healingways
cally place their cares and burdens in
the basket. The therapist then removes
it from the room and empties it, leaving
each guest free to garner the maximum
healing benefit from their therapy.
HEALING RITUALS
Caribbean, Coastal Mexico,
West Indies and South America
Healing traditions within every part of
AROUND THE WORLD
the world share common elements. In
tropical locations, local fruit crops of
papaya, mango and coconut provide
an abundance of natural, antioxidant-
Many of today’s healing rituals draw from the
rich ingredients for facials and body
tried-and-true wisdom of our ancestors.
treatments. On islands throughout the
Caribbean and other coastal areas,
seaweed, sea water, volcanic mud, sea
salt and marine algae provide the same
by Debra Bokur
detoxifying and exfoliating benefits
today as they did centuries ago.
Mayan-themed rituals available
along Mexico’s east coast include medi-
F
rom acupressure massage,
spected healing modality that’s recently
Ayurvedic facials and Shiatsu
made its way back into our collective
tation in the shadows of area ruins and
to hot stone massage, seaweed
awareness. Thanks to migrating popula-
seaside purification rituals. During one
treatments and the use of herbs and
tions and the efforts of world explorers,
intense ritual, guests are blindfolded and
botanical oils, many of today’s healing
a glorious overlapping of regions and
guided through a series of experiences
rituals share a vital component. Each
practices has occurred.
that involve and awaken every sense.
has a firm foundation in an ancient, re-
Along the way, these traditions
Further south, in the Amazon re-
have gained renewed respect in today’s
gion of Venezuela, shamanism revolves
forward-thinking wellness communities.
around the practice of calling upon the
spirits of native plants during healing
Native American Wisdom
rituals—a respected method that has
As recently as the mid-1800s, nearly
helped to maintain and restore human
80 percent of all medicine in Europe
health for centuries. Indigenous peoples
and the United States was derived from
in this rainforest environment believe
native plants. Native American popula-
that demonstrating proper respect for
tions have a long history of tapping
each plant is essential to the healing
into the healing world of botani-
process. This respect ranges from asking
cals, awarding great respect to
the plant’s permission before removing
plants and recognizing the life
it from its source and thanking it for be-
force within them as integral
stowing its healing powers, to guarding
to healing.
against overharvesting and acknowledg-
Cleansing sweat lodge
ing that the plant’s spirit is every bit as
ceremonies, for example,
important as its chemical components.
as well as the use of such
natural elements as sage,
Hawaii
clay, willow, agave cactus
In Hawai’i (native spelling), kahunas—
and honey, have become
traditional healers and holy men—have
staples in spas throughout
provided a solid basis for modern island
Mexico and the West. Recently,
spa treatments. Centuries-old lomi-
another tradition has been redis-
lomi massage, with its long, stroking
covered: burden baskets.
movements, helps stimulate and drain
These small, woven baskets are
lymphatic glands, while easing the sore
used in an adaptation of an Apache
muscles of countless visitors.
custom, in which they provide a physi-
Honey, popular in facials and
cal receptacle for worries, concerns and
moisturizing body treatments, has long
mental burdens. Today, guests symboli-
been recognized for its topical healing
22
Southwestern Virginia
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32