ANW: I forgot when I was writing this book thatthe Victorians are meant to be very prudish about sex, There were so many people who had mistresses or marriage break-ups, or unconventional arrangements—think of George Eliot. But there is some truth to the cliche, If you compare F

individuals—so what’s the alternative? Thankfully, city-dwellers need not despair because the capital is in the middle of a spiritual revolution. All of a sudden it's hip to be holistic, and nowhere more so than in London, where the explosion of complementary therapies and disci

There can’t be many healthier ways to follow your lunchtime yoga class than with a light, balanced meal cooked according to ancient holistic Ayurvedic methods. With that in mind, restaurateurSonu Lalvani joined forces with yoga instructors Lana Spitz and Helen Currie, and was b

Let your troubles float away, below.

Tucked in a quiet courtyard behind Bond Street, Elemis day-spa has proved a big hit. The almost overwhelming menu of exotic therapies are administered in discreet rooms, and Elemis products lend a heady frag ranee to the air. A Well-Being Massage begins with sweeping movements o

To anyone feeling unseasonably dispirited, an hourspentweightlessly cocooned in watery darkness could be your saviour. A short walk from London Bridge, Float Works has six pod-iike tanks in which people take refuge, Originally developed to study brain activity by depriving the f

One of the most salubrious of London’s day spas is the Spa at Mandarin Oriental. Inspired by Eastern philosophies, there is a range of rituals to suit. Pre-treatment try a 15-m i nute float i n the vital ity pool fol lowed by a session in the steam room. Opt for the Ayurvedic Ri

Due to be completed in 2003, Harrods' Urban Retreat promises to be a one-stop shop for well-being in the capital. However, it is to the Chakra Treatment Rooms, where an Australian massage technique—Kiradjee—is being offered, that Londoners are flocking. Its founder, John Odel, u