Loving yourself is the greatest revolution.
Take time to rejeuvenate your body and your soul.
We hike, we work, we enjoy all that Northern California has to offer us and sometimes we need a break from the world (no offense world!). The hubs and I took some time out of our busy schedules and spent half a day relaxing at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary. This experience was exactly what we needed to relax and do a little detoxing. The bosslady has been on a sort of gut/body healing protocol (someday there will be a post on this!) for some months now and this treatment was just what was needed to boost all of the good she has been working on.
Meditation
What does meditation mean to me? Clearing the mind, relaxing the body and listening to the quiet world around me. This can be different for everyone. The way we each find our space is unique and how often we do it is up to the individual. While I would love to be able to have a space as beautiful as the one at Osmosis to meditate in, I don’t. So I find my own quiet time whenever I can.
Depending on what you are reading or what you believe, meditation has some wonderful benefits. Better sleep, less stress, more creativity, calmer moods, and overall better health. This post over at Live and Dare has a great infographic on the benefits of meditation as well as this post on meditation post from OutWitTrade.
From the minute we entered Osmosis, we felt a sense of calm. Our first stop after the private changing room was a private meditation room with hot tea and gorgeous views of the Japanese Tea Garden. This definitely starts the relaxation process.
Cedar Enzyme Bath
The cedar enzyme bath feels like sinking into a warm fuzzy blanket that has just come out of the dryer! After disrobing, we laid down in a large wooden ‘tub’ full of fermenting cedar and rice bran and were covered up in it like when you bury someone in the sand at the beach. It was a chilly morning after a couple of days of rain so this felt absolutely amazing! The bosslady tends to get claustrophobic but this did not bother her. The hubs instantly closed his eyes and relaxed.
We were checked on every 5 minutes or so of our 20-minute treatment. We were brought water and cold towels with a scent of lavender were replaced each time. The view out the window was so relaxing and the only noises we heard were the birds flying by as we watched the clouds move across the garden.
Side note, you can go in with a bathing suit or your birthday suit, whichever makes you most comfortable. If you would like to know more about the benefits, you can check out Osmosis’ page by clicking here.
After we were done with our detoxing cedar enzyme bath, we brushed off what stuck to us outside on a private patio. It was chilly! We did this as fast as possible and jumped in the private shower to warm back up. Soaps and towels were provided in the shower. Our robes were waiting for us and we went upstairs to relax with some electrolyte water and wait for our massage.
The Massage
Everything here is Asian inspired and intentionally relaxing. As we sat in the waiting area for our massages we listened to the trickle of a small fountain and had views of a zen garden out the window. Quiet peacefulness.
Greeted by our massage therapists we were led back to the couples massage room and chose the essential oils aromas to be added. We get massages about once a year (usually around our anniversary) and this was seriously the best we have had. The hubs has tight shoulders and the bosslady has back issues. Both were addressed and felt sooo much better after!
After the massage, we were encouraged to head outside to the meditation garden. We did not need to be told twice about this!
Meditation Garden
We added fleece ponchos that were provided on top of our cozy robes to walk out to the meditation garden. The walkway follows Salmon Creek and since we have had some rains it was flowing nicely providing the calming sound of flowing water. Head through a bamboo lined path and wood gate and you will be greeted by the most amazing meditation garden! It reminded us of the Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon that we loved.
Walk along the rock path and find your perfect sitting spot and enjoy your electrolyte water and breathe. Sitting in the garden with the sun shining on you and clouds dancing overhead was lovely. We discussed how one day we would like to have something like this on our dream property.
There are meditation cushions provided. Sitting still overlooking the garden instantly induces a sense of calm in the mind. This environment definitely helps to set the tone for a relaxing meditation.
Next time, and there will be a next time, we would like to try the field of hammocks. This looked amazing!
Details:
Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary is located in Freestone, California about 25 minutes west of Santa Rosa, California. We stopped at Freestone Artisan Cheese and picked up some amazing goat cheeses to take home and finish off our day with delicious food. As this post is being written we are coming off of the first 9 mile hike in a while and would love to go back for another day at the spa right about now!
This is not at all a sponsored post. All thoughts are our own and photos were taken on an iPhone.
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