Do Your Chakras Need Balancing?

My friends at Hiatus Spa+Resort let me know of a few new treatments they’ve cooked up for the fall. One in particular sounded delightfully relaxing, the Chakra Balancing Massage. Per Hiatus, it’s “An innovative massage that focuses on the seven chakra energy centers within the body. Essential oil blends are used to uplift, calm and enhance well-being. Experience a variety of massage techniques including deep tissue, reflexology and energy work. A guided meditation enhances the benefits of stress relief and increases energy.”

A few years ago I began to learn and practice yoga and have faint memories of learning about the seven chakras. These are energy centers in your body, each one corresponding to a specific area, signified by a particular color and correlated to a certain emotion. Similar to the Chinese concept of qi, you want to keep the energy flowing through your seven chakras. Through body work, aromatherapy, energy work and meditation, this Hiatus treatment aspires to accomplish just that.

My therapist Anika began by explaining what would happen and then had me pick out a scented oil for my treatment. Aveda carries a line of oil blends that are inspired by the seven chakras. Anika put out seven cards, each in the respective color of the chakra with a symbolic word. She asked me to pick out three of the cards, and then she had me smell each oil and pick one. (You can go through this process yourself online.) I chose Chakra 4 – Harmony, corresponding to the heart chakra, comprising sandalwood, mandarin and primarosa.

Anika started with me laying face down. She massaged my neck, shoulders, and back, incorporating my chosen chakra oil. She also performed reflexology on my feet, which is always a treat. And then it was time for Anika to begin the “energy work”. As she worked on each energy center, starting with the root chakra, she said aloud the name, the color and the associated word. At this point, she instructed me to meditate on each chakra. So, for example, while she did the energy work on my heart chakra, which is green, I began to think of green things – grass, asparagus, peppers, mint chocolate chip ice cream… For some reason, massages often make me hungry.

To be honest, I’m still unclear what she was doing while I was face down, but I did feel like something was happening. At the very least, I was very relaxed, both mentally and physically. Following the energy work, Anika concluded the session by flipping me over face up to then massage my neck and shoulders.

What I enjoyed about this massage was the holistic approach incorporating both mind and body work. It was a fun and calming experience. The cost of this 60 minute service is $78 for H+ Circle members or $119 for non-members. But really, why aren’t you a member yet?

Images: Seven chakras, Aveda chakra oils, Hiatus Spa + Resort – courtesy of spa