Travel Tips

Exploring Mindfulness, Meditation & Well Being at Miraval: Part 3

miraval 6In part three of her series on the Miraval experience, TV producer and contributing writer Alexandra Gleysteen goes all in..unashamedly.

Every spa has to deliver on some basic client expectations, primarily, a variety of massage and beauty services that pamper you—a key component of the restorative vacation. The Life in Balance Spa at Miraval is located in the center of the compound—in a new building that offers stunning views of the Santa Catalina Mountains, both while sitting in the lounge waiting to be called for your treatment, or in the quiet room where you can relax, read, or just doze.

I am a massage addict, and one who took her “piriformis syndrome” on this visit to Miraval. (It’s a painful hip issue I developed from sitting in that damn chair at work too many hours a day!) I looked over the “massage menu” and found an enormous list to tempt me, including deep tissue, restorative, hot stone, scalp, outdoor, indoor, hot wraps, reiki, acupuncture, and pregnancy massage. The list was endless. I signed up for four.

The 80-minute deep tissue massage ($240) was one of the best I’ve ever had, both therapeutic and incredibly satisfying in that “good pain” kind of way. My therapist, Stephen, had a history of working with people suffering from sports injuries and really knew his anatomy and how to work my sore spots without aggravating them. He had magical hands that identified the exact source of my issues and relieved a tremendous amount of pain. I had stopped in to talk to the nice people at the spa when I got there and got exactly what I asked for, someone strong and therapeutic. (I suggest you do the same when you make the appointment by phone. They say to do so three weeks in advance of your stay. Most people raved about their massage treatments, but there were a couple of disgruntled voices at dinner from people who felt they’d had very “average” if not “disappointing” massages—not what you want when you travel all that way. Be explicit about what you are looking for.)

miraval The Naga Massage ($215 for 50 minutes) was something completely unexpected and lovely. When I got to the Yucca Cabana, where this massage treatment takes place, I couldn’t figure out if I was entering a trapeze artist’s studio… or a den in Fifty Shades of Grey. Hanging from the ceiling were enormous silk strands of fabric; on the ground, a large futon. It turns out it’s a modified form of Thai massage, with the therapist, (in my case the very talented Matthew,) balancing himself over me, his weight supported by the silks as he worked his heel or foot into a particular area on my body. He was able to work deep into the joints by placing more or less weight on my back by adjusting how much weight he was putting on the silks. This was a massage with a lot of stretching, pulling, pushing, and prodding of limbs. At one point Matthew sat on the futon, pushing his foot so firmly and consistently into my hip area—at just the right point—that I literally felt the joint open up and had instant relief. I walked out feeling my hips were more balanced and open than they had been in years.

The Shamana Karma ($240 for 75 minutes) is based on Ayurvedic healing rituals. You inhale yummy, steamy scents, while being massaged with oils. The products used in this treatment include ingredients for some of my favorite food recipes: lemongrass, mint, rosemary, coconut, ginger, cloves—and I couldn’t help feeling on occasion that I was a big piece of meat marinating in delicious oils. When I was ready to be poached, the therapist didn’t use her hands, but hot poultices, which are moved around your body, intended to release tension and toxins. The last step was to give me a cleansing scrub made from hibiscus powder—the final dusting on the meal! It was certainly enjoyable and relaxing, and my skin felt shiny. But given the massage part wasn’t really firm by my standards, I would choose this only if you want to focus on the relaxation aspect.

miraval 9In contrast, the reflexology massage was intense (50 minutes for $165). Some of it was quite painful, but knowing the Miraval routine, I focused on breathing (mindfully) into the tender pressure points the therapist was kneading with precision and firmness. Apparently, the more tender, the more likely to point out potential imbalances in various other parts of the body. For instance, after working on a particularly sensitive spot on my foot, Ruthie told me it was the point corresponding to the thyroid. That resonated with me because I had been told by Tim Frank during Spirit Flight that he thought my thyroid was out of whack. I had never had anyone massage my feet for so long, and while it took me a while to relax into it, I eventually did. And I certainly welcomed the warm, wet towels with which Ruthie ended the treatment. I floated out of there in my Birkenstocks.

Note on wardrobe: Do not pack a lot of clothes. Throw in some workout clothes for yoga, a swimsuit if you are going to do water aerobics or lounge pool side, and very informal wear for the dining room. Everyone walks to and from the spa in bathrobes, and almost everyone was like me, wearing flip flops all day long—or sneakers for the morning hike. It was all super casual.

Beauty

Miraval has a large choice of beauty treatments as well. I had a facial, a pedicure, and a salt scrub. The facial was relaxing and hydrating, but I must report it was nothing out of the ordinary. The salt scrub, however, was fantastic, but perhaps for unusual reasons. I did it on the morning I left as a symbolic gesture of leaving behind my old skin. My skin was—ok, I have to say it—like butter—and ready to take on the world.

But what really surprised me was how much I enjoyed the Argan Rich Pedicure (50 minutes for $75)—probably because it differed so dramatically from the bi-monthly cheaper versions I have in LA or NY. Miraval has partnered with Deborah Lippmann, a woman who designs beautiful nail colors—some just for Miraval guests—and who is also seriously focused on nail health. First there was the foot soak in chamomile and sunflower seed oil to soften the skin. Then exfoliation with orange peel, followed by a really good foot and calf massage with cocoa and mango butter. I swear I wanted to eat the products they used on my body! My pedicurist was incredibly nail savvy and talked me through every meticulous step, teaching me quite a few things about nails I never knew. (Did you know that nails grow at different speeds, with those on the outside fingers growing faster than your index and thumb nails?)

Now, inevitably, a word about the food.

Dining

miraval 4The other big issue at a spa is, of course, the food. Most people who come to a spa are at the very least attentive to what they are eating, if not fixated on dropping extra pounds. That means the food is super important, because if you are going to work on losing weight, you want what little that goes into your mouth to be extra delicious. No one can feel pampered if they feel they’re being punished at mealtime.

Miraval mitigates the feeling that you are being starved by simply not doing it. You can eat as much as you want. You can order extra. You can drink wine with dinner. It’s really up to you to decide how you want to deal with your diet. What the Miraval kitchen provides is a lot of fresh food, along with a lot of nutritional information.

The routine is to sign up ahead of time for the hour you want to eat dinner, so that the dining room can stagger the seatings. It seems an efficient system, and allows for flexibility to work around your daily activities. Also, there is a fantastic juice and coffee bar available from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., so you can always get your latte if you miss breakfast—or a protein drink if you miss lunch.

The dining room itself is fine during the day, since it is just a big room with lots of windows overlooking the mountains. But at night, I found it stark and overly bright—screaming for a few candles or toned down overhead lighting. The couples or groups who came together tended to sit together, and there were also plenty of folks who came by themselves who chose to eat their meals reading a book. But for me, half the fun of a meal is sharing it with the people around me. So I opted most nights to sit at the communal “Miraval Table,” to which many of us “soloists” gravitated. I loved meeting people from all across the country, and the accounts of how people spent their days were useful intel for this journalist!

miraval 11On the first few days I was impressed with the food, especially at breakfast and lunch. (Both meals have enormous fruit and salad bars with every choice of berry, green, and protein available.) Plus there are always additional options a la carte. I became addicted to one of the morning options from the menu. The Morning Starter is an egg white omelet with mushrooms, scallions, sweet corn, sharp cheddar, topped with a slice of avocado. (Calories: 120, Fat: 5g, Protein 10g, Carbohydrates 9g.)

All those bowls of berries and quinoa were enticing at first, but as I went from week one into week two, I began to feel bored by the repetition. I also realized on day seven that I was getting the same dinner menu from the week before. It might not be a problem that the menus are a repeat from week to week since most people aren’t there long enough to deal with round two. But it did make me question whether the fresh foods in the marketplace were dictating the menu, or the ease of planning the menu weeks in advance.

In the end, I left a pound or two lighter than when I arrived nine days earlier, and I am sure I could have lost a lot more had diet been my focus. But relaxation and exercise were what I was after, and there is no question I attained those goals. I had been pummeled and wrapped, scrubbed and salted. I did yoga and hiked the desert and meditated in every way possible. I turned off the alarm clock and my cell phone. I slept like a baby—and for as long as I wanted. I wandered around the resort with no agenda other than to take a class or be exposed to someone with an interesting perspective on how to live a healthier life. That worked, at least for me, until I had to leave. So much for indulgence…now for an expected kind of mindfulness….reality.

By Alexandra Gleysteen for PeterGreenberg.com