Alla Sokolova and Sophie Benge, two industry friends, are collaborating on a ground breaking book that explores the culture of wellbeing in Eastern Europe.

Over the past 18 months, the pair have journeyed over 10,000 miles to uncover gems of knowledge and people of passion across 12 countries. They’ve assisted with the rose harvest in Bulgaria, rolled in snow in Estonia, slept down a salt mine in Poland, picked healing mushrooms from the hills of Serbia, been injected with gas in Czech Republic and bathed in naturally fizzy pools in Romania.

The book focuses primarily on natural elements as great sources of healing, which have also stood the test of time. Many treatments using mud or mineral waters, for example, have changed little over three centuries and are used today, just they always have been – to cure disease. Such potent approaches, Sokolova and Benge believe, can teach much to the global spa industry.

Healing Sources – Spas and Wellbeing from the Baltic to the Black Sea (working title) is due to be published in mid 2014 by Prestel.

Benge is a journalist from London and author of The Tropical Spa focusing on the South East Asian approach to wellness. Sokolova is co-founder and GM of Amber Spa Boutique Hotel in Latvia (see SB10/3 p56).

On their travels, they were accompanied by photographers and film makers Helen Abraham and Christian Banfield. As well as the book, the team are offering a library of over 10,000 images for sale, and advisory services, related to wellness in this part of Europe.

Details: www.thehealingsources.com