Photo Credit: Belmond
Many travelers love a good spa day, and why not? Pampering and travel go hand and in hand. But the newest trend in travel one-ups the standard spa day. Resorts worldwide have begun partnering with shamans and healers to enhance the concept of mindful vacationing (as opposed to simply trying to put a Bandaid on daily stressors), thus providing guests with one-of-a-kind, transformative experiences that go far beyond traditional relaxation. Here are five luxury resorts that are implementing mindful vacationing in the best way possible.
THE MULIA & MULIA VILLAS
Photo Credit: Mulia Resort
GRAND VELAS RIVIERA MAYA
Photo Credit: Grand Velas Riviera Maya
POST RANCH INN
Photo Credit: Kodiak Greenwood
A coastal North Cal resort isn’t necessarily where you’d expect to find a shaman, but we love the unexpected as much as we love this particular coastal resort—The Post Ranch Inn, located in Big Sur. When you arrive at this picture-perfect eco-paradise on the California coast, make sure to pre-book a session with the resort’s on-call shaman. Starting with deep explanation and discussion, the shaman establishes a sacred and safe space for those seeking clarity and inner peace. He then clears and protects from negative influences in this life, as well as past lives and ancestors; heals and retrieves power from past wounding; removes limiting beliefs; incorporates the energy of your power animal; and aligns your energy with your ideal destiny. If it sounds too good to be true, well, you’ll just have to try it before you become a disbeliever.
Post Ranch Inn
47900 California 1, Big Sur, CA 93920
FOUR SEASONS LOS ANGELES AT BEVERLY HILLS
Photo Credit: Four Seasons Beverly Hills
The residents of L.A., as a whole, are big believers in esoteric culture, which is why many Angelenos utilize the services of healers like Reiki masters, tarot card readers and crystal practitioners. Luckily, locals and visitors alike can book the services of Jeannette von Johnsbach, a German wellness guru who can also be credited with developing the Andreas Method from her family tradition of hands-on healing and natural spirituality, as well as her extensive exploration of naturopathic and Eastern therapies, at the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills. The luxury hotel, which upped the ante by recently launching a series of wellness rooms, also has a roster of visiting healers, including Reiker master and energy healer Shaylini Reiki and Ayurvedic Panchakarma expert, Ayurvedic Chef and Master Ayurvedic Pulse diagnostician Martha Soffer.
Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
300 S. Doheny Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90048
BELMOND SANCTUARY LODGE
Photo Credit: Belmond Sanctuary Lodge
The former Inca regions of Peru are lands shaped by tradition. Explorers here will find a tapestry made up of spiritual belief, mythic storytelling and an astounding sense of life. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Machu Picchu, a 15th-century marvel perched atop an Andean mountain ridge that remained hidden from the western world for almost 500 years. Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, the only hotel found beside this UNESCO World Heritage Site, invites guests to connect with its Incan heritage in a very personal way. From home base at the hotel, you’ll meet an Andean shaman, who will head to the verdant gardens for a truly unforgettable experience. During the hour-long ceremony, you will prepare and present small gifts including flowers, grains and candy to Pachamama (or Earth Mother), a fertility goddess with the power to give and sustain life, before being led to sing in the traditional Quechua language. You will ask Pachamama for her blessings of health and prosperity, with Machu Picchu itself setting the scene for a truly unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Belmond Sanctuary Lodge
Carretera Hiram Bingham KM 7.5, Machu Picchu, Peru
