A Work Week With René Roseburg - Mindfulness Guru

Written by: Poppy Skinner Created: 03 June 2019

How to live your life more peacefully.

There is good reason why mindfulness is such a buzz word these days: thanks to the ever-frenetic daily grind, constant social media and everyday pressures, we are under more stress than ever before. Which is where mindfulness, a concept that helps you clear your mind and live a more honest and peaceful life, comes in.

In the words of Somatic Coach René Roseburg: "My daily goal and ambition is to inspire and encourage people to find their own approach to life – to discover new talents and potential, become more courageous, and therefore find balance within their daily life. A large part of this involves encouraging people to travel – I truly believe in the impact of travel and the unique personal and emotional connections that happen along the way. This is, in turn, a philosophy I aim to live my own life through, and I therefore am often traveling for my own work life, such as my residency at The Sanchaya from 6^th – 9^th June. I aim to create a space to discover individual and collective purpose, inspire unique stories that sensitize awareness, empower people, encourage growth and drive insight."

Here is a typical week in his work life.

MONDAY

I wake up to a streaming mug of my beloved Dragon Pearl Tea, which I purchased from Yixing Xuan Teahouse in Tanjong Pagar. It’s my favourite early morning treat, and I actually carry it with me on my travels across the world. I then have a morning briefing phone call with my team in Hamburg, before going on a walk through the forest to help me to find clarity and focus on my goals for the rest of the week, including planning for my upcoming workshops – since each is customised, I prepare new modules every time, and I find that I gain a lot of inspiration from nature.

Food is a huge part of my day, and on Monday, I head to the market to buy fresh fruit and vegetables to prepare my meals later in the week.

TUESDAY

I wake up very early for a train to Amsterdam for my speaking assignment at a Luxury Hospitality Group Conference. I love train rides, as they are the perfect place for human observations and encounters, and I find I am inspired to come up with new concepts and ideas for my workshops. Upon arrival in Amsterdam, I have a briefing session followed by a 45-minute lecture on my work, which encourages people to ‘Find Their Why,’ before heading straight to the airport for my long-haul flight to Singapore…

WEDNESDAY

My flight lands at Changi Airport early in the morning, and I go straight to the ferry terminal for the quick 50-minute crossing to Bintan, where I am met by the smiling faces of The Sanchaya team and whisked through immigration and to the estate. Following a poolside breakfast, I spend some time with the estate’s staff to train them to be more inspirational, more courageous, to show their own characteristics, and, most importantly, to be inspired by how strongly passion can influence their daily work life. I love working with the team at The Sanchaya, as they are always so open to exploring and have such a powerful positive energy! One of the best things about the estate is that they have a range of experts across various fields, so they each bring their own personality traits, quirks, and ways of working, so it’s a really engaging session.

Later, I am on hand for any guests who would like to explore Somatic Coaching. As Somatic Coaching explores the most flexible way of working together, there is never a fully scripted schedule, so 1-1 sessions tend to happen in various places across the estate – it’s so peaceful there, and there are a multitude of restful spots for us to connect with nature and chat. The optional, complimentary Somatic sessions at The Sanchaya  help guests strengthen their mind, feel more anchored, improve interactions with others, and develop and unwrap potential skills and interests. We also have a group session, which is full of energy, and ends up in a dinner party in the gorgeous wine cellar, where everyone can get to know each other in a more relaxed setting.

THURSDAY

Morning meditation always helps to calm me down, so after a long walk down the stunning white sandy beach at The Sanchaya, I spend some time with their resident yogi, Imron, for some stretching and meditation, before beginning personalised sessions with guests of the estate, helping people embody new practices and create a body of action, fostering change and transformation. 

In between sessions, I also find some time to relax and cool down with a swim in their 50-meter long infinity pool, which looks out to the South China Sea. On my final evening, I dine in the poolside restaurant, enjoying a selection of dishes inspired by Thai street food – delicious!

FRIDAY

After waving goodbye to the team, I take the early morning ferry back to Singapore, and after a couple of meetings in the city, head to Tanjong Pagar to some of my favourite foodie discoveries in the area, before heading back to Changi Airport for my flight home…I hope to be back soon!

Written by: Poppy Skinner

Poppy covers a wide range of topics at Billionaire, having spent the past 13 years at companies including Singapore Tatler, Her World Plus and Harpers Bazaar UK. She has a passion for fashion, jewellery and travel as well as an avaricious fascination with crime novels. Follow her at poppypskinner on Instagram.