Addiction & Trauma Recovery Center
Licensed by Thai Ministry of Health #84-03-00294
History of Holina Rehab
Holina's History
Founder Yossi Zubari Writes
In December 2019, just after my birthday, my girlfriend surprised me with a short weekend getaway from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan, accompanied by another couple of friends. Our friends, familiar with the island, chose Loyfa Natural Resort for our stay. Loyfa is a name synonymous with Koh Phangan, being one of the island’s original families. Their resort, lovingly hand-built over two generations, is a breathtaking haven partly nestled within the jungle and stretching alongside a stunning private beach.
The beauty of the place was awe-inspiring. On our first evening, we visited a Buddhist sauna, renowned for its secret herbal concoctions designed to detoxify the body. The experience was so invigorating that I returned for a second session. As I lay down, gazing at the stars, I felt an overwhelming sense of pleasure and tranquility. It was a moment of pure bliss.
Life Changing Connections
The next morning, I awoke to the gentle sound of waves from the sea and decided to take a walk along the shore. As I strolled, a deep sense of belonging washed over me. I turned to my girlfriend and said, “I feel like this place is calling me.” She chuckled and replied, “What are you going to do here? Your offices are in Herzliya (Israel).” I admitted, “I don’t know, but it just feels like I need to stay here.”
For a long time, I had been yearning for significant life changes. As a successful businessman with a primary office in Sri Lanka, I began to consider the possibility of staying here and running my businesses remotely.
Later, back at our bungalow, I shared my feelings with the couple we were traveling with. I opened up about my spiritual awakening and my strong sense that I needed to remain in this place. They listened intently and then shared their own profound experience from the night before. After returning from the sauna, they had poured themselves some wine but found themselves unable to drink it. They felt an overwhelming sense of purity and didn’t want to taint their bodies or emotions.
This experience underscored for me the importance of listening to our inner selves and honoring the transformative moments that life presents. Sometimes, a change in surroundings can facilitate a deeper connection to our true selves and set the stage for a new chapter of growth and healing.
Creating the Best Rehab Thailand
My immediate thought was to create a holistic healing rehab center, complete with a sauna to aid in physical detoxification. I shared this idea with the couple, and they agreed it was a wonderful concept. However, the husband mentioned a monk on the island who was widely consulted on matters of healing. He suggested I speak with him.
A sharp sensation in my gut told me I had to meet this monk. I asked my friend to arrange a meeting with the monk, urgently emphasizing the importance of this encounter. My friend cautioned that it would not be easy; the monk was the spiritual father of Koh Phangan and was always very busy. Securing an appointment could take two to three weeks. Despite this, I pressed him to make it happen as soon as possible. He promised to do his best to set up a meeting.
In the meantime, I needed to find a villa or resort with ten or more rooms to establish the rehab center. My girlfriend and I headed up the hill towards the Loyfa reception to check out, with plans to return to Samui. As we approached the reception, I noticed a monk standing to the left. I ran over to my friend and asked if this was the monk he had mentioned. To my surprise and delight, he confirmed that it was indeed the same monk.
This serendipitous encounter felt like a sign that I was on the right path. My vision of creating a holistic healing rehab center seemed more attainable than ever.
Someone Sane
I approached the monk and introduced myself, explaining that I am a businessman from Israel considering starting a spiritual-based business here. I mentioned that I had been advised to consult with him first and that I was told it would take two to three weeks to secure a meeting. “But here you are, sent by God within ten minutes!” I exclaimed. The monk burst out laughing and asked what type of business I had in mind.
“I’m thinking of opening a spiritual center for the treatment of addictions,” I replied. The monk nodded approvingly and said, “Finally, someone with sense has arrived on the island. Let’s sit down and talk.”
Regretfully, I told him that I was in a hurry to catch the ferry to Koh Samui but promised to return in two days. He handed me his contact information, and we arranged to meet again.
Two days later, I returned to the island, this time alone. I called the monk, and he invited me to his temple. This felt like a pivotal moment, as if the universe was aligning everything perfectly for the realization of my vision.
Rehab Thailand
My immediate thought was to create a holistic healing rehab center, complete with a sauna to aid in physical detoxification. I shared this idea with the couple, and they agreed it was a wonderful concept. However, the husband mentioned a monk on the island who was widely consulted on matters of healing. He suggested I speak with him.
A sharp sensation in my gut told me I had to meet this monk. I asked my friend to arrange a meeting with the monk, urgently emphasizing the importance of this encounter. My friend cautioned that it would not be easy; the monk was the spiritual father of Koh Phangan and was always very busy. Securing an appointment could take two to three weeks. Despite this, I pressed him to make it happen as soon as possible. He promised to do his best to set up a meeting.
In the meantime, I needed to find a villa or resort with ten or more rooms to establish the rehab center. My girlfriend and I headed up the hill towards the Loyfa reception to check out, with plans to return to Samui. As we approached the reception, I noticed a monk standing to the left. I ran over to my friend and asked if this was the monk he had mentioned. To my surprise and delight, he confirmed that it was indeed the same monk.
This serendipitous encounter felt like a sign that I was on the right path. My vision of creating a holistic healing rehab center seemed more attainable than ever.
Holina Addiction Treatment
We sat together for many hours, during which I shared my story of addiction, recovery, and my businesses. We talked for over four hours, laughing and crying together. By the end of our conversation, he asked me to return the next day.
When I returned, we again spent hours deep in conversation. The monk shared his own journey, from being a businessman in Switzerland to becoming a monk. At one point, he asked if he could hug me, and I gladly agreed. As we embraced, he told me something that left me stunned: he had been waiting for four years for me to come to the island. He said he believed wholeheartedly in my project, without even knowing what it looked like or how it would work.
The monk then asked if I thought the Loyfa resort, where I had stayed, would be a suitable place for my project. I replied that it was one of the most beautiful places in the world. He smiled and said, “It is now yours.” I was astounded. To prove his sincerity, he explained that he had called me back that day because he had already spoken to his lawyer to transfer the resort to my name.
Holina Spiritual Center Is Born
I was deeply moved and burst into tears. I hadn’t even known the monk owned the beautiful Loyfa resort, and here he was, gifting it to me for our holistic healing addiction rehab project. “Why would you do that?” I asked him. “You have a profitable resort that brings in millions, so why risk it for my uncertain project?”
The monk responded with a hearty laugh. “Yossi, I’m a monk. I don’t even have 100 baht to buy food. I wake up every day at 4 am and walk barefoot in meditation. I eat one meal a day, given to me by the community. What would I do with money? I’m not allowed to engage in business as a monk. I’ve always been waiting for someone I could trust to arrive and create something positive. Now that you’re here with your beautiful spiritual project, I believe in it, and I believe in you. I want you to take my resort and make it your spiritual center. I don’t need money. I’ll sleep with the monks in the temple on a mattress. I have no use for money. I believe in your cause, and I will support you wholeheartedly.”
Touched by his words and his faith in me, I returned to Israel, sold most of my property, and transferred my company to my CEO. I then went back to Thailand, and together we established the Holina Spiritual Centre. It has since become one of the healthiest and happiest empowerment and care centers in Thailand, embodying the spirit of holistic healing and transformation.
Playlist
Inner Walking
Watch our Monk Prah Olarn (Unlimited Smiling Monk) present an introduction to the Inner Walk Meditation offered at Koh Phangan and at the Holina Rehab Resort. The Inner Walk has supported thousands of visitors to increase their presence and mindfulness
Sunset dinners at Holina on Fridays are a special time. We reflect on the past week and plan some exciting weekend activities around the island. Our chefs love to surprise us and make everyone indulge in culinary delights.
Art Therapy with Umporn Jiaranai the founder and Creative Director of an Art school “Art Issue” which focuses on creative art for children and adults. We provide fun, joyful, and unforgettable learning experiences through our art classes.
