by Bonnie Baker

This weekend San Miguel joins nearly 1000 other cities in over 130 countries around the world to celebrate World Wellness Weekend. The current global health situation reminds us how important it is to have a healthy body, clear mind, and a strong immune system. Now more than ever the theme of wellness and lifestyle is a relevant priority for families, businesses and governments at large. It is a personal choice with shared, social implications.

As an anthropologist, I have long been fascinated by human nature and interaction. In exploring what makes us similar and what separates us along cultural lines, belief systems, and physical adaptations, I found that health and wellness is a central thread that either connects or distances us through our ideas, values and practices. In choosing a career dedicated to the healing arts and therapeutic bodywork, I have had the first-hand opportunity to see the empowering impact of personal choices on human well-being. I have served as Ambassador for World Wellness Weekend in Mexico for the past three years hoping to share this perspective and hope for a world or more well-beings.

The goal of World Wellness Weekend is to inspire and empower people to make healthier choices and enjoy an active lifestyle with family & friends. Initiated in 2017, the World Wellness Weekend (WWW) has garnered an enormous interest around the world, as venues and individuals join the event opening their doors to their local communities offering complimentary activities to learn more about wellness.

Its founder, Jean Guy de Gabriac a French national, began promoting five pillars as a basis for wellness: Sleep & Creativity, Nutrition and Immunity, Vitality & movement, Serenity & Mindfulness, and Purpose & Solidarity. (I like to add a sixth additional pillar as Nature and Biophilia). These pillars have enabled millions of people to discover what living a healthy lifestyle really means and achieve the best version of themselves.

Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, number three is good health and wellbeing for all. WWW encourages venues, groups, associations, visitors' bureaus, mayors and governors to organize free, fun and creative wellness activities on the third weekend of September, just before the Equinox, when daytime & night time are equal, as a symbol for work / life harmony.

To join the event is very easy and free, with a variety of ways to participate and promote wellness either as a partner, a sponsor or an ambassador. if you own or manage a wellness center, a restaurant, or any other business, or even as an independent practitioner, just click on this link www.world-wellness-weekend.org/venues/why-register-your-venue/ to learn why you should join and the many benefits for your business. See the website in 16 languages: www.world-wellness-weekend.org/

Activities in San Miguel de Allende start on the afternoon of Friday September 17 and finish at sundown on Sept 19. There will be activities around town, for all ages, including dance, art, sound healing, nutrition.

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"Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos- the trees, the clouds, everything." – Thich Nhat Hanh

"You can't control what goes on outside, but you CAN control what goes on inside." – Unknown

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Bonnie Baker is an anthropologist, therapist, and yoga instructor based in San Miguel for seven years. She owns a wellness consulting company, The Satteva Group and has created world-renown spa and wellness programs for award-winning international destinations and companies. She operates the IRIS Spa at Dos Casas Hotel and the Satteva Academy, a Learning and Development Center for Healing Arts. Bonnie is the past-president of the Green Spa Network, past chair of the Sustainability Initiative for the Global Wellness Institute, and serves on the board of the Biodynamic Association of Mexico (Impulso Biodinamico de Mexico).