Steve Capellini:
Massage Therapist, Spa
Consultant/Trainer, and author of The
Royal Treatment, Massage
for Dummies, and Massage
Therapy Career Guide: For Hands-On Success.
Unfortunately, much of our intention as we approach a spa experience has been shaped by the popular media and by a culture which equates pleasure with guilt. "Luxury," "pampering," and "indulgence" are words we often hear in conjunction with spas, and it's no wonder then that our intentions when it comes to spas are somewhat ambivalent. How can we expect to feel good about feeling good if it's (even unconsciously) looked upon as selfish? In my mind, this is the key area where work needs to be done on intentionality and the spa experience. We need to begin approaching the issue in a way similar to our European colleagues who for centuries have touted their spas as necessary, medically sanctioned facilities that do important work for people from many walks of life. My latest project in the spa world is in helping to put together the new spa for the Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami, Florida. We are integrating the spa program with the already successful lifestyle program that includes medical assessment, nutritional guidance, and exercise. This program is famous for improving the health of its participants and even saving lives. THAT can be the intention of spas too (it already is in many of the better ones). We just have to let the public know about the possibilities so they can start changing their intentions too.
