“When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot

When administering a barefoot
massage, Allegria
therapists, such as
Rhiannon Barton,
use the overhead
bars to adjust
their weight and
pressure.
“When health is absent, wisdom cannot
reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength
cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and
intelligence cannot be applied.”
—herophilus
Though local spas
offer a full menu of traditional services,
many are branching out into
alternative treatments that bring a new
perspective to massage, relaxation
and bodywork.
INNER
Harmonies
BY W R EN W ER T I N
PH OTO G R A PH Y BY D O M I N I Q U E TAY LO R
At the Sonnenalp Spa,
tuning forks calibrated
to specific celestial
bodies are used in
Acutonics treatments.
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Good Vibrations Some people approach life with
energy — a la gusto — and some approach life energetically — a la woo-woo. John Breslin, director of the Sonnenalp
Spa, does it both ways. He knows his business — rest, relaxation and rejuvenation — but he incorporates energy work
and awareness into much of the spa. A look at the spa menu
shows that the usual suspects (Swedish massage, facials,
body masks) are easy to come by. But look further and you’ll
discover treatments outside the norm: facial soundscapes,
Rejuvalight therapy, ion foot treatments and Acutonics.
At the Sonnenalp, Acutonics is a type of massage that is
integrated with tuning forks, meridians and chakras. Though
it seems otherwordly and exotic the first time you experience Acutonics, it is actually one of the most intuitive — even
grounded — treatments you’ll find. “Acutonics is familiar,”
says Susanne Waibel, hitting a tuning fork against a rubber
mallet to make it sing. “Your body recognizes this sound.”
She’s referring to the specific tone emitted by the tuning fork, one she says is calibrated to the sound Earth makes
when it’s rotating on its axis. On some level, it’s a sound
our bodies have heard every day since birth. Each tuning fork is calibrated to the orbital properties of the moon,
the sun, the planets — and even other planets’ moons.
Acutonics practitioners place different tuning forks on acupressure points that coincide with the body’s meridian and chakra
energy systems. Sound waves are simply vibrations, and so when
those vibrations reach into the body, they affect it. Muscles loosen,
circulation increases, systems ignite. But that’s not all; after touching the body with the tuning fork, the therapist then massages
the area. “I’m able to go much deeper much faster with the forks,”
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Waibel explains. “And I can feel the muscle loosen and give.”
Harnessing the power of vibrations makes sense, but
how does she decide which vibrations are key? “Each planetary tuning fork represents an archetype,” she says.
Saturn represents stability, structure, perseverance and
wisdom, while Jupiter intimates expansion, abundance and
optimism. By applying these to the various chakras, Waibel
is able to bring an element of internal awareness to the session that is both uncommon and healing. It’s like having the
body and the spirit massaged, soothed and relaxed. Lying on
the table, hearing the occasional hum of a fork followed by
the forthright strokes of her hands, it feels a little bit like a
miracle. At the very least, it’s a simply awesome massage.
Acutonics has been used to treat chronic pain and surgery recovery, both of which Waibel has firsthand knowledge of. In fact,
the results she got from her own treatment are what caused her to
study it. She is a believer. So, too, is Breslin. “Vibrationally speaking, we’re at a certain frequency,” he says. “And that’s how the
body heals itself. The tuning forks are calibrated to a particular frequency so the body can return to the level it’s supposed to be at.”
He illustrates his point by talking about a car. If the fuel line
is pinched, it won’t go. In the same way, if a nerve is pinched,
you don’t get your flow. By opening up those lines, your energy
can flow and move and grow. You feel more alive. “One of our
mantras is internal and external health,” he explains. “I think
it’s a big component of the spa industry, or at least it should
be.” He points to a quote on his wall by Herophilus, Alexander
the Great’s physician: “When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight,
wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied.”
It makes sense that the spa Breslin helms focuses
on the health of a body inside and out. But whether or
not you buy into the internal benefits of Acutonics, one
thing is certain: It’s an awfully wonderful experience.
Well Balanced Every time I lie down on a treat-
ment table at Allegria Spa, the world whooshes out and
away from me. It’s as though they command a special
gravitational force at the spa that’s specifically designed to
help you sink into a more relaxed state. Whatever the reason, and whether I’m there for a facial or a massage, I’m at
ease before the therapist tells me to take a deep breath.
Allegria has many alternative treatments on its spa
I was
menu, either as add-ons
or standalones. They’re
completely
called restorative therapies,
without gravity,
and include such items as
and my mind
craniosacral, reiki, shiatsu
empty of
and other therapies that deal
anything save
with energy flow, pressure
the realization
points and internal rhythms.
The idea of incorporating
that I was
unusual treatments feels
warm, safe
natural at the spa, which is
and happy.
built around an Aqua Sanitas
water sanctuary. Warm pools,
Aria’s hydratherapy float table
offers a feeling of
warm suspension.
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Aria’s detoxifying
treatment with red
clay helps draw out
impurities from
the skin.
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a rain shower, a solarium and a sauna make up the area, and
people are invited to “take the waters” in European fashion.
I recently went to the spa for an ashiatsu session with Nanci
Bealieu, one of the first therapists locally who became trained in
the method. Though relatively new in the United States, ashiatsu,
or barefoot massage, has been practiced in Asia for centuries. Using deep, soothing strokes, practicioners deliver an epic massage
with their feet as well as their hands. In Asia, massage therapists
are, as a rule, more petite than their Caucasian counterparts. To
make a gross generalization, having a small Thai woman walking
on your back is different than having an American woman doing
so. “And so we have the bars,” says general manager Gaye Steinke.
The parallel bars are mounted above the massage table and enable the therapist to use her feet without putting her
full weight on the body.
For those who opt for the 80-minute treatment, the session
includes warm stones, which, when used on localized areas of
the body, help the muscles become more pliable and supple.
Bealieu held the volcanic stones on my skin, warming her hands
in the process. After the muscles began to relax with the heat,
she’d then massage that area. In a natural rhythm and flow, the
massage became increasingly deeper, though never painful. She
quietly moved from standing next to the table to being atop it.
It wasn’t obvious to me that Bealieu was massaging me with her feet. It’s not just that her feet were supple and smooth, the way you expect a well-moisturized
hand to be — there was a dexterity in her feet and toes
that I normally associate with hands and fingers.
She laughs when I mention this. “You shouldn’t be able
to tell I’m using my feet, except the strokes are longer.”
I think about this and realize she’s right. The surface area
she’s able to press on, knead and otherwise manipulate is a
couple of inches longer than a normal hand massage is. And so
you actually get “more massage” during a session. But the great
benefit is how deep the therapist can go without stressing out
the surrounding tissue. With some gentle post-massage stretching, the effects of ashiatsu seem to linger for several days — a
perfect scenario for anyone looking to prolong the relaxed state.
Floating Cocoon Tucked into one of Vail’s great creek-
side resorts — the Vail Cascade Resort, complete with spacious
suites, a great restaurant and a view that just doesn’t quit — Aria
Spa is a quiet haven dedicated to peace, beauty and relaxation.
Upstairs from the athletic club, the spa includes an outdoor
saline pool, well-appointed men’s and women’s locker rooms
and a spacious coed lounge (the Sanctuary) with a variety of
comfy lounge chairs, a cozy fire and an away-from-it-all vibe that
is probably the best preparation for a treatment you can find.
Aria Spa’s menu is full of massage, facial and body treatment
options. The Mystic sunless tanning is popular — it delivers a
nice glow to the skin without subjecting it to the sun’s brash rays.
There is a couple’s treatment room, as well as many experienced
massage therapists from which to choose. And though all of this
combines to make Aria truly special, there is one other detail that
puts it over the top: the float table. “It’s hard to describe the float
table,” says veteran therapist Judy Askelson, a longtime local. “It’s
like floating in a cocoon. Really, you just need to experience it.”
Featured Spas
THE SONNENALP SPA
VAIL VILLAGE
970.479.5404
SONNENALP.COM
ALLEGRIA SPA
PARK HYATT, BEAVER CREEK
970.748.7500
ALLEGRIASPA.COM
ARIA SPA
VAIL CASCADE RESORT
970.479.5942
VAILCASCADE.COM
She’s right, and more on that later.
At the recommendation of the spa director, I opted for the
Volcanic Sand Scrub and Red Detox Body Wrap, a treatment
that contributes to beauty, wellness and overall relaxation.
In addition to the float table, the treatment room had a spacious shower and a massage table. I went back and forth
between the stations. First, the scrub, which Askelson rubbed
into my skin to exfoliate and smooth it. After I’d washed it
off in the shower, I went back to the table, where Askelson
painted me with red clay, meant to draw out impurities.
She then led me to the float table. Body-shaped, it has a
platform that raises and lowers to facilitate entry and exit. I lay
myself down and Askelson engulfed me in a wrap. And then
she layered me up with sheath after sheath, each increasing
the weight on top of me, like a pile of blankets on a cold winter
night. Once I was wrapped to her satisfaction, she lowered the
platform and I sank into the (it must be said) womb. Warm water
surrounded me, though it never touched my skin because of the
layers. I was completely without gravity, and my mind empty of
anything save the realization that I was warm, safe and happy.
I could have stayed there for hours, but eventually it was
time to get out and wash off the clay. After that, it was back to
the table, where Askelson massaged ginger-infused lotion into
my skin, which drank it up. Having been so well relaxed (and
warmed) before the massage, my muscles did whatever her
hands told them to do. That is, they opened up and relaxed.
The treatment was a bit like a mini-vacation from life, and I got
to keep the glow for days. But whether or not you go for the float
table (and really, you should),
all of Aria seems to be like that:
a break from the hustle and
“You shouldn’t
bustle, where you can kick back
be able to tell
and become a more relaxed
I’m using my
version of yourself. And there’s
feet, except
no need to rush back to real life
the strokes
— head back to the Sanctuary
are longer.”
and order lunch from the spa
menu, or simply spend some
time reading by the fire.
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