June 18, 2007
Fabulous Finds: "Soleful" PurposeBack to the Womb...
by Myara Sherwood
Remember when you were a fetus, floating, warm and protected, in your mother’s womb without a care in the world? Of course you don’t! But I’m sure you’ve imagined what it might be like, maybe even longed to go back, especially during those really stressful days. What would we give to forget everything for an hour and regress back to a time of complete relaxation and dependency? As a person who has tried just about everything under the relaxation umbrella, I think I finally found something really close to recapturing that feeling when I took the plunge into a Watsu massage. In fact, massage connoisseurs call Watsu “a journey back into the womb.” Sounded great to me!
Watsu, a cutting edge spa treatment, delivers the benefits of Shiatsu massage under water. (Get it? Wat stands for water and Su for Shiatsu.) Basically, you are floated atop a warm pool, supported by a Watsu therapist who gently stretches, twists and massages you. You have to “let go” and put your body weight into the hands of this person, while letting your mind and body 
completely relax. It was definitely a bit unsettling to think about, but as a massage aficionado, I had to try it.
With a little research, I traced the source of Watsu back to a hidden compound 45 minutes outside of Napa, called Harbin Hot Springs (www.harbin.org). I quickly learned this was definitely not for the luxury seeking crowd…I had unknowingly walked into a spiritual commune unfamiliar to most urbanites. This came even more clear when I passed by a wooden sign that read “clothing optional deck.” But, committed to keeping my bathing suit on, I stayed the course and found my therapist.
She led me into the hottest of three beautiful natural springs. Surrounded by white flowering trees and dangling vines, I began to unwind…or at least I thought I was until she told me that my muscles were tensing in her hands and I needed to relax. She assured me that I would be safely cradled in her arms (She promised she’d never sunk a client yet.) and with a little time and some body manipulation, I was able to give her my full weight. All of a sudden, I felt like a malleable piece of clay…mush so to speak. Continuously guiding me 
throughout the pool, almost like a water dance, I lost all sense of time. I was vulnerable, relaxed and at peace. Aahhhh…
Watsu massage is being offered at more and more forward-thinking spas all over the country, like Canyon Ranch in Tucson, AZ (www.canyonranch.com), Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs, CA (www.twobunchpalms.com), the Cornelia Day Resort in New York City, NY (www.cornelia.com) and the list is growing. Check with your favorite spa in your area. They may already offer Watsu. And, by the way, if this is what it feels like in the womb, we have no idea how good we had it!
