The Spa College Blog

Done with compassion and love, external snehana promotes a softening of the impurities and the release of negative emotions embedded deep in the body’s cellular structure. If the massage strokes are done properly and focused towards one or more of the five terminal ends of the body, then terminal clearance can be achieved.

Another form of Ayurvedic massage is shila abyhanga. In Sanskrit, shila means stone, abhy means to rub and anga means limb. Together, they form the word for stone massage. Heated stone massage is a form of thermotherapy, otherwise known as a form of swedhana, one of the modalities used during pancha karma — the internal and external rejuvenation and detoxification of the body, mind and spirit.

Shila abyhanga can be traced to the ancient healing traditions of almost every culture. One of the most popular ways to use heated stones in India is to wrap them along with herbs in a warm, moist cloth, creating a poultice. This poultice can be applied locally for joint or muscle pain. Large, flat warm stones, used with warm oil, can be glided across tight muscles. Specially prepared ashes of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds were ingested exclusively by the royalty of India along ago as part of pancha karma treatments.

Stone healing belongs to the earth element, as the stones of the earth are the bones of the great earth mother Gaia. While ether’s qualities are subtle, earth’s qualities are dense. Reiki and other ethereal, gentle forms of laying on of hands belong to the ether and air elements. By introducing stonework into these healing treatments we bring in the earth element as well.

Ayurveda recognizes there are five directional flows within the body. Stone healing is most effective when the downward flow called apana vayu in the Sanskrit language, is activated. Apana vayu is associated with the first (muladhara) and second (svadhisthana) grounding chakras. Since stones belong to the earth element, they are the perfect vehicle for helping us reconnect with the earth’s grounding, stable force.

Ayurveda also recognizes five terminal ends with the body: the crown of the head, the ears, the genitals, the hands and the soles of the feet. Terminal clearance is a term that describes the release of toxins and residue at and through each of the terminal ends. This can be achieved by using gentle wringing and squeezing strokes, virtually pulling and pushing the toxins out of the body in the direction of one or any of the terminal ends. After gently wringing and squeezing, glide heated, textured stones with a firm pressure along the muscles towards the terminal ends. Move the strokes in the direction of the feet when gliding stones on the legs. This will activate apana vayu (directional flow towards the earth) and help anchor and ground the recipient. After performing terminal clearance, one must transform any negativity to golden or white light with the mind’s eye and shake it out through your hands. Once the body is clear, send breath and light though your hands and into the recipient during your gentle exhales, because Nature dislikes a vacuum. If you “vacuum” the toxins, there will be clear space within the pranic body that will need to be filled with light and compassion to prevent more toxins from filling the space.

Stone Compression and Deep Tissue Work

Compression therapy, using stones and sandbags, has a two-fold benefit. First, the application of compression initiates the relaxation response. Then, after the compression is removed, the body experiences an amazing sense of weightlessness and an incredible lightness of being. Compression immobilizes the muscle, so there is a surrendering that must occur on the part of the one who is receiving the therapy when he or she feels safe. When the body stops twitching and wiggling to find comfort, only then can we attain the inner stillness we all seek.

Sandbags create a perfect amount of pressure and can be heated on an oil heater. They are used to help re-educate parts of the body that are too far forward or backward, causing misalignment. Laying sandbags on the top of the thighs will encourage the femurs to ground more deeply into the hips sockets. It also helps redirect the energy downward by simply increasing body awareness in the legs.

Finer-shaped stones can be used for deep tissue work and are ideal for opening blocked marma points or releasing acupressure points. The heat at the tip of the stone helps penetrate the blockages. “Edging” is a simple deep tissue stone technique using the edge of the stone as a tool which glides along the muscle sheath with deep, slow pressure for myo-facial release. When the flat side of a stone is used in a continuous motion along muscles using copious amounts of oil and strong pressure, we simply call it “gliding.” In this case, the stone is used as an extension of the hand rather than a tool, which means the hands are held flat against the stone.

“Flushing” involves using the flat side of the stone as an extension of the hand. The heat, wide surface, and pressure will help flush out what was dislodged from edging. Flushing in the direction toward the feet affirms and activates the apana vayu (downward flow.) The feet are considered one of the terminal ends of the body where excess and residual debris are stored and released into the earth.

“Cocooning” is another stone technique involving cryo-therapy and thermotherapy. During cryo-therapy cocooning, white quartzite stones are chilled and a stone cocoon is built around an over-heated, inflamed or swollen area of the body. Thermo-therapy cocooning involves building a cocoon of heated stones around a site or injury that is swollen or painful from stiffness or coldness within the body. Cocoons are applied at the beginning of each treatment and removed midway through for assessment and specific injury-related protocol.

The texture of the stone is crucial for deep bodywork. Basalt stones are often too smooth and spherical for deep, flat flushing or for intense edging. They are ideal for layouts supporting the neck and for light gliding on those who are sensitive to deep massage. New England sea stones consisting of mineral composites have the most texture and the best shapes for edging. Textured sea stones are velvety smooth, not slippery smooth. They are more porous, thereby giving them a high grip factor, enabling more control.

The integration of heated and chilled stones in massage therapy has become widely appreciated and accepted as an enduring, effective modality within the bodywork industry. The ancient form of healing has not resurfaced to replace the healing hand, but instead, to be used as an adjunct to enhance alternative and mainstream bodywork systems. Stones can be used as extensions of the hand or as tools, depending on the client and the desired effect. There is no right or wrong way to heal with stones because your intention transcends technique and protocol. Trust yourself first.

Lifestyle RecommendationsThere are specific bodywork techniques and lifestyle choices that pacify and calm the vata dosha, which is the wind (ether and air) element within the body. Since vata is the dosha responsible for motion within the body and the universe, care should be taken not to accumulate too much vata. Here are some vata soothing activities:

Plan your meals to avoid becoming anxious, cranky and hungry. Eat at least one meal at the same time each day.Walk slowly, unless you are exercising. Walking more than 2 hours will irritate vata.Think positive thoughts and read daily affirmations.Avoid chatty people and long phone calls.Eat warm, unctuous foods, especially on cold, windy, dry days.Avoid scary movies.Go to bed at or before 10pm.Avoid being late or rushed.Avoid carbonated beverages.Surround yourself with soft things, i.e., pillows, and friends who make you laugh.

Karyn Chabot, LMT is the owner of Sacred Stone Centers for Holistic Education and Healing Therapies in Middletown, R and N. Bennington, VT. She is a graduate of The Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico and the Ayurveda-Yoga Institute in NYC. Visit her website at http://www.shopsacredstone.com.~

Vanessa Jensen, recent Spa College graduate heads up the Eco Spa at Tierra de Milagros on the Osa Peninsula in the southwest corner of Costa Rica.

A 45-minute plane ride from San Jose or an 8-hour car trip along winding roads takes you into the Osa with it’s national parks, thick jungle, rivers, flora and fauna featuring only-here-to-be-found species once abundant throughout Central America.

Here is also Tierra de Milagros a rustic retreat center catering already for many years to workshops especially yoga, with ocean front platforms and open-air accommodation.

Enter the Spa at Tierra. Not your usual spa at all, in fact one might even want to resist comparing it to any mainstream definition of spa and seek a more primal word for it deserves to be in a class of its own.

Now in her third season, Vanessa has developed an astonishing selection of spa treatments that are pure to their core. Not only are the ingredients sourced from the surrounding waters and land, but they are harvested on a daily basis so that they are packed with life force suggesting an association with the energy and vitality of raw foods more than a cosmetic experience.

By delivering the product fresh, still dripping from the rainforest the utmost potency of each component is a key to a down to earth experience. The no frills yet abundantly luxurious treatments cannot be compared to anything out of a bottle. With the elements coming directly from source their inherent information is absorbed on a homeopathic and naturopathic level while original fragrances please the senses and the pulsating environment does the rest.

Treatments are designed a la minute and while suggestions lure, no treatment is ever like another. A coconut-ginger wrap can be washed away by coconut milk made from freshly grated coconut flesh laced with freshly picked ylang ylang blossoms while the feet and take a cacao-cinnamon scrub and are rinsed in spring water.

Or a blend of aloe vera from the garden with cooling cucumber can soothe the skin after a day on the water with a botanical hair rinse regenerating hair and head alike with sweet-smelling substances that then again become naturally part of the natural world as they wash off into the Earth.

Another world and level of sourcing that many can only dream of unfolds here and bringing this closer to the visitor by facilitating a direct experience is providing an unforgettable understanding, bringing back cellular memories of when this was once our second nature.

Originally hired to manage the retreat center where she has established her spa services, Vanessa, quickly realized that her true calling was to develop unique spa experiences that literally emerge out of the surrounding jungle and just as quickly disappear back into it without a trace except for the feeling of having been touched by something very special.

Vanessa Jensen’s approach to can be compared to the discipline of the finest chef who will go where the ingredients are at their freshest and finest. She trails up the river to seek out clay that she pulverizes and connects with local growers. She picks the flowers from the land and gets exotic fruit right off the tree.

Living in the abundant supply of natural fruit enzymes (as in papaya), fragrant emollients (as in coconut milk), moisturizers such as wild honey and a virtuous arrangement of fragrant flowers distilled into essences from Frangipani to Ylang Ylang, as well as the Osa clay that is plucked from the river bordering the retreat, Vanessa’s daily ritual begins with harvesting, collecting, grating, rasping, slicing, blending and pulverizing ingredients that she combines for each client individually to enhance their particular moment in time.

She then proceeds to lay out an arrangement of freshly harvested banana leaves and fragrant flowers on the wooden floor of her spa cabana that serves as a 100% eco-friendly bed,  ready to drape and wrap the lucky person about to receive one of her tropical treats.

Treatments include body scrubs, wraps and masques featuring ingredients ranging from ground local cacao beans and of course famous Costa Rican coffee through to Osa mud enhanced with numerous fruits such as bananas, papayas, limes, oranges as well as flowers that we usually know only from the labels of essential oils.

During the season you can find Vanessa at Tierra de Milagros and the retreat center is at www.tierrademilagros.com

There are a few things in life I believe everyone should be able to do and I find it a little disconcerting when I find even young people outsourcing their life with anything from their breakfast, that comes home-delivered to their laundry that’s dropped off in the morning and picked up in the evening, to calling the “super” to replace a light bulb.

I could go on and on but you know what I mean!

Believe me I think it’s great that I can be more effective at what I do because I can delegate chores and needs that others do better or for less, leaving me more time to do what I like and can do best - but it is a choice, not a necessity.

Most of the things are simple but we have made them into a mystery and some are intent on keeping them mysterious as well as making them accessible so as to maintain their business.

I am sure everyone can add to this list and maybe it depends on where you live, but for what it’s worth, here are my top ten positions (not in any particular order):

• Learn how to create a budget, balance a checkbook and manage your money
• Learn how to ride a bicycle
• Learn how to find your way home if you’re lost in nature (or in the city jungle)
• Learn CPR and first aid
• Learn how to drive a stick shift
• Learn how to iron a shirt, sew on a button and hem a skirt
• Learn about cars - change a tire, jumpstart, change your oil or replace a fuse
• Learn about electrical work - change a light bulb, replace a switch and a fuse
• Learn how to shop and cook meals from scratch for yourself and others
• Learn how to give a great massage
• Learn basic html and build a simple website

Let me pick massage as an example, because it’s something I know well. I believe that everyone has the inherent knowledge of how to touch with skill and awareness. We are born with it and when challenged we know how to comfort as well as rub, hold, caress, stroke and rock ourselves and others when there is pain or discomfort. No teacher necessary.

But it seems that over time we reduce this activity to the occurrence of emergencies, acute pain and then extend it only to immediate family, to ourselves or ultimately drop it altogether as we lose the connection to our bodies in a culture that celebrates the visual but denies the physical. This has developed to an extent that touching has become a taboo and is regulated in policies and laws, especially in the workplace. Not that it has not become necessary, since clearly abuse and harassment are prevalent, but at the same time it has added to the message that physical proximity is not ok.

So when I say everyone should learn how to give a great massage I am talking about reviving the ability to relieve pain and provide comfort in way that does not invade a person’s personal space. It is a service that is unconditional and does not require the receiver to reciprocate in any way, shape or form.

Being able to give a great massage is about uncovering that inherent skill that resides in every one of us, and reminding our self what it means to be of unconditional service. The strokes and movements applied even during a “professional” massage are secondary and can be learned with ease once inspired by the deeper understanding of service.

Since no exchange on a personal level is expected, there is no agenda. The fact that a professional massage therapist is paid for their service should not interfere with this balance as the exchange occurs on different levels. The therapist is paid for their time, not for their care. Between friends and family giving a massage to sooth, relieve pain, to comfort or balance does not include any expectation to receive any favor in exchange. It is just a pure giving.

When massage is given with no expectations including an outcome of any kind, there is no agenda Since there is no agenda, the one who gives can be completely present in the moment and need not strategize or project ones own beliefs onto the other. This in itself is the core of all healing.

The basic necessary massage techniques (the “strokes”) can be learned in under 100 hours of classroom time. Achieving the necessary underlying state of mind and heart is not always facilitated, as this is something that cannot be learned but rather needs to be understood. And of course to comply with governing law, there are other subjects that need to be studied before licensing can occur and the student may practice on the general public.

But for me the most important element of this process is uncovering and understanding the principles of being in the moment with no agenda and letting a deeper insight guide the process.

Learn Massage

As the spa industry continues in a double-digit growth pattern spa treatments are becoming more and more popular and offer an interesting option for massage therapists who need to expand their service menu.

Scrubs, masks, cocoons, wraps, fango packs, glows and polishes, to name a few, are all services that are typically offered at day and resort spas in addition to and in conjunction with massage therapy.

All spa treatments have therapeutic qualities, address issues and concerns from sunburn to stress. Many utilize natural ingredients and an application that focuses more on the therapeutic qualities of the product(s) used, rather than the physical aspect of massage modalities. Two main components of spa treatments are exfoliating (scrubs) and moisturizing to maintain a healthy skin. In between there are a myriad of possibilities ranging from invigorating to relaxing and from detoxifying to nourishing.

As a massage therapist faced with the reality of injury and burnout related to the physical challenges of doing deep-tissue like massages or manipulations, the question arises what other forms of revenue can be generated using licensure, training and equipment.

Developing a menu of spa treatments is one great way to not only distinguish oneself from the competition, but also to perform additional sessions without taxing the body.

Many spa treatments can be performed without needing to have a shower available. They can utilize products that can stay on the body or the therapist can use moist towels to remove the product before proceeding to the next step of the treatment. In fact I even have a selection of spa treatments I offer for outcall massages.

If a shower is available, there are virtually no limitations to the kinds of treatments one can offer. For some clients who receive treatments at home and have a shower, I offer full spa treatment experiences that include a massage.

Many spa treatments can be offered as an upgrade to a massage or be specifically designed for a body part such as a moisturizing foot and hand masque or a calming décolleté treatment.

Full spa treatments can take the usual 60 minutes and include foot, hand and scalp massage while the client is taken through a number of steps that feature resting times during which a specific product unfolds its therapeutic qualities.

A simple wrap for a sunburned client, who comes in wanting a massage, could be using propolis and aloe vera to heal, lavender lotion to cool and calm and coconut milk to seal in the effects and moisturize the skin. Apply the products, wrap the clients in a sheet and proceed with a gentle scalp massage. Half an hour later, the products will have been absorbed and the client can take home a bottle of lavender lotion (and some sunscreen).

You can charge a premium for product use and as you see, retailing products will become a natural extension of your care for your client.

The products needed for spa treatments can be purchased from a vendor who wholesales to the spa industry or even more fun, put together from natural, organic ingredients you can often buy at the local health food store. Salt and sugar scrubs are a great example, honey. A little study and you can assemble simple treatments on your own.

There are also other options such as Spa College.They have designed classes specifically for therapists to learn all they need to know about putting together a spa treatment menu

I’d like to put an idea in your head. Just for the next time you either consider taking a class, training or seminar or if you plan to travel somewhere.

This might not be for everyone, but I certainly would do it no other way any more. Learning something new when you go on vacation or going on vacation when you want to learn something new is doubling the value of your time. And time is probably your most precious commodity.

But not only do you get more value for time spent, but when you take yourself out of the rut and to an exotic, inspiring, beautiful destination that opens your senses and your heart, you are much more receptive to taking in something new and retaining it. So whatever it is you learn, you will take more of it home for a longer period of time.

And when you learn something new, you are more likely to take your environment in on a much deeper level and anchor it there with the experiences giving the location a whole different meaning for you from there on for the rest of your life. You will remember more details about your destination and probably have a deeper connection to it.

Often programs can be offered in locations outside of the US for much less or the amenities are much better for the same price you would pay for the same content on the US mainland. So while it costs something to get there, and the course, workshop or seminar also adds to the tab, your accommodations, transportation and food there might be a lot cheaper. Not to mention being able to bring some cool things back.

There is a growing tendency to become a virtual Being, stuck in front of the computer, living as an Avatar and taking online training, webinars and seminars and studying courses on CDR. While there is nothing wrong with that it can not substitute the multi-dimensional experience of traveling to a foreign destination, meeting other human beings in flesh and blood and exposing yourself to the culture, the language and the music and activating your senses.

Take a class, workshop or intensive that has nothing to do with your job and you will be surprised how it changes the way you do things in your job. Do something that you thought you never would do. Take a drumming workshop, do some art, a yoga retreat, learn massage, take a class in spa treatments, learn to make and play a didgeridoo…(I’m not making this up, these workshops actually exist)

Take a class that can take you to a whole new level in your job and at the same time expand you horizon. Take a management seminar in Moscow, a computer course in Costa Rica, a course on mother-infant relationships in Israel (These courses are actually available)

What more could be more gratifying then learning something fundamental for life with the emphasis on “fun” or a skill that will accelerate your job while retreating from the same-old, same-old at the same time?

Spa treatment design can be improved by taking an environmental and culturally sensitive approach. Many spa treatments include too many exotic ingredients and are drawn from philosophies unrelated to the local requirements.

While at least some spa treatments (wraps, scrubs and masks to name the basic protocols) are usually found in a section on the majority of spa menus, they tend to lead a rather dormant life overshadowed by their more commonly requested relatives massages and facials. More often than not they decorate menus with adventurous names while flirting exotic ingredients. Considering the expensive products retained to perform these services and the equipment held available it is a pity that spa treatments are not given the place they deserve and could conquer.

Spa treatments are one of the menu-items that have not even been tapped into as a resource by the majority of individual practitioners as well as health spas of all styles and sizes.

While massage and to a good degree esthetics have matured so far that they are being accepted and understood as a solid part of every spa menu and a core service offered by the individual practitioner, spa treatments are still struggling to make their mark.

Spa treatments offer numerous advantages for clients, providers and for the spa business itself. Some of which are for clients that they pose an alternative to massage and a different approach to health and wellness altogether that utilizes a chemical rather than a physical approach. For providers they offer a rest from the physically challenging nature of massage and an opportunity to provide the client with more post treatment products that will extend the effects of the treatment. And finally the spa business itself for example can attract additional clients and renew client relationships more often with attractive treatments as well as expand the business with related products that help clients enjoy their spa experience at home as well.

So while there are many reasons why spa treatments tend to be less requested, we would like to pick one in particular that is rarely addressed. One of the explanations we find why clients do not opt for a spa treatment and providers and front desk staff have a hard time recommending them is that they cannot relate on an emotional and cultural level to the services offered.

One fundamental reason is that the services were not designed taking local ecological, social and cultural existing and pre-existing conditions into account, but rather have been imposed as a concept from the outside, importing foreign concepts that evolved under different circumstances and foreign ingredients that need to be imported. These concepts will surface in menus as “a traditional treatment from Bali” in a Mexican luxury spa or as product driven treatment featuring “caviar” designed by a vendor and wrapped around their protocol.

Now while at first glance the appealing description and mouthwatering descriptions might seem attractive, upon closer examination there are some major flaws in the design. Ingredients, the verbiage, the philosophy, aromas, and especially the client concerns originated somewhere else and lack the connections to the local facility. The ideas first spark interest and a certain sense of attraction to the mysterious but than fall short of following through with a feeling of being grounded in the here and now and offering benefits that embrace the local environmental and cultural heritage.

There are some very concrete reasons to pursue an eco-centric approach. When taking the time to research local healing traditions, one inherits many years of refining regionally available resources to address locally prevailing ailments and concerns. While looking into nature’s plant systems one finds plants that have thrived on the local geological and climatic environment and retain substances and essences that can heal conditions that are a result of just that environment. In observing weather patterns one can address the seasons and the changes between them. And most important, treatments designed with an eco-centric approach are grounded and feel complete as they are deeply embedded in their environment.

Taking local conditions into consideration while designing spa treatments is not difficult and well worth the effort. Besides the relationships you will develop researching the local resources, the resulting understanding of local culture, flora and climate will give the spa treatments you design a completely different level of integration with clients, providers and staff.

More about eco-centric spa treatment design at Spa College

A trek through the mountains of Costa Rica

With the powerful ride of our daily lives, sometimes creating vertigo, our search for an emotional and physical break, and a combined rationalization to justify it, will continue to rise. Though the ride of life will continue, there are some things we can do to make it smoother from time to time. For a few years, I have had the assorted delight of exploits and adventures of living in a small resort town in Costa Rica, one of foreign tourism’s most sought destinations. In my endeavors in the spa industry both here and in the US, I have found varying assumptions, real life options, along with what works for that illusory thing we call rejuvenation.

Costa Rica, a country comparable to the size of West Virginia is, in and of itself is a Mecca of natural wonders made for revivification. With my own inner desire to seek out some renewal for myself, and being right here in “Mecca land” I decided to take it upon myself to find out what is out there not only for me, but for those around me who look to me for knowledge in this area. Hundreds of auspicious companies now acknowledge the commitment needed to redirect the unhealthy and unhappy workforce created by the demands of the job. Many are realizing that these sedentary and high pressure positions may be causing employees a loss of physical health, leading to further preoccupations and overworked psyches. The return, high cost healthcare, and less productivity. Health oriented firms are taking advantage of this shift by craftily applying well planned, results oriented programs to increase worker productivity and reduce stress, while setting markers to measure goals and savings. Firms will work one on one with your company to implement on site healthcare facilities, work out centers, meditation rooms, weekly massage, nutrition and stress management classes, among other incentives. Giving back to the employee and acknowledging they are more than a 9 to 5. This provocation of our spiritual search and looking into our own behavioral patterns and how they lock us into our external lives is increasing. Our needto reclaim our behavior is a reason to seek places of divine retreat. We seek rejuvenation centers for solace, to manage stress, detoxify, find alternative healthcare or for motivation for a lifestyle change, all while satisfying our craving for euphoria. What if we could bring about a radical change within ourselves, and let that ebb and flow in our daily lives. What is that worth to us?

From coastal plains to rugged mountains, and over 100 volcanic cones, several that are active, the humble country of Costa Rica depends on tourism to bring in foreign income that allows them to tackle environmental and social issues. The past year has brought that tourism, and foreign direct investment, over 480 million dollars of it. It has also brought advancement, with spas popping up in rapid succession, and a seeming rush to beat out the next guy. According to the Coyle Hospitality Group, a New York based market leader in quality assurance, the average person, 57% of us in fact, have visited a resort or hotel spa 1-5 times in the past year. With spas at almost every edge of Costa Rica, from the south end of the Osa Peninsula, to the far north where you can visit a Four Seasons, I agree we will see our share of the 59% of consumers who now want more time to explore their spiritual side, according to the 2001 Leisure Travel Monitor.There are many companies, including our own near and dear Spa Management and Consulting company, Lotus Effects LLC. One management company has the luxury of maintaining operation of three well known and highly sought international wellness centers with spa and retreat villas. Providing the total “mind, body, spirit” connection before it was trendy to include this slogan on every youngling spa brochure. One of their three facilities, aptly named Pura Vida, or Pure Life, a national anthem and frequent greeting for the Costa Rican People, symbolizing to take it easy and enjoy life. In other words most things can wait until tomorrow, not a mentality easily ingrained into our work harder, get more, puritan roots.

I decided it was time to take advantage of my location and experience this for myself. As I passed through a small country town, they call Cerrysel, I am amazed at how much of this small country still remains for me to see. High green mountains, surrounded by coffee fields, and winding small roads that lead to a remote hilltop location, needing a little navigation, almost as if you need an exclusive password for the privilege of the location. A seeming world away from myfour hour drive from the coast, with fog misted mountains and a quiet calm, I looked forward to sharing with the staff. Having previously arranged a meeting with the general manager and marketing coordinator, I knew I only had the day to enjoy this getaway, because of my schedule. Promising myself I would make a return visit for the much talked about week of transformation. Upon my arrival I was greeted with a warm welcome by Manrique Gomez, the GM here for the past three years with 20 years of management experience. I was immediately taken through the grounds, as we discussed the types of accommodations, classes, treatments and pricing they have to offer. The walk was colder than I am used to, quiet, with only the wind moving the palm and almond trees with a perpetual breeze, and a refreshing clear view of the valley and surrounding hills. With a review of the 22,000 square meter grounds, of comfortable sturdy “toldos” or tents, and pagoda style villas, 53 in all, I was invited to lunch. In the Garden Restaurant a cozy cafeteria style center, I sat down with some very sincere and enthusiastic staff. More rightly referred to as part of the community, at least that is how they like to view themselves. I was pleased to find some of my favorite combinations, tofu dishes, lots of fresh vegetables, cheeses, fruit juice and salad. A light healthy fare, that blends well with a weeks retreat of healing therapies from Bioenergetics, Watsu, Inner Guidance, Thai, Reflexology, Reflective time and all other customary treatments you may think of.

Everyone I spoke with was honest and open, not at all excessively protective of their proprietary works as some who shrink from the interest of other trade professionals. Proud of their success and innovative programs they were happy to share. With members of the “community” from Israel, Australia, USA, Germany, Britain, and of course Costa Rica, they have no shortage of people who seek a chance to live and work here. Isvari, a Sanskrit word for the feminine of God, isthe name the resident yoga instructor takes. Trained in Kripalu, Holistic Nutrition, Danskinetics, and Iyengar theories, she brings an open minded vision to her teaching. When I asked another member, what she enjoyed most here, the response was “touching hearts”, which is what she sees in the responsive and physical difference in her clients, at weeks end. Trained in Israel, Switzerland, and India, she has a friendly face, wide, clear eyes, and a true dedication to her work. Management, instructors, therapists, enthusiasts, solace seekers, and Pura Vida regulars all eat, live, practice, and heal together.

Built on an old coffee farm, significantly more developed than when it was purchased 20 years ago by the founding couple. Now a prosperous company, it is comprehensibly managed by a couple of “corporate refugees”, based in Dahlonega, Georgia. Living near the Pura Vida USA wellness center, they travel monthly to their sister properties in Tulum, Mexico, and Alejuela, Costa Rica. The couple a former corporate financier, and the other a lawyer by training, make for a well designed management team. For two and a half years they have been behind the properties and programs you can find available. In speaking with the management team I was able to relate to the dedication and skill it takes to keep these wellness centers going. With my own recent work in boutique, and resort spa start up[s on the Pacific Coast, I’d had my days of rewards and set-backs. The couple, having visited the Costa Rican property three years ago on vacation, decided to modify their lives and upon their return, applied with the management company, later finding themselves heading up the project. Attracted to the wellness industry by a desire to do something more thrilling than the routine corporate world, and I’m guessing a little healthy self-interest to do something for themselves, they took it on with enthusiasm. With no misconceptions about the industry, they admit, it is just as hard, if not more, to manage these properties, as it was in high demand jobs. Travel is frequent and quality checks are consistent, along with ensuring that each property reflects and represents what they advertise, and is homogenous with the whole body connection put into place at the original MayaTulum property 20 years ago. The founding couple had some healthy discernment in bringing together yoga, and spa awareness when it was not mainstream, an became an inspiration to others. They tell me there are no immediate plans for expansion on the Costa Rica property, but that they are always looking to improve the look and “deepen their offerings” to the guests, and leave them with something to take home. As we all know, our guests can be the greatest reward, andthe greatest challenge, all at the same time. The reason they always look for staff with the ability to deal with the public, and amongst it all, smile! A pre-requisite to be a staff member, I am told, is quality training, knowledge, and of course the right attitude. As I’ve heard throughout my career from therapist, to manager, through development and consulting, people can be trained, but if they are inherently unhappy, that will reflect in their work.It must be working, as they inform me they consistently receive compliments from clients around the world on the positive fulfillment of expectation and forceful energy of Pura Vida retreats. From experience I know how hard it can be to execute countless biddings, the feeling to out perform, and surpass your guests expectations. In this aspect put so objectively, “Some may have better rooms than us, others may have better treatments, but it is what we put into it, and the service and caring that our clients receive that make it an experience to remember.” With the average vacation being 10-14 days out of 365, some of us, myself included prefer a new experience during our time away, where our personal needs will be addressed, and you can really take some, YOU time. Sometimes that takes seclusion, and lifestyle change, which is part of what Pura Vida does in taking pride in raising a level of consciousness for their clients, and creating a safe space for transformation to happen. Where as one staff member put it, “giving them time to return to the beautiful person they have forgotten they are” The staff maintains a belief that nature has a way of healing us, if that is the case, then this is a perfect tropical location to begin your renewal. Destination spas are one of the things people think of when looking for a much needed escape and to allow our overworked minds to be swept away, to contemplate a recent change, a divorce, work, or life. Each of us will look to have a different expectation filled, seeking our own path, transcending age, health and circumstance. We all need, and deserve to function at our best physiologically and emotionally. Personally I look forward to taking them up on an invitation to return and participate in their wellness program and trying out the ‘Unwrap Journey Paradise” package , floating from massage to wrap to detox steam and facial. Exploring the boundries of my yoga stretches, and taking some time for introspection of my own to re-direct some goals that may have slipped off track.

Costa Rica can be a place where your daily rejuvenation rituals and healthy habits may be challenged, you certainly will be hard pressed to find a turkey burger or raw foods juice bar. I found this especially disadvantageous when living there full time. Whether we are traveling or a long term guest in a foreign location, our well being is within our reach. Inside the borders of this little country I called home for years, I now have one more channel to access in my personal search for the sometimes misleading or unbridled spirit. Rejuvenation is deeply personal to each of us, as we create our rituals to get through the day, deep breaths when needed, a private minute for a mantra, or scanning trade and travel magazines for the next get away. We find our way.

I look up as I am writing this, into a tranquil ocean cove, a friends’ sloop moored below, the sun is setting, soon I will see the capricious pattern of shades on the horizon, a bird swoops in to pick up a wandering gecko, and I move to the sounds of distant titi monkeys, and a subtle background beat of a locally bought c.d., ‘Sounds of the Coffee Lands’. An echo of breaking surf moves up the hill, like a chant, a sound that has always been my soul rejuvenation, that wraps me in contentment. I guess this is the beginnings of my dream, my chance to re-invent myself and capture the empowerment to appreciate it, and what enables me to provide a center of renewal for myself and those around me. So my daily ride, once a roller coaster has slowed to a tranquil merry go round, with an exceptional view… at least for the time being. After all I am working the controls.

Spa Cuisine Helps Detoxify the Body

“Spa Cuisine” has fast become an art in of itself. High end spas now offer their own menu with a skilled chef, offering a detailed dish of Thai spiced chicken and vegetable couscous with tamarind and ginger chutney. Sounds delicious, but is it feasible at home? You may find great choices at your local Asian market, albeit some things may need a little more explanation on how to prepare. However, the reality for most of us is…. we are busy. Along with that, some of us may have a poor diet, rich in fatty calories, junk food, or too much alcohol. And if you are living in an area with high pollution this is also a factor that will affect your energy levels, and exacerbate symptoms of emotional stress or fatigue. Well, we have a few suggestions to leave you feeling calm and clear.

There is a popular rise in the use of spa and body products that are edible. This may only increase as we become more aware of the healing properties of a product both internally and externally. For example, green tea body treatments, almond scrubs, and vegetable wraps….sound strange, they are all on menus in quality spas. It is even proven that drinking moor mud, in addition to having a mud wrap, increases your detox levels. Yes, really, it is good for you, and helps eliminate toxins, it is also tasteless and odorless, so the squeamish won’t have a problem.

You may use tropical fruits or ones found around the globe, to create smoothies, and at home health cuisine. Follow our suggestions or create your own at home menu. A favorite, low calorie, detoxifying drink combines, 3 tomatoes, 2 carrots, 3 stalks of celery, 2 bell peppers, 1 cup spinach, ½ beet, 1/2 teaspn., lemon juice, and garlic to taste. Juice and blend for a delicious veggie cocktail. Another of our favorites is a hot fruit salad. Mix a variety of dried fruits, like apricots, apples, figs, pears, etc. soak all in ¼ cup apple or orange juice, refrigerate overnight. Next simmer for 10 minutes and add 3 tblspn., plain yogurt and nuts of your choice. Fast and healthy! Of course we always recommend adding ginger to your diet. This is always beneficial for its anti-bacterial qualities, aiding in digestion, and fighting those nasty free radicals. Top fresh fruit with grated ginger or add to hot tea, it adds great flavor. These are great ways to detoxify the body. If you combine these with a daily series of fresh fruit, and lots of water, you have your own mini-fasting program.

Spa Cuisine was introduced to enhance the overall spa experience and leave you inspired to follow the health trend at home. Whereever you are visiting, or in your hometown, take a moment to enjoy what your City or destination has to offer. Those of us joining us for our SPA ESSENTIALS course in Costa Rica, will be able to take advantage of the local fare, and clean coastal air. The humidity can act as a natural sauna. Also try and enjoy the local fruit and vegetables while visiting, they may have some you may not have at home.

We hope we have given you an inspirational start to healthy eating, and encourage you to eat raw fruits and vegetables. These things all come together in a common sense theme of –“Cleansing the Body is Clearing the Mind”. This is also the philosophy of Spa College and we hope to help you achieve that.

Marketing Savvy for Every Business Size:

That means you!

We all know how important marketing is. We hear it every day. Bombarded with marketing buzz words, and marketing guru’s who dangle their bag of tricks in front of those who may be a little less savvy in marketing. For some small business owners and individual practitioner’s marketing seems as mysterious as a profit and loss statement. I’m here to tell you, you don’t need to feel that way! With a little help, and a lot of dedication you can make your business and your clientele grow.

Getting people to recognize our product or service is vital to our survival. We’ve all heard the saying “Something terrible happens to your business when you don’t advertise…. nothing.” Whether you are able to bring in an outside source, PR firm, or have someone on staff to put in those person- hours towards your marketing goal, you have to continue to know, and be willing to go with the learning curve. One of the newest terms circulating among marketing industries is, Viral Marketing. If you’ve ever heard of “The Secret”, you know about viral marketing. And here I am doing just that. Viral marketing is less of a traditional marketing system in the sense that it is consumer driven. The conusumers pass it along to a set of people, who then pass it on to another set of people. It continues from there. Creating a viral effect. The viral part comes from the rapid and easily shared information through blogs, RSS feeds, links, online communities etc. Some also call this a tipping point. A point to which there is just enough consumer response and interest, that it propels a product, idea or service into the viral stream. It is the next step up from having a SEO sepcialist on staff.

“Fact:The only variables in the viral marketing equation as a business are:what is released to who and at what time.” Blake Snow of Connect Utah Business Magazine. Your format could be one of the many video share sites, like youtube.com, a virtual world, like secondlife.com, or inviting others to check out your services, product or information on your website, or in press releases.

If you’re in business, the idea of marketing is on your mind. How much should you dedicate to spend, where, when, and how to track it. With this in mind, and wanting to increase her own brand awareness and launch a new product, a friend of mine became interested in viral marketing. She is a highly paid public speaker who had the opportunity to speak around the country, and with many different audiences. Interested in viral marketing, she started to ask her audiences at each presentation who had heard of “The Secret” , (there I am again, contributing to it) each time she asked the number grew, and within six months of asking 70% of her audiences had seen, heard, or knew of this thing called “The Secret”. They had either seenit, purchased it, shared it with a friend, or were talking about it at the office water cooler. It was a pretty clever system on their part to film and distribute it as they did, creating a sense of mysticism, selling it only online, and inviting others to find out what the secret was.

Whatever your business size or focus, marketing need not be a mystery. A little research, knowing your market and finally getting our there and doing the work could propel you into the viral market stream. Be sure not to forget the rule of thumb, that media relationships are built on trust. To the virtual, global community that essentially controls the world wide web, credibility is key. If you try to put one over on them, they will call you on it. The viral stream works the other way too, and you could wind up with negative press if not careful.

You are your own brand. Everything you do, say, produce and write will be a reflection of you, your company and your name. This may be magnified in our highly aesthetic and kinesthetic industry. Have something of value to offer, and don’t always have the pocket book in mind as the driving force. Consumers are savvy and want value and information, not just being pitched to. “Publicity is easy to get. Make yourself so successful that you don’t need it, and then you’ll get it” - Anonymous

If you’ve got more marketing questions, or would like to know more about how we can help you grow your business, attend one of our workshops, or contact us directly here.

You can see the full article on the do’s and dont’s of viral marketing from Blake Snow at http://connect-utah.com/article.asp?r=2328&iid=55&sid=1