Mind, Body and Soul
Curious about meditation or yoga? Satisfy your wanderlust and your search for wellness at one of these upscale retreats—all ideal for beginners.
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Curious about meditation or yoga? Satisfy your wanderlust and your search for wellness at one of these upscale retreats—all ideal for beginners.
What: Yoga
Where: Rishikesh, India
Why: Learn to live according to your Ayurvedic body type, meditate and practice yoga in its birthplace at Ananda, a stunning destination spa perched above the river Ganges in the foothills of the Himalayas. Meet with doctors trained in Ayurveda (a 5,000-year-old healing system) to design your bespoke program, with goals such as detox, anti-aging, de-stress or rejuvenation. Daily yoga, spa treatments, healthy meals and lectures define your stay.
What: Spa Treatments
Where: Austin, Texas
Why: Lake Austin Spa Resort has been named one of the top destination spas in the world for its coddling care and well-researched approach to fitness. Shore-side, 30 minutes from downtown, with a chic cabin-on-the-water vibe, the intimate resort jump-starts fitness rookies with its power of 7 program, an all-inclusive package that promises a new you in a week. Fitness classes (try stand-up paddleboarding), spa treatments, healthy gourmet meals and luxury digs comprise the plan.
What: Water Therapy
Where: Bad Blumau, Austria
Why: Immerse in Rogner Bad Blumau’s watery wonderland. The world’s largest habitable work of art, designed by renowned painter Frederic Hundertwasser, this thermal spa stands atop two curative hot springs in a complex formed with wavy lines, splotches of colour, golden rooftops and multi-shaped windows. A bevy of pools beckon, a salt grotto awaits and saunas galore combine for age-old healing rituals. Customized programs include wholesome meals, fitness regimens and unlimited soaking—ideal for relaxation and for treating ailments from arthritis to stress.
What: Meditation
Where: Carlsbad, California
Why: Who better to teach you how to be present than esteemed Deepak Chopra, MD, at his wellness centre on the grounds of the posh Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. Offering meditation classes starting at novice level, the centre's most popular program, a healing immersion called Perfect Health, combines yoga and an Ayurvedic detox diet with modalities such as primordial sound meditation. While there, enjoy the resort's spa and other amenities.