum leadership. These are all tailored retreats. We are doing a lot of B2B retreats, but as we build, we will do more B2C retreats. There is a gap between needs and wants. One of the biggest challenges is we have to create the demand because it is so new. We are now launching quantum leadership at different levels. What is quantum leadership? Be the CEO of your life. But we have a blaming culture, an entitlement culture. How can you be the CEO of your life if you are in an entitlement culture? Single kid, entitlement from parents, entitlement from school, entitlement, entitlement. This is an issue. The CEO of your life means, number one you look after your life; number two you are purposeful and creative. What do we want to help them achieve? A rejoicing meaningful life. The only way to be CEO of your life is to live it with mindfulness. I know mindfulness is an overly used word, but we still haven’t found a better word. A joyous meaningful life mindfully lived.

Why did you create Octave and Sangha? What trends and needs did you see in China?

First of all, I personally have the need so I know there is a need. And the people around me have a need. But between knowing and doing, there is a gap, because of our habits and patterns. The second thing is, I know the industrial era is coming to an end and I know a new era is about to be born. Because I am not well, and I can see many other people are not well. How can they be well? If the family is not well, the friends are not well, the society is not well, the business is not well, and even the environment is not well. How can anybody be well? So therefore, the result is stress. Where does stress come from? Resistance. What is resistance? Lack of freedom. Freedom means no resistance, no stress.

How do your guests comment on your products and services?

Different people, at different time of life, have different needs and form different views us. Some people regard us as a spiritual center, some think we are a community center, learning center, or medical center. It doesn’t matter. Because it depends on their need. Maybe I need healing, maybe I need relationship help, maybe I want help on parenting. It’s life. And life is different things to you at different times. So it doesn’t matter what they think. The most important is that can we serve them.

People are paying increasing attention to mental health, especially when our material needs are met. What’s your view on this issue? And what is the Chinese perspective and future situation on this issue?

To discuss mental health, first we have to understand what is the mind. We have three levels of mind, the conscious mind, the unconscious or subconscious mind, and the deep mind, which is the quantum mind. This is where we are go into deep meditation. They call it the 8th level consciousness. The first two are individuated mind and the last one is the collective mind. This is what people who have spiritual experience call the deep mind. These minds have to be aligned to express without resistance. Align the mind to your purpose, your framing, your focus, your motivation and your actions. This alignment process is mental health. Dancing, for instance. You will have mental health if you align. Now, why are we stressed? Conflict. I want this, but I have that. This is right, but that is also right. We are full of conflict. So we have to change our paradigm. For example, the Chinese paradigm is not black and white. In Taoism, there is no good and no bad. no tall or short. They are all relative terms. Their polarity unifies. There is no paradox, no duality. Shift to a level of consciousness where you see no duality. If you look at your life, in every challenging situation, when you overcome, you evolve. Without challenge, there is no evolution. How we look at challenges changes things. Other people say, this is a difficult guy. But you say: thank you for being difficult for me. I am having difficulties with you, so it’s my problem. If you change your perspective, then you can let it go immediately. You come in and out of a kind of trance. You need to increase the percentage of being free, then you will increase your feeling of happiness. But it will never be all the time. If you are angry, as we all are sometimes, experience that anger. Do not suppress that anger. But don’t let your anger overrun and overwhelm you. This is an experience.

What mental wellness programs are provided by Sangha and Octave?

First, we offer many customized programs, not necessarily directly labeled with mental programs. Coaching is always available. When you go to have an assessment, we do give you some mental assessment. And then we will have a chat to look where you are, listen to your story. Every story reveals a lot. At the end of the story, you have an identity. Sometimes, I am a victim, I am a conqueror. Or I am a winner. Or I am nothing. Whatever that distillation, it places where you are. It has nothing to do with whether they can make a lot of money or not. You are successful, you are making money, that doesn’t mean you have a good mental situation. People get it wrong by thinking successful people are successful in everything. No.

Mental is a very delicate thing because nobody wants to feel they are mentally sick, or mentally weak. But there are a lot of other things targeting mental health too. For example, mindful parenting is a mental thing. Done right, you actually regress yourself to see the world as a child and you can learn from and play with kids. With some, you can help them go back with what we call inner child healing. That’s the best opportunity to heal yourself. While you are doing a parenting class, it’s actually a mental changing healing process. While you are engaged in this activity, unconsciously, we are healing you. So we do it many ways. Mind / body / spirit is not separable.

An Interview with Professor Gerry Bodeker, Chair of the Mental Wellness Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute

With the huge leap in science and medicine, people can live much longer than before. However, do we live better? The fact is that the world is now suffering a mental crisis. Data shows that one in four persons has mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, people begin to explore ways for mental wellness improvement. Resorts, hotels and spas are also thinking of delivering more mental health services, with some really doing a great job.

The Mental Wellness Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute is undoubtedly the frontline of this global mental health campaign. This Initiative is chaired by Professor Gerry Bodeker, a clinical psychologist by training and a researcher on integrative medicine and wellness. He has taught in medical sciences at Oxford University for two decades and works with the private sector, governments and UN, advising on culturally-themed wellness strategies. He has specialised in Asian traditions of medicine and healthy lifestyles. Recently Professor Bodeker has been more dedicated to exploring the truly effective pathways to promote mental wellness and revealing the science behind it. SpaChina has interviewed him.

When and why did you begin to focus on mental wellness? What are the characteristics (symptoms) of a mentally disordered person?

I am a clinical psychologist by training and, through learning Transcendental Meditation in my mid-twenties, I came to realize that meditation was one of a number of pathways that was able to build inner strength, increase happiness and create resilience and fulfillment in life. Most importantly, this could be managed by the person individually and not via a therapist. Subsequent research has shown that meditation can reduce anxiety, depression and deep stress-related conditions and generates happiness and fulfillment on an ongoing basis. And since then, we have learned that there is a scientific explanation for the benefits of many wellness modalities, such as exercise, healthy nutrition, rest and sleep, so that we are able to move beyond talking about mental illness and be confident in the new science of mental wellness.

In responding to the question, “what is mental illness?”, the American Psychological Association, with help from former First Lady Michelle Obama, launched a campaign to encourage troubled Americans to seek care for mental health problems and to end the stigma associated with mental health issues. The campaign urges people to watch for 5 signs that someone is suffering and may need help:

• A Change in Personality. If someone is acting like a very different person, or not acting or feeling like themselves, this is a warning sign.
• Uncharacteristic Anxiety, Anger, or Moodiness.
• Social Withdrawal and Isolation.
• Lack of Self-Care or Risky Behaviours.
• A Sense of Hopelessness or Feeling Overwhelmed.1

In brief, how can people achieve mental health? What factors facilitate mental health and what factors hinder it?

Evidence shows that the big areas that impact mental health and wellness are: our physical environment and pollution; our social environment and personal relationships; nutrition and our gut health via the newly-discovered gut-brain axis; movement, including physical exercise, dance, Tai Chi and yoga; proper rest, including the benefits of good sleep, of stress-reducing meditation, and also of massage; being in Nature is very important as humans evolved in Nature and have only become cut off from Nature in recent generations – nature restores our sense of wellbeing and enhances physical health, as shown by researchers at Nippon Medical University in Tokyo. Threats to mental wellbeing include smoking, lack of adequate exercise, poor social relationships, pollution, alcohol and substance use, unhealthy diet, lack of exposure to sunlight and Nature. 

What gives us hope, and what we report on in the Global Wellness Institute’s White Paper on Mental Wellness is that the brain is capable of renewing itself, of growing new connections, and even new brain cells, throughout the lifespan, given the right stimuli to do this. Evidence now shows that meditation, yoga, dance, exercise, nutrition and many other mental wellness pathways all contribute to brain growth – or brain plasticity, as it is called. This notion of brain plasticity is a core understanding of how mental wellness can be achieved with the right lifestyle pathways.2

What is the current situation of people’s mental status worldwide? Do people consciously seek ways to improve their mental health? What are the popular ways? Are there any similarities or differences between Western consumers and Asian consumers?

The world is suffering from a mental wellness crisis: Roughly one billion people suffer from anxiety, and one in four people experience mental disorders. The global psychiatrist market was valued at $795.1 billion in 20173 and the global psychologists market was valued at $39.8 billion4.

In addition, recent years have seen increased use of online therapy and wellness-based mobile applications. This is called virtual mental health treatment. Now there is a fast-growing market in virtual mental wellness programs that guide people on self-directed paths to mental wellbeing and create virtual communities which offer mutual support to members. 

Asia has been slower than the West to acknowledge and support mental health matters. The region has reflected traditional views that this is something not to be talked about and that can cause embarrassment to a family. Consequently, mental health has been neglected and somewhat stigmatized. Now, there is a call in prominent urban centres of Asia such as Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore, to recognise the need for mental health outreach and for the promotion of a mental wellness philosophy and pathways. While the West takes an individualistic approach to diagnosis and care, Asia is more likely to take a family and community centred approach, meaning that unique mental heath and wellness strategies are needed within Asia. For this, there is a wealth of knowledge in the health traditions of South, Southeast and East Asia, all of which have multiple pathways for building resilience, brain development and mental wellness throughout the lifespan.

The big mental wellness trends globally are still yoga, meditation, vegetarian diet, exercise including Tai Chi and Qi Gong, much of which draws on Asian traditions of wellbeing. As of 2015, the number of people practicing yoga in the U.S. alone stood at around 36.7 million and is projected to reach over 55 million by 2020. Revenue from the yoga industry in the United States amounted to 9.09 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 and is projected to reach over 11 billion U.S. dollars by 2020. Globally it is a much larger figure.

What will be the latest trends concerning mental health? What kind of spiritual experiences will future consumers seek and what goals do they expect to achieve?

Mental wellness in the workplace is coming up as a lead priority. Adults spend the majority of their lives in the workplace and to have the opportunity to feel physically and mentally well at work and with the support of the workplace is becoming a goal that leading companies are recognizing and responding to. Also, mobile apps-based programs promoting mental wellness are becoming a big trend. But the big point is that self-directed mental wellness, rather than therapist-based, is leading the way in mental health. This includes dance, yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, wellness nutrition, etc. 

The quest for spiritual experiences is really a quest for meaning and a sense of purpose in life through connection with something larger and more powerful than one’s individual self. This can be a very major part of the mental wellness journey and can lead people to seek retreats and courses with a spiritual focus and spiritual pathways to mental wellness. Or it can be one component of a more everyday approach to resilience, purpose and sharing wellness with others – i.e. compassion in action. 

What is the current performance of hotels and spas in offering mental wellness products and services? Do you have any suggestions for them? Could you share with us one or two successful cases that you have seen?

My colleagues and I have addressed this in the White Paper on Mental Wellness. While observing the statistics about worldwide depression, stress, and loneliness, there is also a greater expenditure on spa experiences and wellness holidays and retreats. With this in view, it becomes increasingly important for the spa and wellness industry/owners as well as therapists and practitioners to recognize the responsibility they have in supporting individuals on the road to a better and more optimal state of mental wellbeing. It also indicates that in order to support someone on a journey to improving mental wellbeing, trained health-care providers are key. But perhaps most importantly, is the role of the employer to provide a positive and purposeful work environment, a healthy workplace culture and is committed to healthy mental wellbeing for its entire staff. The practitioners themselves – who touch, interact with and deliver services to guests – need to be holistically cared for by their employers. In order to deliver sound mind and body treatments, they must be of sound mind and body themselves. The evidence is clear that organizations that truly care for their employees’ overall mental health & wellbeing will be the future industry leaders. In our ever-complicated, fast-changing world, mental wellness needs to be a key component of any comprehensive wellness solution.

Some hotels, resorts and spas have responded to this trend by developing more customization and personal connection with an emphasis on mindfulness, which has grown in line with the holistic pursuit of stress management. Some of the more advanced workplaces also understand the benefits of these services for promoting an engaged and healthy workforce. It is not at all unusual for workplaces today to offer team-supported physical activity challenges to get their employees to move more; offer nutrition seminars onsite and provide healthier cafeteria options. In-house massage chairs, qi-gong and tai chi classes at lunchtime are also becoming standard offerings for the enlightened workplaces. The benefits of mental wellness through meditation & mindfulness practice are becoming increasingly more known and popular worldwide.

At The Breakers, Palm Beach, Florida, a historic, 538 room, Italian Renaissance-style hotel first opened on January 16, 1896, by oil and railroad tycoon, Henry Flagler, and run to the present day by his descendants, there has long been a policy of “team satisfaction drives customer satisfaction, which leads to financial success.” Corporate Athlete, one of The Breakers’ signature executive training programs for management, is a three-day program that provides staff with the tools to manage their energy and time so as to become fully engaged in all areas of their professional and personal lives.

The Breakers has an 82% employee retention rate due to collaboration with employees, which creates a sense of belonging. The Breakers management team look at wellness as a value add…not in terms of ROI, which has brought their healthcare spend down. The company’s culture of care and wellbeing inspires team members to live a fulfilled life which in turn makes The Breakers a high-performing organization.5 With rising levels of stress worldwide, the Spa-Wellness industry is well positioned to be a driver and at the forefront of a stress-relief culture. However, without investment in self-care, training, and education, the therapists, who are the ‘touch points’ of healing, can become unwell themselves resulting in break downs, burnout and absenteeism. Without caregivers being in resourceful states themselves, their own capacities to deliver excellent quality services could be greatly compromised. So taking care of the mental and physical wellbeing of spa personnel is the essential starting point for offering this to clients. And the many wellness modalities presented in the White Paper on Mental Wellness are also backed up by scientific research on their benefits. This can be shared with guests and will increase their confidence in these approaches.

You are the Chair of the GWI Mental Wellness Initiative. In that capacity, what is your mission? Who is your target? What have you done to concretely help people improve their mental wellness?

The Mental Wellness Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute aims to understand those pathways that help people stay well and thrive mentally as well as physically. The range of mental wellness extends from the very inner aspects of individual experience through to the influence and condition of what is sometimes called the ‘social mind’ – i.e. the mental condition of the surrounding society and its effect on and/or contribution to mental wellness. The GWI’s Mental Wellness Initiative collects and shares evidence on a wide range of mental, nutritional and physical modalities that support lifelong growth of mental wellbeing and happiness, creativity and generativity, wisdom, inner peace and transcendence. We are developing video content and social media outreach to ensure that the message and strategies for mental wellness reach a wide global public.

Please introduce to us your latest project – The Ayus Wellness. What kind of experience do you want to deliver to the guests?

One of the trends in wellness identified by the Global Wellness Institute in their 2019 Wellness Trends Report is Forest Medicine. The GWI notes that: A growing number of doctors are “medicalizing nature” because of the medical evidence for its benefits: from the National Health Service in Shetland, Scotland, recently rolling out a whole “nature prescription” program, to the pioneering Washington, D.C. program DC Park RX started by Dr. Robert Zarr, to Dr. Qing Li at Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, whose work on the eye-opening benefits of forest bathing have helped create 62 designated forest bathing therapy centers in Japan used by 5 million people a year. The medical evidence for doses of nature is wide-ranging, including that it helps repair DNA and reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and certain cancers. It’s powerful medicine for our minds too, with studies indicating walks in nature engage the “default mode” brain network associated with stress-reduction and a boost in cognition, creativity and short-term memory.6

Based at the beautifully-designed Mulu Marriott Resort and Spa, modeled after traditional Borneo long houses, Ayus Wellness offers immersive experiences in the Borneo rainforest at Mulu, Borneo, East Malaysia (www.ayuswellness.com). With the Ayus Wellness Experience (AWE), guests immerse themselves in the magnificent beauty of Mulu’s 60-million-year-old primeval rainforest, a UNESCO World Heritage site, while enjoying wellness journeys inspired by Borneo indigenous knowledge of Nature, nutrition and healing.

AWE journeys include immersive forest experiences including mindful forest journeys, yoga in primeval rainforest settings, deep tissue or relaxing massages using essential oils and aromatherapy derived from traditional knowledge and an optional sleep program drawing on Eastern wisdom and modern science. The Ayus Wellness cuisine draws on Borneo herbal and food traditions known for their powerful nutritional and health values. For much of this we have scientific understanding, which is shared with guests in the evening knowledge programs. And this offers ways of maintaining mental wellness and the benefits of Nature immersion on return home to their everyday lives.

The wilderness brings with it a sense of wonder, of awe at the beauty and majesty of Nature and its restorative power. Wonderment has been shown to rewire the brain, to take us out of everyday ways of seeing and thinking, and this is the beginning of deep wellness. As Socrates observed: ‘Wonder is the beginning of wisdom’.

Do you have plans for any new mental wellness projects in the near future? Will there be anything related to the China market?

Yes. Through the Mental Wellness Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute, my colleagues and I are planning global social media outreach on mental wellness, with strategies for promoting mental wellness, based on our findings in the White Paper. We are also working to develop video content around the various pathways that promote mental wellness and will share this with a global audience, including China.

Also, in Hong Kong in May 2019, the Mental Wellness Initiative partnered with Fivelements and Compare Retreats to present a panel on Mental Wellness in Hong Kong. The Mental Wellness Initiative team hopes to do more of this in other centres in China, and elsewhere in Asia, including at the Spa China Summit in Xi’an, 9-11 September 2019.

In your personal life, how do you maintain both physical and mental health? Could you give some daily tips for mental wellness improvement for busy modern people?

As mentioned, I have been practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM), for twenty minutes twice a day since the mid-1970’s. I am vegetarian, I like to walk a lot and to be in Nature, and I do yoga almost every day. Having a purpose in life matters a lot to me, and that purpose is to be a global messenger for wellness and to enjoy life while doing this.

Some tips? Well, ideally organic food and a largely vegetarian diet will help create the foundation for mental wellness, as the brain is affected by the health or sickness of the gut, via the gut-brain axis. Good sleep, some kind of meditative practice, which can include Tai Chi, Qi Gong, TM, mindfulness practice etc., to reduce stress and create inner balance; building positive relationships and minimizing damaging ones; less alcohol and no smoking; regular exercise that feels good; spending time in Nature on a regular basis; keeping happiness as a goal and pathway for life.

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1. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201505/5-warning-signs-mental-health-risk
2. White Paper on Mental Wellness: https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/GWI-MWI-WhitePaper2018.pdf
3. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-global-psychiatrist-market-was-valued-at-795-1-billion-in-2017–300762788.html
4. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-global-psychologists-market-was-valued-at-39-8-billion-in-2017–300762784.html
5. http://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/others/the-breakers-palm-beach-case-study/ https://issuu.com/thebreakerspalmbeach/docs/sir_report_2016?e=24726257/42542228
6. https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/press/press-releases/gws-releases-eight-wellness-trends-for-2019/