Cheers to a New Year and another chance to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey
Happy 2019! I love the new year since it's a great time to make resolutions and set goals. I know it's officially the end of January, but I'll take any excuse for a new year - the Lunar New Year, Yom Kippur, birthdays, mid-year check-ins. This year I spent the first week of the year at a spa ~ Miraval ~ which turned out to be a mindful place to help set intentions for the year. Miraval was lovely, but setting some time aside for introspection, whether at home or at a spa, is a useful beginning of the year exercise. This post is in three parts: 1) about setting resolutions, 2) optimizing your time at a spa and 3) a review on Miraval.
Setting Resolutions
- Get inspired for your resolutions! Reflect on what made you happy during the last year, the three things you would have changed, and take a look at last year's resolutions. You can find inspiration by doing these exercises in this post on successes and this post on failures.
- Make the resolutions. Here's the step-by-step guide.
Optimize Your Spa Time
Sometimes setting aside time to focus and pamper yourself is what you need for inspiration. This can be anything from setting aside a day for yourself at home to vacationing at a destination spa. Whichever way you do it, make sure you research and plan your time to get what you want out of it.
- Set your intention. What do you want out of your spa time? Do you want to focus on your body by working out and eating healthy? Do you want to clear your head and regroup from a loss? Do you want to recharge from an exhausting time through pampering and a spiritual focus? Do you want to balance mind, body and spirit and make your resolutions? Set your intention so you feel accomplished and satisfied when you finish your spa time.
- With your intention in mind, research your spa. If you are having a staycation, figure out which facilities you want to visit. If you are going to a destination, look through the spa's offerings so you know what is available. Then research the facilities through Trip Advisor and Yelp. Do an internet search. Read as many reviews as possible to help figure out what your "can't miss" treatments or classes are. Talk to the people that work there for their recommendations and to learn more about the things in which you are interested. Figure out your food strategy - if it's all you can eat, be mindful of what your eating principles are (limit the number of courses, entrees, calories, desserts).
- Create a schedule for your day(s). Your research has given you an idea of what your can't miss items are. Book them so you won't miss them. Then fill in the rest of your time with your intention in mind. For example, maybe you know you need a deep tissue massage and a cooking class. Make sure you have them booked, then add the other great things around them - the yoga class, beehive trip, or whatever else supports your intention.
- Enjoy your time at the spa and relax! If you've over scheduled yourself and miss things, it's okay. If you have free time, let yourself be spontaneous to try something new or spend the time reflecting. You've set yourself up for success with your timing, but snafus happen and it's okay.
Miraval Review
When I arrived at Miraval Tucson, they gave me an envelope and sheet of paper I could use to write a letter to myself. Apparently guests usually have an a-ha moment, and I could write myself a letter as a reminder. "Sure," I thought, "I'm not an aha moment kind of person."
A spa is supposed to be all about You and Wellness. Miraval stated intention is balance - mind, body, spirit. One of my perennial resolutions is to meditate more, and I am getting back to working out. I didn't think that Miraval would provide more than the space to destress in a beautiful environment and work on meditating and exercise. By the way, Tucson in January is beautiful - it's rainy season so there is a lot of green in the dessert, and the temperature is warmer than the midwest.
I kicked off my arrival at Miraval with the Ultimate Ayurveda spa treatment. MIraval is know for its spa treatments, and they created a gorgeous spa at the center of their property. The Ultimate Ayurveda didn't do much for me, but I loved the body work treatments. Naga is a Miraval exclusive, and it is serious body work - Thai massage on steroids. You really need to book at least 80 minutes. I also tried the Jin Shou Tui Na, which combined light massage with craniosacral work. It was pleasant, but I didn't notice a great therapeutic effect.
My first full day I woke up to a full day of rain. I canceled the morning hike and challenge course that I'd booked before arriving, and spent the morning doing classes - Stretch, Meditation, Yoga and Capoeira. It gave me a chance to try the Miraval classes. They are geared to all levels (which meant they were easier than my gym at home). After the first day of classes, I felt like I could have had the same experience with a staycation - time at home that I devoted to the gym and spa.
The sun came out the next day so I had the chance to go an off-property hike at Romero Canyon with a stretch class beforehand. The hike was lovely - there were about 12 of us, and they thought of everything, even bags and snacks. The guides were knowledgeable and informative. Miraval also has a challenge course, so I followed the hike with walking a log 30 feet up in the air. I could NOT do these things in Chicago. These events made me realize that for me, being outdoors was an integral part of my Miraval experience. So with this in mind, I shifted the body portion of mind, body, spirit to the outdoors (including outdoor yoga) for the rest of my stay. I added a couple Trail Runs, which was a glorious workout.
Miraval also offers a number of lectures on a wide range of topics - grief and loss, life balance, meditation, skincare, nutrition, photography, arts. I went to a few of these, and surprisingly found the lectures to be one of the best offerings at Miraval. They encompassed mind and spirit. In addition to the classes, there are a number of resident experts. I had read great reviews about Spirit Flight but wasn't able to book it, so I booked a clairvoyant reading on the planner's recommendation. If you are going to Miraval, make sure you review the experts that will be in residence during your visit and identify the ones you are interested in.
The items that are marked as Miraval exclusives were truly special. In addition to Naga, I did a couple of "gym" classes - Happy Hips and Free Your Shoulders, which were special. I had booked the equine experience, "It's Not About the Horse," which also had rave reviews, but it was unfortunately canceled. I'm sure I would have loved it too.
After a couple days, I figured out my winning formula was a combination of outdoor activities, lectures, meditation, and Miraval exclusives.
What about lodging? The room we had was beautiful and luxuriously comfortable. The bed is famously a marshmallow you can sink into. Housing is clustered in "villages." We were in the 600 Village, which was a little further but the view of the mountains was unbeatable.
You have to be careful about your meals, because food is constantly available. It is delicious and healthily prepared, but it is also all you can eat. You could technically have every entree on the menu. Fortunately there is a calorie count on everything. You just have to do some simple math and practice restraint. In addition to sit down meals, there is a smoothie bar (the coconut horchata is unbelievable) that is stocked with grab and go snacks. It is all spa food - bursting with flavor and healthily prepared. There are cooking classes and farm visits if you are interested in learning more about the food.
Midway through my stay, I did have an a-ha moment. Despite my skepticism, it happened after I figured out what my winning Miraval formula was. I also thought the whole "balance" theme was overplayed, but Miraval sincerely promotes balance. For once, I think I may have found it. It was a great visit, and I am looking forward to another visit - next time I will go deeper into the areas I am interested in. That is the beauty of Miraval - the offerings are wide and you can go deep into different areas, so each visit can be different. One guest I spoke to was on her 11th visit. It's up to you. You have to take charge - there is so much on the daily schedule and so many offerings it can be overwhelming. Like your life, you have to find your balance.
