- Title: Egypt 'salt cave' offers alternative healing
- Date: 24th November 2016
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (RECENT) (REUTERS) CUSTOMERS SITTING INSIDE 'SALT CAVE' SALT IN CUSTOMER'S HAND VARIOUS OF CUSTOMERS MEDITATING WITH SALT CRYSTALS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF SALT CAVE, GOMAA AL-AGOURY, SAYING: "We're giving Egypt something new with this salt cave. The lighting inside the cave is done specifically so as to help with inner peace and decrease stress, insomnia and exhaustion. The music that is played is for healing, and the cave absorbs the negative energy because the salt absorbs negative energy. So, when you walk in without your mobile, yes you have to sacrifice it for an hour, but, you also relieve your body from its vibrations." VARIOUS OF SALT ON GROUND / LAMPS MADE OUT OF SALT CRYSTALS WOMAN MEDITATING WITH SALT CRYSTALS FEET IN SALT CRYSTALS WOMAN'S FACE WITH EYES CLOSED PILE OF SALT CRYSTALS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF SALT CAVE, GOMAA AL-AGOURY, SAYING: "The salt cave can help boost medical tourism in Egypt. Currently Poland have started making salt rooms, and so have Finland and America, they have all started making salt rooms and even hotels, and have been marketing them for medical tourism. The Soviet Union countries, like Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus, used to have salt resorts which were visited by famous people from around the world, even famous people from Egypt used to visit to treat Psoriasis, eczema, and other skin and respiratory conditions, as well as psychological conditions, all of which happened at these natural resorts." MAN BATHING IN SALT WATER SALT CRYSTALS ON MAN'S NECK GOMAA AL-AGOURY MEDITATING SALT CRYSTALS IN HAND VARIOUS OF MAN MEDITATING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CUSTOMER, AMIN HAMED, SAYING: "It is enough that when we enter a place like this, we leave everything behind, even our mobile phones are far away from us. We then find that all of our negative energy stored in our bodies is extracted from us and we feel inner peace, calm and serenity. It's not that we're just sitting in a salt cave, you can also have some time to sit and think about things that no one knows other than you and God." VARIOUS OF CUSTOMERS MEDITATING MAN SITTING ON CHAIR WITH EYES CLOSED LIGHT HANGING PEOPLE LEAVING 'SALT CAVE'
- Embargoed: 9th December 2016 11:32
- Keywords: salt cave crystal healing spirituality alternative Egpypt Cairo
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Education,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00159SWUVP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A group of Egyptians are turning to the healing powers of a natural substance that has been used since the days of the pharaohs to treat a variety of ailments - salt.
Situated in a small apartment in a Cairo neighbourhood, the Khofo Salt Cave offers visitors an opportunity to meditate and relieve their negative energy with salt crystals.
The whole experience is intended to create the optimal atmosphere for calmness and contemplation.
The cave's ceiling is made entirely out of crystallised salt, and the floors are coated in layers of salt. Light is provided by candle-lit lamps made out of salt crystals, calming music is played and mobile phones are left at the door.
"We're giving Egypt something new with this salt cave. The lighting inside the cave is done specifically so as to help with inner peace and decrease stress, insomnia and exhaustion. The music that is played is for healing, and the cave absorbs the negative energy because the salt absorbs negative energy," said Gomaa al-Algoury, the owner of the salt cave.
Gomaa graduated with a degree in Pharaonic Studies, where he learned how ancient Egyptians used salts for healing and in cosmetics.
He says that his salt cave can attract visitors from abroad interested in these age-old healing methods.
"The salt cave can help boost medical tourism in Egypt. Currently Poland have started making salt rooms, and so have Finland and America, they have all started making salt rooms and even hotels, and have been marketing them for medical tourism. The (former) Soviet Union countries, like Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus, used to have salt resorts which were visited by famous people from around the world, even famous people from Egypt used to visit to treat Psoriasis, eczema, and other skin and respiratory conditions, as well as psychological conditions, all of which happened at these natural resorts," Gomaa said.
The Khofo Salt Cave also offers salt-healing massages and salt baths, in addition to meditation sessions.
Customer Amin Hamed, who is one of a number of regular visitors, say it helps him detach from the worries of the outside world.
"It is enough that when we enter a place like this, we leave everything behind, even our mobile phones are far away from us. We then find that all of our negative energy stored in our bodies is extracted from us and we feel inner peace, calm and serenity. It's not that we're just sitting in a salt cave, you can also have some time to sit and think about things that no one knows other than you and God," he said.
Around half a dozen people can enter the chamber at any one time for a meditation session which lasts around an hour, and costs 50 Egyptian pounds per person (2.88 USD).
People wishing to mediate alone must pay an extra 50 pounds to rent the space out for themselves. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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