A Taste of "Turtle" Tranquility

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 upon a vibro-acoustic sound table through which you feel the vibrational tones of gentle music. It is meant to enhance the experience of touch and sound. The music used varies says massage therapist Sherri Edeen. "The body resonates at different frequencies–vibrational levels–and responds to each frequency in different ways," Edeen explains. "There are frequencies that help with balancing each of the seven chakras, some help with pain management, some address specific internal organs. Mostly we use frequencies that help an individual attain a deep state of relaxation and sense of balance."
Before the treatment begins, I am given a crystal to hold in my hand, which will later be placed outside to dry in the fresh forest air and given back to me to take home. "There is no significance for putting the crystals outside, although some believe that the crystals need sunlight, moonlight or running water, rain, etc. to restore their healing power," spa director Debi Barnes would later tell me. "We do not profess that crystals ‘heal’ at Turtle Cove Spa, but leave it up to the individual to believe what they wish. We do know that they have energy and that they amplify our own energy source."

The massage therapist begins a vigorous massage using heated crystals, that is a combination of Lomi Lomi, deep tissue, shiatsu and scalp massage. At the end of the treatment she taps tuning forks and moves them over the chakras (energy centers) of my body. The therapist goes over the chakras as many times as needed, sometimes once or perhaps several times, to redirect the energy flow and balance therapy of the individual. Sound therapy coupled with the tuning fork frequencies, the energy of the crystals, and massage with the warmth of heated crystals, results in a state of relaxation and the feeling of being centered. Though I am a little distracted at times by the vibrations of the music through the table, it does have a calming effect. I do feel energized and as I walk away with the crystal inside a little pouch, I'm not sure about any healing powers that I may have gained from it, but I know one thing: I feel great.





(Photos: Courtesy of Turtle Cove Spa)