On the third floor of the Museum of the Future, time stands still.
The recently opened venue’s preoccupation with how the UAE could look like in 2071 is serenely paused upon entering Al Waha, a zone dedicated to various therapies and meditation practices.
Chances are, you will need it.
Such is the heady nature of the museum’s information and eye-popping exhibits that Al Waha acts as a welcome reprieve for the senses.
"People can become overwhelmed if you introduce so much information in such little time," says tour guide Maryam Al Raeesi. "So this is a relaxing area for peace of mind. It is about forgetting all the technology of the outside world and just focusing on yourself.”
We are standing in the lobby of Al Waha, where visitors are invited to lean into what resembles a marble fountain which emanates a sweet and earthy scent.
“That’s the smell of tribulus omanense, the national flower of the UAE,” says Al Raeesi.
With the aroma acting as a mental palate cleanser, our journey into Al Waha begins.
1. The sand bath
Meaning "oasis" in Arabic, Al Waha resembles a mauve-coloured Moroccan Riad with an arched passageway leading to a central courtyard.
“It is an area designed to activate and relax all the senses,” Al Raeesi says.
The first of which is movement: I walk across a soft carpet resembling fine white sand, thanks to audiovisual effects. With each step leaving an imprint, I am encouraged to walk and breathe slower and focus on each stride.
"This is called the sand bath and the rhythms of your movement mimic the rhythm between sand and wind," the guide says. "Seeing that effect will make your movement slow and steady and ultimately has a calming effect."
2. Ultrasonic therapy
The courtyard is home to four adjoining rooms specialising in widely used treatments. No prior booking is required for any therapies and each room is able to hold between three and six people.
The ultrasonic therapy had me sitting on a stool and placing my hand over a humming copper plate. I close my eyes and feel a steady and delicate vibration slowly going up my arms and to my neck.
"We use our hands every day and it always interacts with technology, such as mobile phones. We do that so much that we forget that one of the most important senses is touch and that starts with our hands," Al Raeesi says.
"So this therapy is about relaxing those muscles and just feeling the waves."
3. Grounding therapy
While the pandemic has made us more aware of our body temperature, the museum’s grounding therapy area wants us to be attuned to our body's optimal frequency, which, according to Al Raeesi, should be 7.83 Hz.
To get on the wavelength, I am invited to stand between two large metal discs that somehow will recalibrate me to the level. After a minute, I confess I don’t know what I am supposed to feel.
“That’s fine,” Al Raeesi says. “You need to give it time, some people could be standing there for five minutes and they will leave when they feel ready to.”
4. Connections therapy
Not every treatment is a solitary experience.
Connections therapy is a group affair requiring six people to see its benefits. If you come with a smaller group, as we did, some of the museum’s staff will happily take part.
Upon sitting at a concave-shaped table, all participants are asked to lean into their respective small microphones and hum together. The joint effort will result in a series of six digitised rocks slowly coming together from all sides of the table and meeting at the centre.
"It's about promoting a sense of collaboration and connection with each other," Al Raeesi says. "It sounds simple but it’s actually what is needed right now as technology makes us feel busier, isolated and very lonely sometimes."
5. Meditation centre
The final feature of Al Waha is my favourite.
The circular meditation centre is brilliantly ethereal with comfortable seats arranged around a projector beaming water ripples and waves on the ceiling. Coupled by the droning sounds of the ocean and sea life, I sit in the dimly lit room for nearly half an hour, lost in the images above.
While Museum of the Future promises the best is yet to come from the UAE, Al Waha shows there is nothing wrong with also enjoying the present moment.
Entry to the museum costs Dh145, but is complimentary for children under the age of 3, people of determination and Emiratis aged 60 and older. More information is available at motf.ae
Scroll through the gallery below for pictures from the opening ceremony of Museum of the Future:
Williams at Wimbledon
Venus Williams - 5 titles (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008)
Serena Williams - 7 titles (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016)
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:
1. Rising US interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.
Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
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Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
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Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
