Visit any spa and you'll likely find treatments that recall the healthy pleasures of the beach.  From salt scrubs to seaweed wraps to hot stone massages, marine elements re-create the sense of calm and clarity you typically gain from relaxing by the shore.  But for all the luxury and amenities of a full service spa, the source of relaxation may be simpler:  There is something about water--the way it feels, sounds, and even looks--that revives us from the inside out.

The blue color of the ocean, a reflection of the sky, is soothing to the soul.  The rhythmic sound of the waves eases us into a more open, meditatitve state.  After walking by the shore, we feel cleansed.  Regardless of beliefs, everyone can relate to water's spiritual element.  Almost every religion shares the idea that water is sacred and renewing.  Bodies of water have long been designated as sacred sites, and they have played a role in innumerable religious rites.  Spending time in the presence of water is also physically restorative. 

Because of its high concentration of salts and minerals, the Dead Sea has lured travelers to its shores for centuries in hopes of curing everything from eczema to arthrities.  And by some accounts the word "spa" derives from the Latin phrase salus per aqua, or health through water.  Aquatic therapies have been popular since the ancient Roman's legendary thermal baths.  Treatments like multi-spray Vichy showers, thalassotherapy saltwater baths, and Watsu water massage are staples at modern spas. 

This summer, why not turn the tide?  Rather than indulge in these ocean-inspired treatments indoors, make your day at the beach a spa experience for beauty and relaxation.  Simple, rejuvenating, outdoor rituals--an ocean-wave meditation or a beach sand-salt foot scrub--nurture your body and spirit while you bask in the sun.

BEACH SPA ESSENTIALS

Along with typical beach accessories (a towel, beach umbrella, water, healthy snacks, and plenty of sunscreen),pack the following ingredients for the day's skin and hair treatments:

• 8 ounces jojoba, olive, or camellia oil
• 1 cup coarse sea salt in a small jar
• Sweet orange essential oil
• Jasmine essential oil
• Small plastic beach pail

PROTECTIVE HAIR TREATMENT

With a little advance preparation, you can use the hours spent relaxing on the beach to actually improve the condition of your hair.  This treatment creates a barrier arond the hair shaft, protecting it from the drying elements of sun, salt, and wind.

• Either at home or as soon as you arrive at the beach, apply several tablespoons of natural oil to dry hair, working from the ends toward the roots.  Jojoba oil makes a good choice because it closely resembles the scalp's natural oil; you can also try olive or camellia oil. 
• Comb through your hair to distribute the oil.
• Braid or wrap your hair in a secure bun for the rest of the day.
• Once you have applied oil to your hair, the sun's heat will  help it penetrate the hair shaft.

When you return home, apply a natural shampoo before wetting your hair to wash out the oil.  This allows the shampoo to break down the oil more effectively and keeps water from sliding off slick hair.

OCEAN - WAVE MEDITATION

A morning relaxation ritual can release  lingering stress and help you focus on the present moment, deepening your ocean-side experience.  Choose a relatively quiet spot at the water's edge and sit cross-legged in the sand with your hands resting lightly on your thighs.  If the surf is calm (and the water warm), position yourself where you can feel the waves lapping gently against your body.

• FIND A RHYTHM WITH YOUR BREATH.  Close your eyes and begin to take deep breaths, drawing air in through your nose.  Exhale with your mouth closed and your throat slightly contracted, allowing the air to reverberate against the back of the throat (Yoga practitioners call this Ujjayi breathing, or "ocean-sounding breath," because of the sound it creates.)  ON each inhalation, try to fill your lungs completely; empty them fully on each exhalation.  Notice the natural thythm of your breath, and how it mirrors the crashing of the waves.
• CHECK IN WITH YOUR BODY.  Notice the position of your shoulders.  Are they hunched forward?  If so, lift them up and back.  Is your head slumped?  Lift your chin so that your head rests comfortably, weightlessly, atop the spine.  Relax all the muscles in your face.  If you notice tension in any area of your body, tense those muscles even more, and then relax them completely.
• PRACTICE PASSIVE LISTENING.  As you continue your deep breathing, notice the sounds that drift in and out of your field of awareness.  Are there seagulls overhead?  Children shouting in the distance?  Are the waves surging, or softly lapping at the sand?  Take in the soundscape without reacting to it, allowing yourself to simply be present.
• CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES.  When you feel your mind at ease and a weightlessness in your body, bring yourself back.  Wiggles your fingers and toes, and open your eyes.

ORANGE-JASMINE SCRUB

This indulgent skin softening treatment uses the ingredients you've packed ahead of time (Beach Spa Essentials).

To the jar of sea salts, add six drops of sweet orange essential oil and four drops of jasmine essential oil; shake to combine.  Then, in a plastic pail, combine the scented salts, a few tablespoons of the oil you used for the Protective Hair Treatment, and two handfuls of very wet sand.  Use your hands to blend the mixture.  Sitting at the waters edge, work the scrub onto your arms and legs, paying special attention to rough spots like your elbows, heels and knees.  Rinse your body clean in the waves.  SCRUBBING WITH COARSE SEA SALT BOOSTS CIRCULATION AND SOOTHES TIRED MUSCLES.

BRISK WALKING MEDITATION

Since walking doesn't take much active thought, it makes an ideal complement to meditation.  While your body moves, your mind is free to wander and rest.  This exercise helps round out your beach day and reenergize you for the trip home.  Choose a route that lets you continue walking without obstacles or interruptions, such as the end of a long stretch of beach.

• BEGIN WITH INTENTION.  Take three deep breaths and start walking with medium length strieds, gradually quickening your pace so that you're taking three to four steps on each inhalation and each exhalation.
• CHOOSE YOUR FOCUS.  Once you're walking briskly but comfortably, set your mind on the sounds of the waves, the feel of the wind moving over your body, or visual objects such as birds, pebbles, waves, or colored beach umbrellas.
• STAY WITH EACH OBJECT OR SENSATION FOR AT LEAST 10 SECONDS.  Thoroughly explore the details of your chosen shound, sensation or object before moving on to a new one.
• STAY AWARE OF YOUR BODY.  Maintain your pace and regular breathing.  Keep your spine long and your chest open and your head high; try not to lean forward or slump.
• DON'T FOCUS ON THE TIME.  You can walk for 5 minutes or 50; your body will let you known when it is time to stop.  When you arrive at a comfortable stopping point, end your meditation practice by closing your yees and taking three deep breaths.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY, RELAX AND RE-ENERGIZE AT THE OCEAN!!