By Babs Harrison
“Too much worry, not enough strength training.”
My wellness guide at Castle Hot Springs, Colleen Inman, had pretty much summed up my autumn years, what traditional Chinese medicine calls “‘the metal season.” Metal is also the element that represents structure; it’s about letting go of what is no longer needed in our lives.
I had been having a hard time with all of this.
Comfortably sprawled across cushions on the floor, I was in a one-on-one chakra tune-up session with Colleen who was holding vibrating tuning forks above me. I had booked the class out of curiosity, which made it all the more surreal when she pinpointed with alarming accuracy what I had been struggling with for a while.
”Enjoy the now, and prepare for what comes next,” she continued. “Contemplate what you want that to be.”
I had read that the body holds onto past emotions and trauma, but had neglected to process my own. Now that I had time and space for reflection, I wondered how a mental shift might affect my physical body and my future path. Big thoughts. I had driven to Castle Hot Springs from Phoenix for several days of R&R to get away from daily life. Yet here I was, contemplating my life and the mind-body connection, albeit in a serene manner.
Colleen encouraged me to walk in nature, shed the worry, and replace the old energy with something new. She handed me a journal and instructed me to ”purge it, write it, rip the page and burn it.” It seemed like a great first step.
I headed to the hot springs to let go (of what I wasn’t yet sure) and soak in the wisdom of her words. I clearly needed to think more deeply. Floating in the warm mineral water, blue sky and palm trees above seemed the perfect exercise for contemplation.
Over the next few days at Castle Hot Springs, as these thoughts bubbled in the back of my mind, a strange thing began to happen.
Climbing the Via Ferrata for the first time challenged my old narratives about what I was capable of doing. At the Castle Hot Springs Spa, a hot spring watsu session freed up space in my spine and made me feel like a happy baby in a bath; a custom massage reminded me how good it felt to release muscle tension and drift into a sweet nap. Each was an exercise in letting go and creating space for something new and better.
Without planning to do so, I experienced the perfect wellness retreat, combining moments of insight with pleasure. Castle Hot Springs has all the wellness elements needed: an inspiring, peaceful setting that seems remote; activities in nature; spa treatments and wellness sessions; natural mineral hot springs; healthful farm-to-table cuisine, and time to relax in very comfortable surroundings.
The rhythm of my days was soothing and included a daily soak or two in the hot springs, and the anticipation of a flavorful, five-course dinner with a glass of wine. The experience gave me exactly the energy boost and refreshed enthusiasm I needed to feel better, stronger and more confident by the time I left.
At a quantum level, our environment becomes our attitude, and our attitude shapes our DNA. I felt blissful. Epigenetically speaking, I had been awakening a new mindset at one of the best Arizona wellness retreats.
Several months after my visit, I looked back to see how that new mindset inspired action. I had figured out what I needed to let go… a lot of physical things that came with emotional baggage. I dove into Swedish death cleaning (a process of decluttering at a certain stage of life) and created an environment that felt more like me. I had gotten stuck in old patterns, old stories, but could feel things beginning to flow again. I’m even enjoying strength training.
“Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased,” said John Steinbeck in Travels with Charley. Even now I can close my eyes and for a moment be back on that quiet mountain at Castle Hot Springs.
At the end of my wellness session, Colleen shared a Vedic mantra, a phrase that represents a story we discussed with a deeper meaning about harnessing the mind. “Say it 1000 times and then come back and I’ll give you another,” she smiled.
I haven’t worried about keeping count, but I do feel I’m ready for the next one.