Breathe in deeply. Welcome to January and a New Year!
Along with the regular resolutions we all start off the year with, eating better, getting more exercise, starting yoga or mediation, same story different year. Why not start off this year with a smaller commitment, one you can easily accomplish with minimal efforf and make yourself feel good? All it takes is walking in the door and committing to time for yourself to relax and breathe in fresh air, sweat out some toxins, float in absolute stillness, immerse yourself in gong mediation or enjoy a massage or spa day for relaxation.
Start off your journey to stillness by taking a trip to a Salt Cave for a taste of Halotherapy. The Ellicottville Salt Cave located at West Washington Street, Ellicottville recreates a “healing microclimate found in natural salt mines throughout the European Himalayas.” Inside you will enjoy time in a relaxing room made of all natural salt, wood along with a water feature that acts as a “natural halogenerating ionizer.” In additon to sessions in the salt cave they offer massage therapy and infrared sauna packages. For more information call (716) 699-2068 or visit www.ellicottvillesaltcave.com.
Another adventure in relaxation awaits in a dark, still sensory-deprivation floating tank. Silver Essence Floating Spa located at 6 Los Robles Street in Williamsville offers the opportunity to escape the stresses of life and enjoy time in a private float room, floating and suspended in a dense water solution of pure Epsom salt without any sound or light. According to their website, “as you lay in absolute tranquility, every muscle is allowed to gradually relieve it’s functional tensions. Your entire body, including internal organs, muscles and bones will be, for the first time, completely rested and at ease.” The spa also has infrared sauna packages available. Helpful hint, check out Groupon for a current offers at the spa listed below! For more information visit call (716) 568-7985 or visit www.silveressencefloatingspa.com.
Now for something completely different, why not try a Gong Bath at Yoga Parkside located at 2 Wallace Avenue, Buffalo. Yes, a gong bath. The website describes this event as a “meditative sonic experience, where the participant is “bathed” in sound waves from various gongs, led by Liz Holland, MM Percussion Performance of Ancient Alloys.” Bet you never thought about adding that to your bucket list! For more information call (716) 772-8092 or visit www.yogaparkside.com.
If something more hands-on is your thing, head over to R Space Yoga and Wellness Studio located at 8823 State Road in Colden for a Traditional Thai Yoga Massage, which combines aspects of Ayurvedic medicine and yoga which “works the entire body focusing on the “sen” lines, activation of acupressure points, and simple yoga stretching.” Sounds pretty blissful, right? R Space also offers a myriad of yoga and wellness classes to choose from. Aerial yoga anyone? Want to learn about Essential Oils? For more information call (716) 440-6081 or visit www.r-spacestudio.com.
And last but, luxuriously not least let us not overlook a day at the spa—hair, mani-pedis, facials? All of the above? Root 39 located at 500 South Cascade Drive in Springville is the place to visit. Bonus if your birthday month happens to be January, Root 39 offers a $10 off of $50 worth of services discount to customers during the month of their birthday throughout the year. For more information call (716) 592-3939 or www.root39salon.com.
Ah and exhale slowly. Don’t you feel more relaxed just thinking about all these options?