Meeting News - February 16, 2009 - (Page 38)

Insider Report: Spa Incentives Hearing Is Believing By Joy Anderson As spas are such a high-touch field, it’s easy to forget that sound can be as soothing. At St. George, UT’s Green Valley Spa, dramatically situated in red rock canyons between Las Vegas and Zion National Park, there is an emerging interest in sound as it pertains to energy medicine. Green Valley offers a range of wellness programs dealing with vibrational energies under the banner “Energetics—The Invisible World,”which can be tailored to group and individual needs. Energy medicine is anything that creates motion or uses frequencies—electrical, magnetic, sound, light—to heal holistically; in other words, it works on the mind, body, and emotions. For example, Acutonics is a sound-wave therapy. Tuning forks are applied to acupressure points, and as sound resonates through the bones, it not only heals them, it removes fears and other constrictions in feelings, according to Green Valley cofounder Carole Coombs. The harmonic vibrations of Tibetan bowls or a person’s hands, if that person is a healer, are also effective tools that can help release physical and emotional toxins.“Suddenly, you find yourself able to let go and move into more peaceful interchanges. People who manage others find themselves much more patient, better able to listen, and more successful letting go of stresses at work,” said Coombs. “Hawaii is well-known for its physical and spiritual healers, and Hawaiian culture has always greatly influenced our spa program,” said Pat Makozak, senior spa director at Four Seasons Resort Maui.“If one is seeking profound transformation and renewal, the Hawaiian Ceremonial Lomi Lomi should not be missed. It takes place in a hale hau—an open-air thatched hut—on Wailea Beach, while two therapists work in unison to nurture and restore energy to the body. “Given the talent of our team, our menu has evolved to include healing therapies from around the world—Ayurveda, Thai, deep barefoot shiatsu—as well as true-energy therapies such as Reiki and Jin Shin Do, where the vital life-force energy, or chi, is channeled through the hands of the therapist,” Makozak said. Maui is one of the few places that offers aquacranial therapy, a variation of craniosacral work where the head, neck, and spinal column are gently manipulated. The difference is that aquacranial therapy takes place while floating in the ocean (wetsuit supplied). During humpback whale season (January to April), one can often hear whale sounds under water while receiving the treatment. “Ideally, any healing energy program should include a balance of fitness and bodywork. The spa strives to provide not only activities and services that encourage wellness, but also education on continuing care at home,” said Makozak. Echo-Back Excursions: Green Valley Spa takes attendees on hikes besides sound therapy. continued from page 36 nations of Point Clear, Mobile, Montgomery, Hoover, and Florence. “With 57,000 sf of space collectively, the Spa Trail locations feature 38 treatment rooms and more than 130 employees dedicated to creating relaxing and rejuvenating experiences for our guests,” said Steve Solberg, president and CEO of PCH Hotels & Resorts. Owned by the Retirement Systems of Alabama, the RTJ Spa Trail is part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Resort Collection. Spas are located in Marriott and Renaissance hotels, all rated AAA Four Diamond. As part of the new Spa Trail, an annual RTJ Spa Trail Card has been created to offer discounts on spa services, hotel rooms, dining, and shopping at the participating properties. A complimentary glass of wine, extended use of the spa facilities pre- and post-treatment, and free makeup touch-ups are additional values offered to Spa Trail Card members. The card costs $40 and comes with a $20 gift card that can be used in any of the five spas in collaboration. “Guests having spa treatments at each of the RTJ Spa Trail’s five locations will earn a free treatment of their choice at any of the spas,” said Solberg. With spas inviting people to lengthen their stays, there are more opportunities to meet up in communal relaxing rooms. At the new spa at the Battle House in Mobile, guests are invited to relax in front of a Zen fire pit. Said Solberg,“The value of these quality experiences is very important to our guests in this current economic climate. The Trail and its resorts offer affordable meeting and getaway options at a time when we can certainly use one.” Or, as MindVisibility’s Leitch put it,“It appears there are many more specials than ever been —Terri Hardin offered in the past.” H 38 MeetingNews February 16, 2009 www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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