Preparing our Bodies & Minds for Winter

Traditionally fall is a busy time. Schools reopen and the holidays are rushing in. Even the gusts of wind and falling leaves create a sense of urgency.

Preparing our Bodies

I have always found wisdom in the Ayurvedic teachings. Interestingly, Ayurvedic medicine addresses the change in seasons through diet and exercise. It seems that what is good for us to eat is what nature is currently ripening on the vine. Squash, pumpkins, nuts, carrots, and apples just to name a few. Root vegetables are cooked with spicy seasonings designed to improve digestion and ground us emotionally. Squash Stew is a personal favorite of mine.

Preparing our Minds

We take care of our bodies by choosing healthy foods and the next step is to pair a healthy diet with exercise. Choose something that works for you and goal to make it a daily routine. My favorite is Veterans Park in Monterey. The trail starts with a 184 step ascent and includes beautiful vistas of the ocean framed by Monterey Pine. The steep hills burn calories and clear my mind. As we move our bodies the lymphatic system starts pumping and our breathing becomes more rhythmic and within a short time the body and mind become integrated. We enter a state of mind open to creative solutions that can dramatically change the way we view our problems. I do not ever remember this technique failing me.

Preparing our Skin

Self-care also includes lotions and potions! The fall wind and sudden change in weather often cause dry skin and wind-chapped lips. The spa’s popular Lip Balm by Image Skincare gives your lips instant and lasting relief with a soothing hydrating gel. The fragile skin around our eyes also suffers with this traditionally dry season. Suddenly when we look in the mirror we see an array of new fine lines! The best eye balm for fine lines is from SkinCeuticals. Just a minuscule amount of this lush creamy balm will reduce wrinkles and leave your eyes protected and hydrated. Ask one of our estheticians what is best suited for you and find out why we have been consistently voted Best Skincare in Monterey County.

Self-care at Spa on the Plaza

Of course one of the best things you can do for yourself is to book a massage at the spa. I recommend going slowly by coming early and taking advantage of a private steam and our Wellness Room. We offer a Spa Premiere Package which includes champagne, truffles and more. Make your visit to the spa not just a massage but a mini-vacation.

Relax and enjoy the season and the festivities ahead and don’t forget to check out our amazing Autumn Specials!

When Spa on the Plaza opened in August of 1997, we were the first spa in Monterey County. Coming from Big Sur, where we opened a luxury spa at The Post Ranch Inn, which became a world-class destination resort, I had many ideas about bringing a “healing oasis” to the heart of Monterey.  The intention was to create a harmonious environment with beautiful, original art, calming colors, and the best in caring customer service. The spa was very successful and was voted Best in Monterey County 15 times. During this time, we remodeled twice, changing our decor from the rich earth colors of Big Sur Zen to the calming blues colors of the ocean and seashells. We also expanded our massage room from 5 to 10 and added additional relaxation areas.

Everything changed on March 17th when we shut down the spa in response to an unprecedented worldwide event.  COVID changed everything, and like many, we were left with fear, confusion, and hope it would be for a relatively short duration. Only to realize later that we were in this for the long haul. I spent days, then weeks filling out grant applications, doing yoga, going for long walks, and reflecting on my life. Finally, I began to ask myself the changes I need to make within myself and how these changes can be further reflected at the spa?

COVID made me revisit all my ingrained assumptions about how to manage the spa. We had to adapt and make any changes. We now operate with fewer clients and have more time in between appointments.  We created an additional private relaxation area. Pre COVID, we were open 7 days a week. Now we are open 5 days a week, Thursday through Monday. The pace is slower, the hours are fewer, and the spa feels more spacious. We decided to maintain these hours even after COVID. Even a business needs to rest two days a week.The best part of reopening was the predominant feelings of gratitude, joy, and relief to see each other and our clients. We are all so grateful to be offering a service badly needed after so many of us have been isolated during COVID. People especially need healing touch right now, and we feel truly honored to offer this service to the community.

Be open for something wonderful to happen. Be open to the possibilities. Somehow this simple phrase became my mantra during COVID. There is has been plenty to worry about during these difficult times, and we are each experiencing our own unique problems. Some days seemed very dark and scary but as my mother used to say misery is an easy slippery slope. Resilience on the other hand takes discipline and practice. My optimistic mantra allowed me to shift my perspective from what was terrible to what is wonderful. Be open for something wonderful to happen, be open to the possibilities. This simple phrase, borrowed from a simple song changed my life.

One of the happy surprises from COVID is the sense of yawning time. After years of to-do lists, my days took on a spaciousness I used to only dream about. There was deep fatigue from the decades of “get up and go.” How nourishing it is to bake in the kitchen or sit in the sunshine in my garden and watch the flowers grow. I especially loved getting to know the birds, the squirrels, and the new hawk in the neighborhood. Oh yes and the dear deer family that often grazes on the flowers in my front yard. In the daily bustle of work to be done, I was oblivious to all these wonders

One of my favorite activities is community dance. When COVID hit and all the dance halls shut down it was a huge loss for me. Some of us decided to move the dance to a nearby park and limit the group to six, practiced social distancing, and wore masks. I was surprised by the dizzying array of new sensations and unexpected delights. Because the dance was moved earlier we danced during the sunset which was always spectacular. Nature became part of the dance. It included the breeze on my face and the feel of the grass under my feet.

Afterward, we spread out blankets and gathered for an outdoor picnic and a glass of wine. Often we talked late into the night. There was a deep intimacy and satisfaction when I reflect on these times. Our relationships became stronger and deeper and we rediscovered the joy of picnicking with friends in the park. COVID changed dance but because we were open to new possibilities there were many happy surprises.

There is a big difference between superficial beauty and beauty from the inside out. We know this intuitively but our culture celebrates the young and beautiful which can make us feel inadequate. At Spa on the Plaza, we understand true beauty is seen in the serenity of expression and in the clarity of one’s eyes. Beauty is a state of mind and not the standard reflected by the photoshopped models we see on the cover of magazines.

This sentiment is the underlying principle of Spa on the Plaza’s mission statement.

“At Spa on the Plaza, we understand that your spa experience should nurture on many levels.”

Although these words may seem simple they are implying that healing and well being happen on multiple dimensions. It is not just about an excellent massage or expensive potions, it is about the genuine smile of our employees, the beautiful and serene ambiance, the impeccable housekeeping, the relaxing music and the delectable scent of essential oils wafting through the air.

We recently took this concept further in January 2019 we opened the Wellness Center at Spa on the Plaza. We offer workshops and detox programs to support women because if one wants beauty from the inside out we need to pay attention to what we eat, what we do, what we think and who we spend our time with. We just published our Wellness Calendar on our website. I encourage you to sign up early for these exciting wellness workshops. Check out next years calendar and join us for new beginnings and new friendships at Spa on the Plaza.

I am preparing to host the next Women’s Wellness Circle at Spa on the Plaza’s Wellness Center, and so I am starting by taking a personal inventory. I am focusing my attention daily to six mindful practices. I wrote them on a notepad on my desk, and periodically contemplate what they mean to me and how I am integrating them into my life. These simple practices are designed to cultivate more balance in my spiritual, emotional and physical body. I want to begin with the first three.

Sit in Silence

If I sit quietly for 5 to 15 minutes, it changes my day! I am more grounded, gentler, more precise in my movements and slower in my responses which allows me to respond to loved ones and co-workers more thoughtfully. There is an illusion that speed saves time instead we often waste time with rushed actions that result in workmanship beneath our abilities and ultimately costs more time and money. Slow down, breath see the person in front of you, listen to them and be still.

Body Experience 

Choose your own medicine but one of my favorite ways to get in touch with my body is through dance. I am passionate about Conscious Dance, in particular, Soul Motion. Soul Motion views dance as a birthright and a creative expression for everyone. It is inclusive and fun. Many forms of dance similar to Soul Motion are practiced in cities all over the country. Here on the Monterey Peninsula, we have Dance Jam every Friday night at 8:00 for over 20 years at the historic Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove.

Space

Cultivating space is surprisingly a new concept for me. Most of my meditations are simply the observation of my busy mind. Space or emptiness are rarely experienced. I think space is openness and a state of mind without boundaries which is receptive to new ideas. The only time I really experience space is when I stop and look up into the vast expanse of the sky.  Our choir sings a song called Most Beautiful Sky that expresses this feeling perfectly and helps me move into a spacious sense of being. Afterward, I experience greater acceptance and joy of what is. Wide open to new experiences including love, abundance, insight and much more.