Heart and Soul: Indigenous healing on the party island of Ibiza

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 13 September 2024

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ibiza is an island of contrasts. A place which triggers thoughts of raucous partying, superstar DJs and excess. But it's also an area of raw natural beauty, rugged hills, with a rich spiritual history. No-one knows this duality better than Kim Booth - she's experienced both faces of the Balearic paradise island. Kim first visited as a party go-er tourist and 30 years on, she’s now a resident offering an alternative side to Ibiza. This tiny island island swells from a few hundred thousand residents, to over a million when tourists flock there over the summer months. But what pressure does this put on the people and the nature of Ibiza? After working in PR and for some of the biggest names in the music industry like superclub Pacha and dance label Defected Records, Kim chose a different path. Facing personal traumas in her life with the loss of her mum and her brother being murdered, Kim turned away from the parties and discovered the Red Road indigenous teachings. After experiencing this wisdom in Central and South America, her life mission changed. She brings healers and musicians from around the world to provide an alternative experience for those looking to “go inwards” - on an island full of people “losing themselves.” But is it realistic to unite these two worlds together in one of the busiest, commercial hotspots in the world? Reporter Amber Haque travels to Ibiza to witness the coming together of ancient, indigenous practices, on the tourist-packed island that is full of modern conflicts.

Presenter: Amber Haque Producer: Rajeev Gupta Editor: Miriam Williamson Production Coordinator: Mica Nepomuceno

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the documentary from the BBC World Service. I'm Amber Hack and I'm in
0:07.8	a beethar Spain for this episode of Heart and Soul which explores personal approaches to spirituality from around the globe.
0:18.3	Ibitha is an island of contrast. Some might even say it's one of contradictions. A place to escape, to lose
0:27.7	yourself. But a place to find yourself too.
0:36.0	This is a first for me.
0:38.0	Like many, my trips to a betha are normally pushing through the crowds, paying 15 euros for just a bottle of water
0:45.2	and seeing superstar dejays from around the world in the packed famous clubs.
0:51.6	The idea of landing into Tobetha and going somewhere for indigenous wisdom and expressive dance feels, well, unusual. But I'm here because I want to try and find out why people are flocking to this island now for a different kind of experience.
1:15.9	To go inwards, for healing and for ancient wisdom from lands far away.
1:27.0	Can a middle ground ever exist on this island of extremes? Well, one woman is hoping so, and I'm on my way to meet her. I have a feeling I might be at the right place now.
1:37.0	I can see a hanging Cosmic disco ball
1:41.0	and here is Kim. Hello! How are you God you would never have imagined this
1:48.7	little oasis of calm here? Thank you. So tucked away here as well. I know I need it. It's a good
1:56.5	little nature calm energy. I love it. Yeah. Can you give me a talk because I feel like
2:02.3	there's so many little different sections your...
2:05.2	So this is the outside area. This is what I would say is my first altar. Why is it important for you to have altars?
2:12.4	So an altar is the place where spirit can enter.
2:16.2	I'll take you inside to the main one but...
2:21.6	Kim Booth grew up in a working class part of England.
2:25.0	Her journey to the island of Abitha is a fascinating one,
2:29.0	scattered with a lot of emotions, breakdowns, and traumas, but breakthroughs, which led her to the spiritual
2:36.4	path that she's on today.
	...

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