RESORTS | HOMES | TRAVEL | ADVENTURE

APRIL/MAY 2016

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FINDINGBALANCE

High-octane adventure and relaxing bliss merge beautifully at Miraval.

STORY BY CORRINE E. MEHIGAN

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ituated in the warm shade of the Santa CatalinaMountains on 400 acres in northern Tucson,Miraval Resort & Spa is a destination dedicatedto living life in the moment. Since 1995, it’sbeen ranked year-after-year as one of the world’stop destination spas. To celebrate its 20th An-niversary, the iconic Arizona hotspot has recentlydebuted a stunning renovation and a new arrayof exclusive health and wellness programming.

The brand new activities, workshops, lectures, and classes buildupon the resort’s already impressive 200 offerings. Each has beencreated to inspire guests to open their eyes, minds, and hearts.Indeed, the meaning behind Miraval’s mission statement, “Life ismore meaningful and enjoyable when physical, emotional, andintellectual components are in balance,” reverberates throughevery aspect of this special resort.

After a busy and stressful few months, I welcomed the oppor-tunity to get away to legendary Miraval for a few days. I’d heardamazing things about the resort from friends and colleagues, andwas ready to see for myself if Miraval lived up to the hype. Mybody and mind were looking to rest and relax, but to my surprise,the rejuvenation I discovered at Miraval was the most powerfulaspect of the experience.

HUMAN TOUCH From the moment you arrive at Miraval, the beauty of the Sonorandesert setting captivates your senses. Chill-seekers from aroundthe world make frequent pilgrimages to Miraval solo or with family

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Methuen Architects and Clodagh Design worked with the team at Miraval to create a seamless connection between the Resort’s physicalenvironment and the new Miraval—Life in Balance Spa. The indoor/outdoor spaces reinforce a connection with the earth while the spa’s menu of services offers guests some of the most innovative, life-enhancing treatments available today.

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Mirval has 117 casually elegant casita-style luxury spaaccommodations and suites grouped in six villages,each with a variety of rooms and features. Each room(this page) is inviting and comfortable, with naturalcolors from the earth that create a connection withthe desert landscape and surrounding mountains.From Acupuncture to Thai Massage, the healing artsavailable at Mirval (opposite) have been practiced forthousands of years around the globe. Using pressurepoint stimulation and targeted stretching, Thai mas-sage renews the body’s energy flow while reducingtension and stress.

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and friends to find life’s elusive equilibrium. No matter what theirspecific agenda may be, men, women, the young and more matureare attracted equally to this special place, internationally knownfor returning life to a balanced state.

You will be welcomed into the gracious new lobby where youcan touch base with an “Experience Concierge” who will go overyour itinerary and make any requested adjustments, ensuring abespoke experience that matches your wellness goals. There areno strict regimens at Miraval. Instead, choice is the guiding prin-ciple, with a wide range of programs and experiences designed tocreate your customized journey to your own idea of well-being.That means living in the moment. It also means that adventurein body, heart, and mind is the name of the game. More oftenthan not, these experts advise new arrivals to drop their bags andhead straight to the Life in Balance Spa.

Crossing the bridge to the Life in Balance Spa, you’ll feel thecleansing energy of purposefully placed tourmalines and soft grassesthat grace the entrance path. The smell of jasmine, chosen for itshealing properties, greets you at the ancient door. The Life in Bal-ance Spa engages all the senses with its message of life-enhancingsimplicity. At 16,000 square feet, the spa has 23 treatment rooms(six outdoors), a spa suite, a two-way fireplace, a reflecting pool,

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a quiet room, and unspoiled views of the desert and surroundingmountains. Treatment beds are temperature-regulated, light fixturesmimic desert light, and citrine and amethyst crystals radiate maleand female energies.

Be sure to try the Ultimate Ayurvedic Treatment before bed-time—it is an ideal way to begin your stay and personal journey.This utterly unique experience begins with an Abhyanga massage;the long, quick waves of pressure loosening toxins from your tiredbody while increasing circulation. Next, that highly specializedtherapist with the touch of an angel applies calming pressure pointtherapy designed to cleanse and balance the body’s energy. You’llfeel like you’re floating. Then your therapist will employ a techniqueintended to align your brain waves pouring a soothing stream ofgently heated oil to your forehead that will stream down the backof your head steadily for a blissful 15 minutes. Finally, you will becocooned in a warm wrap meant to strengthen and heal.

You will drift out into the warm Arizona night air through Mi-raval’s gardens to your soothing new home away from home. Aftera multi-million dollar overhaul, the newly renovated guestroomsand suites have a have a fresh and natural aesthetic, perfectly com-plemented with all the right modern amenities and technology.Take full advantage of the black-out shades and television pre-programmed with a “Miraval Channel” playing spa-like music, un-plug all of your devices and fall into a deep restful sleep.

UP-LIFTING Set aside all assumptions.

Miraval’s food is flavorful,beautiful, and absolutely

doable. For breakfast you’ll in-dulge in a savory and sweet feast.

As you enjoy a tasty-yet-healthy takeon huevos rancheros, you’ll wonder–isthis really spa food? Challenging the as-sumption that spa food must be smalland flavorless, Miraval’s culinary teamshows guests that healthy food is ac-tually more flavorful as natural flavorscan stand out when they’re notmasked by unnecessary fats. Readyto face the day, you’ll strut out intothe bright sun thinking, “three mealsa day like that, plus plenty of healthysnacks and never needing a wal-let—let’s just stay forever.”

This little pocket of the Sonorandesert boasts one of the highestbio-diversities of flora and fauna

in North America—making it the perfect setting for outdoor ad-ventures from hiking and mountain biking to rock climbing and

horseback riding. You can do all of that at Miraval and much more.Miraval’s outdoor adventure team has a world-class reputation

for working with individuals and groups. Any trip to Miraval is notcomplete without time spent pushing one’s self past fear and intoadrenaline pumping exhilaration. Their skilled experts have engagedleadership teams from Fortune 500 companies to professional ath-letes in team building exercises that explore everything from or-ganizational structure, increased productivity, and health and well-ness to employee morale and conflict resolution.

Trusting oneself and experiencing renewed confidence is fre-quently part of experiencing “Out on a Limb”—one of Miraval’sfascinating exercises in balance. The seemingly simple task ofclimbing a pole high into the sky and walking across a narrow sur-face is often quite difficult. For some it leads directly into a dis-cussion of perceived risk and how to cope with your unexpectedfears. Out on a Limb is particularly suited to individuals lookingfor enhanced clarity and inner strength, or just the thrill of the fallso close at hand. The exhilaration of walking across that horizontallog suspended 45-feet in the desert sky is a rush you’ll never forget.

Another Miraval favorite is the Desert Sky Zipline. Also centeredon the act of “letting go and celebrating life” there are all kinds oflife lessons that can be associated with conquering the zipline.The exercise forces you to examine the idea of letting go of thepast and moving forward into new beginnings of healthier ways ofliving. First-timers shouldn’t fear, as it’s a playful endeavor remi-niscent of your childhood days on the swing set. It might seemscary at first, but the freedom of letting go of fear and stepping to-ward new beginnings is powerful as you soar above the desert floor.

LIGHT AS A FEATHER With newfound zest and energy, you’ll walk back towards the resortfeeling as light as a feather and braver than ever. Good! Because

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your next adventure will have you suspended four feet aboveground, cradled in a silk hammock, your body delighting in twistingand turning and magically realigning. This is Ariel Yoga. Any levelof experience is just fine for a private class. You’ll find yourselfmastering familiar poses and feeling brave enough to try ones younever dreamed possible.

One of Ariel Yoga’s greatest benefits is that it allows you tostretch and strengthen without overstressing your joints or com-pressing your vertebrae. It can be the prefect complement to yourcurrent yoga practice, just like a block or strap, but for those whobecome instantly hooked, it becomes a primary practice all on itsown. It’s easy to love this kind of yoga because it’s playful and in-spiring. It is also gentler on the body and easier to get deeper intosome of the postures. Many guests say they feel freedom and em-powerment or just plain joy with the body enjoying positions ithasn’t experienced since childhood. Hanging upside down withall the blood rushing to your head, your body in perfect alignment,you might be reminded of how much you loved this same moveas a kid on the jungle bars at recess. Yet far from child’s play, aerialyoga improves physical agility, lengthens muscles, and releasestension throughout the body.

Should you wish to keep floating, Aqua Zen is unlike any mas-sage you’ve tried before. Miraval has designed a special privatepool, heated to well over 100 degrees, where the most kind andcaring hands attend to your body with the helpful caresses of warmwater. You don’t have to move a muscle or even know how to swim.Your Watsu-trained therapist will skillfully move your body effort-lessly through the water, melting away stress and strain. With youreyes closed and your entire body, save your mouth and nose,expertly held below water, the hour-long treatment will seem toend too soon. You’ll be amazed at the healing powers of the water.

For guests looking to ride the wave towards physical wellness,

Miraval has introduced a number of new fitness classes and othermore active endeavors, including the resort’s uber popular newtake on Paddleboard Yoga, well known as an extremely effectiveworkout, especially to strengthen the core and improve balance.In order to offer a similar workout in its desert environment, Miravalintroduced Desert Waves Yoga using a special Indo Board that fea-tures a curved bottom to stimulate waves.

A PROFOUND RIDE From the moment you meet him, it’s clear Wyatt Webb is a manof few words. Yet he is gifted at sizing you up and helping younotice personal patterns that may be holding you back from thelife you want to live. He won’t prescribe a magic pill or spout acomplicated theory from behind a podium. When it comes to ex-amining the human spirit, Webb’s skill is in discovering that thebest mirror of a person’s essence (especially self-doubts and fears)is not limited to another human being, but can be found in thehorse. As he guides you through simple equestrian skills and youattempt to prompt the horse to follow your instruction, Webb willtell you “It’s not about the horse.” It’s also not about your boss, thecompany, your wife or your husband. It’s all about you and takingresponsibility. More importantly, it’s about changing what doesn’twork for you into what does.

It’s not uncommon for guests to travel great distances to meetthis author, therapist, horseman, and truth teller. You might bemoved to tears by his striking reading of you. And you just mightbe motivated to let go of an old habit or fear. What began as Webb’sfacilitated in-depth relationship skill’s examination has evolved intoMiraval’s Equine Experience™ and repeat guests will tell you it’s amust. Webb and the resort’s equine team provide this and an arrayof workshops for individuals and groups to improve personal or pro-fessional relationships and bring joy to life. The rest is up to you. �

Created by Wyatt Webb at Miraval Arizona, The EquineExperience provides profoundinsight into communicationwithin relationships. Workingon the ground with speciallyselected horses, guests beginto see patterns of learned be-havior that may be workingagainst them. Wyatt offers4-day workshops and dailyclasses for anyone looking tobetter understand their com-munication process in an effort to improve personaland professional relationshipsand bring joy to their lives.