The Tranquil Traveler

I was standing in a private room looking at a huge bronze singing bowl. I was in Lucerne, the third stop on a trip to four regions in Switzerland, staying at the Palace Luzern.  The hotel describes it as the world’s first giant singing bowl and I had signed up for the “ceremony,” an experience that promised a “state of lightness and deep relaxation.”  Photo: Courtesy of Palace Luzern The giant bowl is struck, causing 1,000 frequencies to flow through the body and “Every cell unites in harmonious vibration,” states information at the hotel website. OK. Sure. The giant singing bowl took 15 years to create.  This process included studying the effects and functions of small traditional Tibetan singing bowls, making the mould for the bowl, which was cast in solid bronze and has a diameter of 1.76 meters and a weight of 1.2 tons.  It had to be housed in this cozy room on the ground floor instead of in the third floor spa (for obvious reasons.) It ...

At the Oasis Back in 2006, the Jalousie Plantation in Soufriere , was a resort slowly beginning to decay in the shadows of St. Lucia’s magnificent twin volcanic mountains known as the Pitons. Jalousie had been undergoing extensive renovations, including plans to expand its spa. While reporting on this expansion, I visited the Rainforest Oasis located high above the valley and was coaxed into experiencing a new treatment exclusive to the resort called Hot Rock Energy Balancing Treatment. The treatment was so new in fact that it was not yet listed on the menu and had only been tested on a few individuals. "You’re our first journalist," said Katie Alexander, Oasis’ former manager. The Hot Rock Energy Balancing Treatment was originally designed by Alexander "to awaken all the senses of the body, mind and soul." The treatment utilizes rocks collected by the dive team, found in "secret areas" of the ocean and are infused with minerals from sea algae and su...

One thought that comes to mind as I walk across a quaint wooden bridge leading to Turtle Cove , is that this is the perfect place for a spa. Located at the Mountain Harbor Resort in Mount Ida, Arkansas , in a quiet cove, nature has provided all the right backdrops–the beauty of Lake Ouachita and the soothing sounds of the harbor, the lush green trees and brush of Ouachita National Forest and the soothing soundtrack of nature. Inside the spa are sights and sounds that instantly calm you: the tinkling of water from a stone fountain, wind chimes and the scent of "Turtle Tranquility," the spa's signature fragrance. Once checked in, I am offered Turtle Tea, a blend of fresh ginger, tea and fruit juices. Turtle Cove Spa offers a nice sampling of holistic therapies and I am signed up for a signature treatment "experience" called Crystal Energy Balance Therapy . The treatment utilizes locally mined Arkansas quartz crystals. During this treatment you lie u...