Mel
Zuckerman: Founder and CEO, Canyon
Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona, Lenox, Massachusetts, and Las Vegas, Nevada
I've always had trouble
figuring out how to define Canyon Ranch. The word that journalists
most often use to describe us is spa, but that's too broad to mean much of
anything. Spa started out as the name of a Belgian town with
medicinal springs. Now it means anything from a backyard hot tub to
a place that does a few facials to, well, Canyon Ranch.
Lately, it seems to me that
the best way to define this place is to talk about intention - another
word I've been thinking about a great deal. Here's how the
philosopher John Locke defined it: "Intention is manifest when the
mind, with great earnestness and of choice, fixes its view on any idea,
considers it on every side, and will not be called off by the ordinary
solicitation of other ideas."
Locke thought that intention
was a basic part of being human. For me, Canyon Ranch's intention to
health is what separates us from all other resorts. We want with all
our hearts to connect our intention - our steadfast desire to inspire and
motivate people to better health - with your goal of feeling great and
living long. This intention is the reason Canyon Ranch exists, and
we're very emotional about it.
On fire for my cause
Enid and I were doing fine
when I was building houses: We didn't decide to sell everything and
struggle to build the Ranch and get it going because we thought it would
make us rich and famous. We did it because I was on fire. I
had to share my discovery that health was something I could achieve - for
myself.
Jesse F. Williams, M.D., one
of the pioneers of holistic medicine, defined health as something positive
and achievable more than a half-century ago. His words are the core
of the Canyon Ranch philosophy:
It's of value to think of
health as that condition of the individual that makes possible the highest
enjoyment of life. Health, when thought of simply as the absence of
disease, is a standard of mediocrity, but when thought of as a quality of
life is a standard of inspiration and ever-increasing achievement.
Canyon Ranch has turned out to
be a much bigger success than we ever dreamed, but that has never been the
point - and never will be. Our success is only the means to a
definite end: To make the highest enjoyment of life a vivid possibility
for every person who is willing to engage us on that level.
A healthy seduction
More than ever, and with
"great earnestness and of choice," we want to motivate our
guests to translate their healthiest thoughts into lifelong, life-giving
action - and we'll do whatever it takes. We work hard to give you
the most enjoyable, relaxing and luxurious vacation anywhere, and we love
doing it. Frankly, though, that's just the seduction. If all
you get here is a wonderful vacation, then you've paid us a lot of money,
and we've failed you.
We have reason to believe,
though, that few of our guests "escape" entirely untouched.
Your a-ha! moment could happen during a consultation with one of our
doctors or in a meditation class or somewhere out on a hiking trail - or
you may connect your actions to your well-being gradually, over the course
of many visits. All we want is for you to make that emotional leap.
Because many of the lasting
changes people make at Canyon Ranch result from contact with our health
professionals, we've decided to provide more access to them. This
fall, we're significantly increasing the Health & Healing allowance in
7- and 10-day Tucson packages, and we're expanding the range and number of
our special health packages in Lenox. We want you to have every
opportunity to experience the many facets of health and wellness.
Of course, we can't
"make" anyone live a more healthful life, and nothing could be
less like boot camp than a stay with us. But you should know that
with every meal, chi gong practice, walk, massage, lecture, professional
consult and funk-aerobics class, we are doing our level best to seduce you
with the beauty of vibrant health. Nothing less.
Somehow spa doesn't seem to encompass all that.
Reprinted with permission from
the October 2000 issue of Canyon Ranch Roundup.
