Blessing ceremony opens local wellness centre

A new health and wellbeing centre with a vision to bring ‘a greater sense of hope, health, healing and happiness to others’ has been launched following a well-attended blessing ceremony on July 22.

Kaiwaka’s iconic and freshly renovated Ark is now home for holistic therapy centre, the Heart or ‘Ngakau’.

Yoga instructor, Heidi Clark, who co-owns the building with husband Anchal, says the new name signifies the co-operative’s purpose and design.

“The heart is the core of our being, our inner orientation, that spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell,” she says. “Likewise the Heart is a place of wellbeing and compassion represented by the wellness practitioner’s collective gifts, skills and experiences.”

From the official opening date on August 19, the centre now offers a diverse range of health practices and therapies including yoga, massage, Pilates, nutrition, counselling, life coaching and even laughing yoga.

Around 40 people came along to help support the occasion including representatives from Te Uri o