How My Heart Chakra Was Opened in Bali
The Balinese are very in touch with chakras — the ‘wheels of energy’ that exist along the spine and connect the seen and unseen worlds — thus they strive to keep them in balance. (Photo: Four Seasons Sayan)
The treatment
Chakra Ceremony at the Four Seasons Sayan at Ubud, in Bali, Indonesia.
The promise: The Balinese are very in touch with chakras — the ‘wheels of energy’ that exist along the spine and connect the seen and unseen worlds — thus they strive to keep them in balance. This particular Chakra Ceremony was aimed at opening and clearing the Anahata or heart chakra, which allows for more compassion, forgiveness, generosity, understanding and love to be received and released into the world.
The destination: Bali has near countless spas, ranging from bare bones to ultra luxe. This spa, at the stunning and intimate Four Seasons Sayan at Ubud, is one of the latter. With serene spa facilities in two different parts of the resort spanning 8,600 square feet — as well as a brand new Anti-Gravity Yoga program in the lush setting of a dramatic new yoga pavilion — a sense of peace and wellbeing pervades the entire resort.
The guinea pig: I’m a veteran of all sorts of unusual spa treatments and will pretty much try anything that’s non-invasive once. But none of my experiences thus far have been quite as energy-driven as a chakra therapy. However, being completely obsessed with Bali and the beautiful Hindu customs on the island, this seemed like a natural place to channel my inner hippie. The heart chakra was selected for me based on a questionnaire I answered which apparently raised the flags that my heart needed some TLC.
The experience: A total of 150 minutes is spent opening this particular chakra, all in the name of emotional balance, love and positivity. That time is broken into three parts, each of which incorporates rose in a different way.
Part 1: To begin, I’m led to a spacious and sweet-smelling room where Dekar, my therapist, gently washes my feet in a basin with flowers. I slip into disposable briefs and under a crisp white sheet. The first step of this ritual is a firm but totally languid body scrub, using Himalayan sea salt combined with poppy seeds, doused in a blend of argan, poppy seed, and rose oil. In slow, long strokes Dekar polishes me to perfection with the gritty potion, which undoubtedly did away with several layers of skin.
Part 2: It’s time for a giant bathtub filled with frangipani flowers — the most pervasive and beautiful flower around the island. I step into the hot water that’s literally jammed with blooms, and let my muscles melt as the salt and seeds sink to the bottom. As I soak, Dekar brings me a snack: Lemony-ginger juice and chunks of watermelon (it’s gloriously in season and super sweet).
Part 3: Now the real work begins. After the long soak, I’m primed for the lengthy massage portion, which for at least an hour is a quite routine — and quite incredible — deep massage, using wild argan oil scented with rose damascena otto. After Dekar has totally ironed out my tension and knots, he turns focus to the Anahata area, aka my chest. Covered with a couple pasty-like cotton squares, he uses body cream for “glowing radiance” along with argan oil with tuberose and damascene rose otto, and massages around the periphery of my chest using a warm poultice of Himalayan salt wrapped with cotton cloth. The effect is a bit like getting a breast exam at the OBGYN, except the warmth is quite soothing and the methodical soft kneading pattern puts me almost in a trance. Next, he fashions a cloth into a heart shape over the center of my chest, and slowly pours warmed coconut oil with a drop of rose oil into the vessel. I feel heat rise in my chest and slowly radiate throughout my body as he holds my hand and slowly chants “Jai Ma,” an Indian Sanskrit song about divine love. He then finished with more massage around my chest using warmed rose quartz crystal.
The Results: Part of me lay there thinking, “I just got a boob massage and now I’m being sung to.” But a bigger part felt a lightness wash over me and clear out my heart. Maybe it’s partially the power of suggestion, but I walked away from the spa feeling elevated, reinvigorated, and optimistic. My body obviously felt fantastic, but for days and weeks to come — maybe also because I was in the paradise that is Indonesia — I went at life with a slightly more open, positive attitude. Consider my belief that it’s worth trying anything once solidly intact.
Related:
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