Uman project, the holistic center in Paris for immersive wellness treatments

Who could believe that just a stone's throw from the bustling Place de la République lies a timeless bubble far, far away from the hustle and bustle of the capital? And yet, there is a secret entrance to this suspended dimension that encourages us to reconnect with ourselves. To discover it, you need to enter rue Béranger and find number 19. If you have the code, you can head for the 2nd floor, where Uman Project, Marine Giovannini's secret lair, awaits you.

You'll find yourself in a den bathed in soft natural light, pleasantly heated and so warm you'll immediately feel at home. As soon as you step inside, you feel as if you're in an airlock before the soaring experience that awaits you. Light parquet flooring, walls of rough stone and age-bleached wood panelling, beautiful exposed beams and a sublime hanging lamp all in mouldings, this soothing setting transports us into a subtly anachronistic atmosphere. We take off our shoes, make ourselves comfortable and settle down on one of the carpets Marine has prepared for us.

The program that day was sound bathing! In front of Marine, rows of golden bowls are arranged in a neat row. In front of them, cards, turned upside down; the answer to this mystery will come later. In a relaxed, pedagogical tone, Marine explains theexperience we're about to embark on, and gives us tips on how to get the most out of the sound bath.

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But what's it all about? This East Asian treatment isbased on the effect of sound vibrations on our body and mind. The sounds act on our energy centers and chakras, putting us into a kind of trance. The benefits of this discipline are said to include better sleep, greater distance from problems and reduced stress.

Basically, you prepare yourself for an hour of listening to singing bowls. Skeptics may think this makes no sense at all. Yet strangely enough, as you snuggle into your plaid and lie down, you can feel the notes gradually transporting you into that strange in-between state, where the world of waking embraces that of sleep. The tinkling around us leaves a trail of vibrations that seem to float in the air. As Marine wanders among the sleepers, the song of the bowls engulfs us, and we feel our bodies react differently to each note, provoking a shiver, waves of emotions, until we let go.

A discreet hum, which seems so far away, tells us that we're far from being the only ones to feel this pleasant torpor, which offers us the promised disconnection. Once the last note has faded into the air, Marine gives us ten minutes or so to gently recover from this timeless pause. Then, as we gradually come to our senses, Marine invites us to draw a card and read its meaning in a book placed beside it. Like a last piece of advice to accompany us in this feeling of renewal.

After this experience, we were keen to find out more about this secret cocoon! In addition to sound baths, Uman Project also offers yoga and meditation sessions, talking circles, as well as energy treatments including reiki, personal coaching and workshops. All prices are fairly affordable, and after just one week of opening, the place is already seeing some of its first regulars make friends. Marine also tells us that the next stage of the adventure will involve increasingly immersive, multi-sensory treatments, and we can get a taste of this with the Sleep Infusion, a session that takes place at night and includes sound immersion.