Today we are delighted to bring you an interview with yoga teacher and spiritual bathing practitioner, Jan Scott.
I was blessed to meet Jan at one of her idyllic retreats in southwest France. It was perfect. I spent the week savouring local food and wine, shopping at flea markets and brocantes, cycling around sunflower fields and beautiful countryside, doing art, making new friends, expanding my yoga practice, rediscovering my senses and reconnecting with my soul. However one thing I’ll never forget was the spiritual bath I had. I booked this experience with Jan because it sounded intriguing and I was keen to cleanse my body, mind and soul. I had no idea what to expect and I was incredibly touched by the time, thought, energy, love and intention that Jan put into every part of the process. My healing treatment was extraordinary – magical, spiritual, and completely transformative. If you ever get the chance to have one yourself, I can highly recommend it. – Rachel
1. How are you ‘doing what you love’?
Doing what I love equals passion. And for me, what fills my soul with bliss and keeps me 100% present is Spiritual Bathing and teaching yoga. When I am preparing and giving Spiritual Baths, it’s as if I enter another world, one that is silently in tune with many things I can’t describe or fully understand. Same when I’m teaching yoga; it’s a complete sense of presence where there is nothing but that moment to express and be the expression of light and grace and gratitude.
2. Tell us about your background as a film producer and assistant director… how long were you in the industry and what were the highlights?
My university degrees are in Advertising and Public Relations and I quickly fell in love with the creative side of the advertising world. That’s where the most fun, energetic and passionate people were and where I wanted to be. As a television commercial producer, I’ve travelled the world privileged to see and experience first hand people and places I couldn’t have imagined when I first started out. Working with Elizabeth Taylor to Bono to President Clinton, I’ve filmed sunrises over the Indian Oceans, built igloos on Alaskan glaciers and been behind the scenes for spectacular events.
3. How did you discover the world of healing? What were you looking for?
I have always had a fascination and deep respect for the healing arts; those unseen and magical forces of nature that can be unexplainable. When I stumbled upon Rosita Arvigo and her Spiritual Healing classes deep in the jungles of Belize, so many things profoundly clicked for me. For the first time, I understood the meaning of “finding your tribe” and I saw the possibilities of becoming a conduit for healing energy and to be able to make a real difference in someone’s spiritual health and well-being.
4. What is Maya Spiritual Healing and what are the principles behind it?
Spiritual Bathing is an ancient Maya healing practice that removes emotional obstacles that can block you from whole-hearted living. Using the vibrational power of water infused with plants, flower essences, sacred incense, prayers and intention, this ritual re-connects your life force, or chu’lel, and gives mind and body the ability to release, receive and express from a cleared subconscious level. The principle behind Spiritual Bathing is simple: the Maya recognize diseases of the soul and see the connection between spiritual and physical causes of illness.
5. Spiritual Bathing is a big part of your business and people come to you to heal all sorts of physical and emotional issues. How do you create a bespoke bath for a client? Can you talk us through the process?
Each person has a different story and a unique set of circumstances when they come for a Spiritual Bath, but the goal is the same; to reconnect with who they really are, their divine selves.
First, we discuss the issues you want to release, manifest, cleanse, or receive relief. This takes several conversations or emails, as we all tend to reveal ourselves in layers. Once we’ve determined the intentions of the bath, I gather the appropriate herbs, tinctures, flower essences, gems and plant allies for their specific work.
The water is placed outside under the new or full moon, which sets the healing into motion. By adding the gathered elements with prayers, intention and sacred copal incense, the water’s vibrational power is raised to an incredible healing level.
6. What benefits do people see from spiritual bathing?
Shifts. Either immediately, in a few days or in a few weeks. Benefits can continue long after the bath experience. People have visions, cleansing tears, deep, deep integrations and intense meditative states that can last up to an hour. Each person is unique in their experience, but everyone leaves with clear eyes, a joy-filled heart and an incredible sense of well-being and calm. I continue to be amazed at the letters of gratitude I receive from clients about experiences long after their bath.
7. You’ve taught Hatha yoga for many years. Why this style of yoga and how has it transformed you?
Hatha yoga is a path towards balancing the female and male opposite energies that reside in all of us and is a great tool for self-transformation. My yoga practice gives me the tools to have balance and perspective in my life. It’s changed my eating habits, how I view the world, and has helped me release judgment of self and others. I still struggle with impatience and need daily reminders to be present and constantly wonder how I would live without being on the mat!
8. You’re also into Kundalini yoga. How is this different to Hatha and how would newbies to yoga know which would suit them best?
I LOVE Kundalini yoga for its energy releasing abilities and soul stirring chanting. Oh, the chanting and mantra work is phenomenal. It’s quite different from Hatha yoga as Kundalini is more about breath work and channeling energy rather than building upon an asana or pose practice. I love them both and use both in my teachings. The best way to find which yoga style resonates with you is to go to different classes and try different teachers. Once you find a teacher you love, that style of yoga will be the one that influences you the most.
9. You run amazing retreats; what can people expect from a week with you?
I lead gorgeous yoga and biking retreats across the US, France and Greece. Each trip is tailored to the group but it’s always, always about seeking beauty and doing what YOU want to do at your own pace. Each day consists of yoga, walking, biking, local organic eating, and exploration of villages and cultural sites.
10. How would you describe the way you live your life?
With Gratitude. Grace. Kindness. Poetry. Nature. Laughter. Service. Happiness. Seeking. Embracing the present.
11. Who or what is most important to you?
Cultivating self-happiness. Not the selfish ego-driven and ego-feeding materialistic self-absorbed self-happiness. I mean the happy with my inner self. Happy to be living. Happy to be alive, self-happiness.
12. What are the biggest lessons you have learnt along the way?
To let things unfold as they do and release my ‘ego’s desire’ to have it be a certain way. Perfection is whatever happens.
13. What advice would you give anyone who is seeking spiritual guidance but who doesn’t know where to turn?
Define what kind of guidance you want and be honest with yourself about how hard you are willing to work on healing. You can seek out great practitioners and spend a lot of money but ultimately, it is your willingness to be raw and look inward and surrender to what needs to be done. Only then can you shift yourself towards whole health.
14. What does the future hold?
My immediate goal is to teach yoga and do Spiritual Baths at destination spas around the world, expanding the healing power of both these modalities.
Jan’s snapshot…
Happiest place: Anywhere by the sea and hiking anywhere in nature.
Quickest way to calm the mind: Intentional breathwork like Nadi Shodana or Breath Suspension/Retention. Or taking a walk.
Crystal of the moment: ALL of the calcites! And of course, Rose Quartz under my bed.
Herb you most love: Rue for its amazing healing powers and Borage for it’s intricate beauty.
Favourite yoga position: It changes all the time but currently I love Ardha Chandra Chapasana.
Most inspiring book: Anything by Anne Lamott, Brene Brown, David Whyte and Pema Chondron.
Quotes you live by: ‘Be kind. Say kind. Do kind’ and ‘See the Light. Be the light’.
Wish for the world: The compassion to see ourselves in each other.
Favourite poem this month: WITNESS by Denise Levertov
Sometimes the mountain
is hidden from me in veils
of cloud, sometimes
I am hidden from the mountain
in veils of inattention, apathy, fatigue,
when I forget or refuse to go
down to the shore or a few yards
up the road, on a clear day,
to reconfirm
that witnessing presence.
To find out more about Jan and the wonderful healing work she does at www.janscottyoga.com and www.janscottyoga.comwww.spiritualbathing.com
