To me, nothing beats a therapeutic massage. However a therapeutic massage with two therapeutic massage therapists? That was one thing new to me, but an Ayurvedic, two-person therapeutic massage was the expertise I used to be in for at Surya, the spa on the Santa Monica Correct Lodge.
The spa itself is predicated within the ideas of Ayurveda—a holistic well being system created in India greater than 10,000 years in the past—and Ayurvedic grasp Martha Soffer, a sought-after healer of Gwyneth Paltrow, the Kardashians, and extra, based it. I used to be booked in for the Signature Abhyanga Therapeutic massage (beginning at $295), a “rejuvenating, four-handed therapeutic massage that makes use of personalized, heat, herbalized oils which are cooked all evening for the following day’s use.” To say my physique was prepared could be an understatement.
“While you come to Surya, your remedy expertise might be designed and fine-tuned to both calm your structure, or cool it, or energize it, based mostly on what imbalance chances are you’ll be presently experiencing,” Soffer says. “The herbalized oils which are used, the tempo of sure therapies, even the mantras or music that’s performed in your therapies…Every thing is designed to steadiness you in and out.”
Prepping for an Ayurvedic, two-person therapeutic massage
Heading to the remedy room within the spa, I used to be instantly calmed by candle mild and a full rest room off the spa (extra on that later). The lead therapist defined what was going to occur and requested if I had any issues, to which I mentioned I simply needed to be extra relaxed. She then left, I disrobed, bought onto the desk underneath the covers, and Soffer entered to talk by way of the expertise extra with me.
Placing her arms over my again and feeling completely different areas, she appeared to intuitively know issues about me and my physique (actually spot on)—how way back it had been since my interval, how I hadn’t slept effectively in a pair days, how I take care of migraines—which then gained follow-up questions from her for extra readability. That is a part of Soffer’s follow as an Ayurvedic Pulse diagnostician, and I used to be fascinated. It felt like I used to be getting a physique scan from her arms, and the outcomes have been scarily correct. Then, it was time for the primary occasion.
A really hands-on expertise
The therapists labored like an orchestrated dance, their actions mirroring one another’s on both sides of my physique. Not solely did the actions match, however the strain did, too, which was unbelievable. Because the therapists labored my muscular tissues, I might really feel myself turning into extra relaxed and my stress melting. The oils have been heat and aromatic, and at instances it felt like I had transcended my physique (significantly when it bought to the scalp therapeutic massage)—I had no thought what time it was or how a lot time had handed till it was over.
After the therapeutic massage, I used to be handled to a yoni steam—sure, a vaginal steam, and that was surprisingly comforting? It felt like the entire expertise was a heat, aromatic hug. Afterwards, I used to be advised I might take a scorching bathe within the adjoined rest room to complete the session (and tone down the quantity of unabsorbed oil). As I showered, I felt like this was one thing I would wish to do once more sooner or later, form of like physique upkeep.
Ending out the expertise with some tea, I went residence refreshed and raving about it to anybody who would pay attention. This 12 months, Soffer says there’s extra to return from the spa like new therapies, together with facials, and courses. However most significantly, “what received’t change is the love you are feeling once you stroll within the door, and for on a regular basis you’re there,” she says. And I can attest, that could be very a lot felt. Till subsequent time, Surya.