A Spa Weekend To Discover I Had Chakras

 My sister and I decided to seize the day and spend a weekend with the girls in our lives and go to a spa.  This is not a luxury that we are accustomed but as we move through our COVID lives, being together has taken on a higher level of importance. And so I packed the car and picked up my daughter-in-law, my daughter and my niece (1/3 of my driving time took place before I even left New Jersey) and headed four hours north to the Finger Lakes to an Inn on Cayuga Lake. My sister, who lives outside of Rochester, NY, met us at our home for two nights, the Inns at Aurora.

It took me until the next morning to realize how lovely the setting was because the last 30 miles of the trip was to say the least, harrowing. First, it is clear that whatever county we were driving through did not see the need to spring for street lights. I recognize that we were on a rural (very) road but there were so many hills and curves,  I doubt it would have killed the county budget to erect a couple of lights along the way to help ease the nerves of the non-natives. As we entered the town, I slowed down, doing my 61 year-old squint to help me find the inn’s entrance. As a nearly lifelong resident of congested northern New Jersey, I was worried about being the source of some local traffic and kept looking out my rear view mirror. My concern was unfounded as there didn’t appear to be another bloody car for miles. 

The Inn was lovely and we decided that my sister and I would share a room and the girls would take the larger room for three. The next morning, our day began with a quick breakfast and a yoga class. We read that the class focused on “alignment.” My first thought was, “What exactly does that mean?”  Prior to my arrival, I had thought my “downward dog” days were over because I had learned just two weeks before, after a claustrophobic MRI, that I had a torn rotator cuff. I should have known that my competitive personality would win out and I would give alignment yoga the old college try.  I think in the interest of full disclosure, I must mention that I am writing this with a very sore left shoulder. 

Our next adventure was on to the spa. By the time we made our spa reservations, the pickings were slim.   I wanted the girls to choose what they wanted, and so I was left with “Wholeness Healing.” This is a session that works on balancing the body’s chakras.  Before today, I hadn’t realized that I had any chakras, but with a torn rotator cuff, significant arthritis in my thumbs, a chronically sore knee, and my ever-present feet issues, I thought that a little bit if wholeness healing couldn’t hurt. 

My chakra therapist asked me if I had ever had a wholeness healing session.  I told her “no,” but that I had read about it.  That was a lie.  I actually had no idea what the next 50 minutes would include but was afraid to show that the only reason I was laying on her table was because all the massage appointments were taken and I didn’t want to appear like an unsophisticated boob and frankly, the liar that I clearly was.   She then said that she was going to end a few minutes early so that we could each discuss how we felt during the session.  That’s when I really started to panic because I had no idea how my newly acquired chakras were going to make me feel. 

The first thing she did was place her hands on the bottom of my feet and then begin to slowly rock back- and-forth. It was pleasant but all I could think about through all the feet holding and the back-and-forth rocking was, “When was she was going to take out the lavender-infused oil?”  I learned quickly that sadly, there was to be no oil, lavender-infused or otherwise, in my future.  She proceeded to place her hands on different parts of my body, which included my knees and then the lower part of my stomach. I was immediately stressed, as I have had three children and I believe that my very well developed muffin top could compete against any of the world’s best bakery muffins.  I couldn’t relax because I kept thinking, “Should I suck it in? Would my stress affect my newly acquired stomach chakra?”

The session ended with “the discussion.” She talked extensively about the strengths and weaknesses of my various chakras.  My end of the conversation was a bit less extensive. I told her that it felt kind of hot when she touched my stomach. Clearly, from my inadequate response, my chakras are not aligned as I would have hoped.

The rest of the day was lovely-overlooking the lake and dipping in and out of heated pools, sitting in saunas and a steaming up my glasses in the steam room. Most importantly, I got to spend a day with some of the most important women in my life.  And yes, their massages were incredible. 





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