Pilgrimage to the spa, temples of repose

Jul 18, 2009, 12.00am IST
J TARA HERRON.


The spa is a sanctuary that enables self-renewal in an environment that can be described as being the antithesis of our fast-paced, high-tech world by facilitating retreat into the vital elements of life.


The focus on 'healing environments' has emphasised the quality of touch, smell, hearing, seeing and sensing to bring us into harmony with a natural state of being where we are no longer required 'to do', but rather, 'to be'.

In a worldwide fusion of influences, the spa has evolved into a place where we go to reconnect with our inner selves, our soul, and experience that joyous sense of gratitude for simply being alive that comes so easily when you feel good. This journey through the elements nurtures the body, yet takes us beyond its finite form into a timelessness and serenity where we are content to simply breathe, happy in our own skin.


The spa has become the new monastery, the house of the spirit, a place where we all become one in the anonymity of robes, shared baths, bareness, peace and the mutual respect we hold for each other's space. The mystical quality of human consciousness is reflected in these temples of repose, where the hands-on therapist creates the bridge across the divide from chaos to peace, from stress to balance, guiding us further on to touch base with our inner gods, whoever they may be, bringing us home to ourselves.


Within this spa renaissance, that draws much of its knowledge from ancient cultures... we can dissolve into a renewed sense of being that reforms us, generating an easy living response...


The spa environment is essentially rooted in the harmonious orchestration of natural elements that awaken our senses, allowing our bodies to let go of resistance, of strife on every level...


The welcome shift in our perception of what amounts to 'being beautiful' continues to evolve as our awareness grows. The integration of more ethnic beauty regimes from different cultures has introduced all of us to a more universal account of what equates to beauty and how we quantify it.


With people being born from parents whose origins may come from opposite sides of the globe we now see extraordinary and exotic human beings with perhaps a mix of Turkish and Scandinavian or African and Indian that break through the conceptual moorings of traditional looks... Ancient principles of wellness are rising to the fore once again, as Ayurvedic wisdom from India or Mayan wellness rituals from South America are studied and brought into a universal experience.

Being seen as beautiful, now stems from a deeper understanding of how being healthy and happy are visible factors in the overall vision of how we appear to others, as well as to ourselves. As our inner perceptions change so does our outer vision. The realisation that beauty is more than skin deep has now developed into an active pursuit of generating an inner harmony that is free from stress, tension and toxicity...


An experience of inner peace and serenity resolves issues of psychological conflict with the inevitable changes that occur through hormonal elements, creating a sense of 'growing old gracefully'. Qualities of inner peace create space to let go of the past and embrace the present with renewed understanding and poise. A holistic approach can connect to the heart of the seeker also relieving emotional anxiety and therefore uplifting the spirit.
(The writer, a wellness expert, has authored The Definitive Spa & Body Handbook: Five keys to energy, balance & bliss.)