Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary, a globally respected leader in holistic health, unveils Cognitive House—a state-of-the-art haven where neuroscience meets ancient wisdom to unlock focus, emotional balance, and the art of living well. NICK RICE reports on his brain upgrade in Koh Samui, Thailand.
“Are you lost… where are you headed?” I ask the barefooted lady who is meandering this way and that, gazing all around in wide-eyed wonderment.
“Well, I’m looking for the beach. I just arrived and…” leaning forward and looking me square in the eyes she whispers, “I didn’t know! I didn’t KNOOOW!”
Rather than being in her fifties, she seems more like an eight-year old in that moment—a beaming smile, brimming with joyful curiosity. Her incredulity at only just discovering Kamalaya now, in its twentieth anniversary year, is relatable. For the uninitiated, once you experience Kamalaya, it’s like a revelation.
Almost every other person I speak to is a repeat guest. When you know, you know. Gopal Kumar, General Manager & Group Director of Wellness Development, says, “In the peak winter months we have up to a 65% rate of repeat guests. And our yearly average guest-to host ratio is nearly four hosts per guest.”
Gopal brings rich experience in the hospitality industry to his leadership role, having worked in the Himalayas with The Oberoi Group and having been on the executive committee at Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab hotel.
“At Kamalaya, luxury is not about gold and grandeur. It’s about authenticity, healing, presence, and a deep connection to self and the natural world,” he explains, “I constantly remind our team that what we do here deeply matters. Of course, we must remain sustainable as a business, but at our core, we are not in the business of wellness, we are in the practice of healing lives and guiding them towards a transformative path. Metrics do matter, but at Kamalaya, meaning matters more. When people feel connected to a deeper purpose, excellence flows naturally. When every team member gives their best, and commits to continually refining their abilities, the results will come not just in performance metrics, but in the lives we touch.”
I’ve come to Kamalaya to explore brain health and how to safely and reliably enhance it. In recent months, I’ve noticed a lack of sharpness and clarity, feeling myself fumbling to outline a basic concept, or being slow to recall simple words. Frankly, I’ve been feeling as thick as a castle wall.
To address my concerns, I booked a week at Kamalaya’s newly unveiled Cognitive House—an innovative facility, launched in February this year, dedicated to advancing brain health, mental clarity, and emotional equilibrium. Designed to integrate modern neuroscience with time-honoured healing traditions, this cutting-edge space provides a holistic approach to boosting cognitive performance, resilience to stress, and overall longevity.
Upon arrival, and after experiencing the state of child-like wonder which this hillside micro-village overlooking an untouched stretch of coastline evokes, I meet with Anna for my wellness consultation, to devise a weekly schedule. The emphasis is firmly on holistic health, and with Anna’s expert guidance we fill my diary with carefully curated brain therapies aimed at supporting neuroplasticity, sharpening mental focus, and rebalancing the nervous system. These are allied with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Osteopathy, Physiotherapy, personal mentoring, and an array of specialised massage treatments.
The first step was to assess the state my grey matter was in and so I attended my first of many appointments at Cognitive House. Enshrouded by lush forest, with an open-front reception, I’m met by Udo from Switzerland, who conducts an electroencephalogram (EEG) and begins my neurofeedback training.
The EEG is a neuroimaging technique that measures and records brain activity through electrodes placed on the scalp. Udo explains everything and fits a rubber skullcap with electrodes onto my head. It’s perfectly comfortable, as is the sumptuous leather reclining armchair I move to next to conduct baseline tests. Using a games controller, I click when I see circles on screen, but not squares, followed by a tricksy colours test, and then measurement of my brainwaves while resting with eyes open, and then closed. I then play specially designed computer games, some with the controller, some operated solely with the mind.
My subsequent EEG report gives an in-depth analysis of my brainwave activity, through various brain maps, spectrograms, and neurofeedback scores.
It is meticulously structured to facilitate understanding of neural patterns and the potential for personalised neurofeedback training.
Udo is charmingly diplomatic about my scores, and I also tell myself that I’m jet-lagged and off colour, but there’s no polishing it—my scores are low.
Cognitive Assessment & Diagnostics
Cognition = 57
Cognition refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding through experiences, thoughts, and senses. It includes functions like memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making. This lacklustre score makes sense; recently I’ve noticed I’m capable of making good decisions, but spectacular at making bad ones.
Focus = 61
Focus is the ability to concentrate on a task or subject without being distracted. Cheddar Cheese, maybe some feta. Bread and milk. Salted dark chocolate. Dog food. Oh sorry, where was I? Yes, focus is essential for productivity, learning, and achieving goals. Room for improvement here! Olives. Ice cream.
Calmness = 48
Calmness is a state of mental and emotional tranquillity. It helps reduce stress and anxiety, allowing for better decision-making and overall well being. This can be a sneaky one. You might feel like you’re calm, but like a duck gracefully gliding on a pond, beneath the surface there’s a lot of furious paddling going on. Feeling fine can often be a case of having adjusted to an agitated state. You seem OK, but behind the scenes your real level of calmness could be better.
Neuroplasticity & Cognitive Enhancement
With plenty to work on over the course of my week-long visit, I engage with a series of Kamalaya’s cutting edge methods to improve cognitive flexibility, memory and mental agility. Just a sample of these activities included:
Neuromodulation Therapy This gentle, non-invasive treatment stimulates the vagus nerve via the outer ear with a device that vibrates. It was not uncomfortable, soothing in fact, and it promotes brain and nervous system balance. By activating pathways linked to relaxation and emotional stability, it helps reduce anxiety, depression, migraines, and improves sleep quality, fostering overall neurological harmony. It was so relaxing I slept.
Neuro-Sync Sound Therapy This non-touch therapy uses vibroacoustic sound waves paired with zero-gravity positioning to induce deep relaxation and restorative theta sleep states. Targeting the vagus nerve with binaural beats and acoustic resonance, it reduces stress, enhances mood, and supports heart and digestive health naturally, and is backed by extensive clinical research. The combination of soothing ambient music and vibrations from the reclined leather chair sent me into deep relaxation in no time.
After doing multiple brain training activities throughout the week, and enjoying a range of complimentary activities such as Tai Chi, mantra chanting, Yoga and Qi Gong, I had my second EEG done to see if there had been progress. This time, Udo didn’t have to be so tactful—my results were great. I’m still not the brightest candle in church, but the improvement is huge!
Cognition = 85 (Up from 57) To maintain the gains, I’m advised to get enough sleep, have a balanced diet, engage in brain-stimulating activities like puzzles or learning a new language, and to practice mindfulness and meditation.
Focus = 89 (Up from 61) Here the tips are to eliminate distractions like phone notifications, take regular breaks, sleep well and exercise regularly.
Calmness = 79 (Up from 48) Happily, the invitation here is to engage in exercises like yoga, meditation and to practice deep breathing. To create a quiet and calming environment.
Why Invest in Cognitive
Health?
Cognitive wellbeing impacts every aspect of life and enhanced brain function translates to improved quality of life, greater independence and profound mental clarity. By addressing cognitive health, you commit to long term vitality and a life rich with mental and emotional balance. Whether optimising mental performance or finding tranquillity amidst life’s complexities, Cognitive House offers a personalised approach to renewal and growth. I was genuinely pleased with the progress I made and the experience of Kamalaya—the incredible staff, the gourmet food, the breath-taking views—is something that I can’t recommend highly enough.
Actually, it’s more than an experience. As Gopal concludes, “It’s not about offering an experience, it’s about facilitating a reconnection to life itself. Our programmes are invitations to go deeper, to reconnect with one’s essence, and to awaken inner wisdom. Authenticity, to me, comes from intention. We are not here to impress, we are here to serve, to guide, to hold space for transformation. And our guests feel that from the very first interaction.”
