In upstate New York, The Spa at the Inns of Aurora is a spectacular destination overlooking Cayuga Lake. Overseeing what is considered one of the most memorable spas in the Finger Lakes is spa director Laura Coburn, who is also the resort’s director of serenity. A member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and the Himalayan Institute, where she earned her Ayurveda Health Counselor certification, Coburn leads private Ayurveda consultations at the Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa and has curated an Ayurveda-inspired spa menu to focus on holistic healing. She is also a certified yoga teacher and trainer with Yoga Alliance and leads yoga sessions at the Inns. Here, she shares some of the ways she finds joy in her daily life.
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness, to me, is finding balance as a fully integrated human. In other words, finding wholeness and peace in all situations and with whatever is arising. It’s about understanding and embracing the changing seasons of the year and of our lives. It’s allowing our story to change like chapters in a book. It’s not attaching too strongly to aversion or preferences. It’s staying true to our vision and being infinitely flexible with the plan.
What are your favorite things to do to maintain your personal wellbeing?
I love to cook.
Is there a specific fitness activity that you love and why?
I like walking and yoga. I also enjoy swimming very much, but I don’t have regular access to a pool. I live near a lake, but the water temperature is fairly chilly.
What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it?
I love popcorn. I make it with ghee on the stove in a cast-iron Dutch oven.
What is your favorite healthy beverage (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), and do you have any insider tips for preparing it?
I like a Hugo spritz. It’s a little lighter than the better-known Aperol spritz. I muddle some fresh mint, then pour over one ounce of soda water, two ounces of elderflower liqueur, and three ounces of Prosecco.
What is your greatest wellness achievement?
Changing my health in my 40s by taking up yoga and studying Ayurveda.
What person in wellness do you most admire and why?
Judith Hansen Lasater. She’s a great teacher and so real.
What is the best piece of wellness advice you have ever received, and from whom?
My teacher Kathryn Templeton used to say, “When all else fails, make soup.” I also like her quip, “Just stop doing that.”
What do you think is the most exciting wellness innovation you have recently discovered?
Sleep tracking.
What is your idea of balanced, healthy happiness?
I don’t believe it’s possible to be happy all the time. I do believe we can be more at peace with the coming and going of feelings if we don’t attach and remember that there are the sun and moon, light and dark, as well as perceived winning and losing. We naturally attach to our preferences and push away what is uncomfortable. I believe happiness comes and goes, but if we work on regulating our mood and on how to support ourselves appropriately in trying times, we will find ourselves happier more often.
What do you think is the most overused word or words in wellness?
Wellness.
Do you have a secret health or wellness tip you would like to share?
Recently, I have been studying sleep. Sleep is the most powerful tool we have in our health transformation tool kit. There are so many aspects to foster healthy sleep habits, but the most powerful thing you can do right away is introduce consistency. Start with just going to bed and rising at the same time every day. Don’t change on the weekends or on vacation. (unless you are changing time zones—that’s a whole different matter). Trust me on this.
What is your favorite place for a healthy vacation or escape?
I love Niagara-on-the-Lake for its walkability, theater culture, wineries, and most of all, safe and easy bike trails in view of the mighty Niagara River. My husband and I often bike to fruit stands and wineries and enjoy a picnic along the trail. We are headed there for my 63rd birthday in June.
Is there a particular wellness company or brand that truly impresses you with their efforts, and why?
It’s so hard to choose, so I am going to be cheeky and say Red Flower and CauseMedic. Both companies were founded on the inspiration of either receiving or providing healing from nature and personal experience. Both owners are very involved.
What is your favorite self-care routine?
Ahybanga (Ayurvedic self-massage).
What is your go-to for de-stressing?
Chopping vegetables
What aspect of your wellbeing do you struggle with the most, or would most like to improve?
I sometimes prioritize work and others over my wellbeing. I fear letting people down. It’s a fear of judgment, I suppose, at the end of the day.
What wellness-related books or authors do you recommend, and why?
I believe wellness begins with the mind and how we approach life and relationships with ourselves and others. I highly recommend this incredibly easy-to-follow guide for happy living: The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele.
What brings you joy?
Witnessing acts of kindness and connection.
