Have you ever had a massage that featured fresh bread dough? What about a facial using nine different spiked tools that look like medieval torture devices? Have you ever even been in a sensory-deprivation tank? No? Well, then you’re missing out on what your local spas have to offer.
Sure, if you’re lucky enough to get to a spa for a run-of-the-mill massage or facial, that’s awesome. But if you’re lucky and brave enough to dive into the wide and wild world of alternative therapies that span many cultural traditions — from Ayurveda to Thai massage and more — that’s when you really start winning at #SpaLife. Because as great as a regular-ol’ non-frightening facial is, there are some truly bizarre treatments out there that have unparalleled benefits. You just have to not be too weirded out to try them in the first place.
Ahead are our five favorite therapies that are oh-so strange and yet oh-so soothing.
Kati Basti
If you're a massage fan (and who isn't?), you need to try the traditional Ayurvedic treatment of kati basti. In the simplest terms, this treatment involves a therapist building a circular dam out of wheat dough, placing it on your back and filling it with warm ashwagandha bala oil. Yep, it's just as crazy and delightful as it sounds.
"In Sanskrit," explains healer Jenna Wolf of The Lotus Room, "the word basti translates as 'to hold' and refers to a compartment made for herbal oils or tonics to sit in for a period of time."
In addition to just plain feeling amazing, this treatment is used to treat back pain and is gentle enough to be used on individuals with slipped discs, lumbar spondylosis, sciatica and other spinal problems.
Facial Reflexology
If you thought "facial reflexology" would be somebody squeezing different points of your face as with foot reflexology… think again. This may be the most initially frightening-seeming treatment on this list, but please do not fear because it's not scary at all — and is actually the most relaxing thing ever.
But the scary-looking tools pictured here are used on your skin to increase circulation, exfoliate and more. But, assures Sherri Coates of natural-beauty hub Poppy & Monroe, "it really is beyond the fad of jade rollers… it's about beauty and self-care and therapy. I cured my arthritis using these tools and frankincense oil. They are simple to use and aid in the continuation of self-care at home, beyond services at the spa. We feel it's the latest in modern self-care, a way to connect inner balance and health with external appearance."
Floatation Therapy
Flotation therapy may seem strange, but it's certainly getting popular — and for good reason, as it provides a total sensory-deprivation area in which to meditate, zone out and literally float your cares away. In fact, research published in the International Journal of Stress Management in 2006 found that a dozen floatation sessions could elicit a significant drop in stress and anxiety that lasted as long as four months.
But newbies beware: This water is hella salty, and if you get as much as a tiny drop into your eye while floating, it'll put a serious damper on the whole experience. So keep your ears plugged and your face away from the pool. Also, Zane Ritter of Float Horizen urges first-time floaters to "come in with an open mind." He adds that "floating is an experience unlike any other, removing all distractions to allow your mind and body to recharge, relax and recalibrate.” Sounds like a win-win-win, right?
Luk Pra Kope
Luk pra kope is Thai for "massage with medicinal herbs," but it's certainly a more, um, active sort of massage than the super-gentle kati basti mentioned earlier. When I tried out the therapy at Sanctuary Camelback Spa in Arizona, I'm pretty sure my therapist spent a good portion of the two hours basically walking on me — or otherwise using her entire body to manipulate my limbs, which were clothed in a traditional and very cozy Thai massage outfit (including giant drawstring pants I wanted to sleep in always).
But the key to this therapy is the organic herbs, which are steamed and then rolled into the sort of packet you see pictured here, and then pressed into the energy meridians on the entire body, making for a beyond-relaxing experience that works wonders for sore muscles as well as circulation.
Chakra Therapy
Last but not least on our list, the treatment that balances the whole body, mind, spirit and probably some astral pathways to boot: chakra therapy. Chakra means "wheel" in Sanskrit, and in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the chakras are considered the energy centers that begin at the base of the spine and end at the crown of the head — and which sometimes get thrown way off balance and need a little help.
But if this all sounds a little too woo-woo for you to wrap your head around, don't worry: "You don’t need to understand the chakra system or the subtle body energies to benefit from this work," explains chakra healer and reiki master Holly Ramey. "Although I use tools such as reiki, tarot and crystal healing throughout my chakra therapy sessions, you will leave with lots of practical advice and tools to feel more harmony in your life. This can include physical exercise, journaling or setting boundaries in relationships. Chakra therapy is perfect to help those who are feeling stuck or who are struggling with a challenge to find clarity."
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