Miraval

Joe and I returned from our vacation together on Friday. Miraval is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! I could go on and on about this destination spa. There are so many different types of activities to exercise, your mind and your body. You could be as busy as you wanted to be or as non-busy. We went the middle of the road and did some amazing things while we were there. The property is beautiful over looking the Catalina Mountains, the resort is peaceful and the food was healthy but oh so very good! Oh and I forgot to mention that this resort has a no cell phone policy...it was so nice not having my cell phone attached to my hip during our stay and also nice to eat a quiet dinner without interruptions.

Here are some of the activities that Joe and I took part in while at Miraval:

Evening Photography Walk-
Learn basic digital camera operations and use your camera as a creative tool to explore the intriguing desert environment in the late-afternoon light.

Miraval Equine Experience -This class offers you another opportunity to practice living life in the moment. Work with specially selected horses and our expert guides. You’ll perform equestrian ground skills getting a chance to notice personal patterns of learned behavior that may be holding you back from the life you want to live. Be open to the possibility of learning something new about your self in this program.

Private Trail Ride-
Enjoy a special walk-only desert ride that combines a brief instruction with a serene experience meant to balance the body, mind and spirit.

Stargazing- A look at the stars and moon on an evening walk.

And we can't forgot about the wonderful spa treatments....here is what I chose:

Aqua Zen-Feel stress and strain melt away in the nurturing arms of your Watsu®-trained therapist as your body is moved effortlessly through the warm waters of our specially designed pool. Water invites complete relaxation to the massage, allowing your body to be manipulated and stretched with greater freedom than traditional massage. Suitable for non-swimmers.

Hammam Ritual-This treatment deeply detoxifies the skin and eases the body into a state of euphoria. Retreat into a ritual of warmth and pure scent for intense therapeutic transformation based on the skin care practices of the Hammam bath houses of Morocco and Turkey. In this five step body ritual, your body is vigorously exfoliated with coffee and crushed almonds in a lemon essential oil scrub. You are then wrapped in a rich Jasmine Rose Rhassoul Clay to draw deep impurities out of the body while a refreshing blend of quince and orange blossom is misted over the body. The curative essences of cardamom, jasmine, bergamot, amber and clove replenish the skin before a final application of tangerine fig body butter.

Miraval Ultimate Facial- (for me)Firm, tone and refine the skin with our luxurious facial. We use caviar-based products with rich age-defying nutrients that smooth fine lines and improve texture. This treatment includes an AcuLift Massage, which visibly firms and tones the skin, plus our marine bio-matrix sheet to infuse the skin with age defying minerals. We end with a customized Ampoule to nourish the skin and instantly restore radiance. Your skin will look supple, healthy and luminescent.

Outdoor Miraval Duet Stone Massage-
Experience your Hot Stone massage in our Outdoor treatment room surrounded by the indigenous beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Enjoy the beauty of this experience with your partner, mothers/daughters, or friends. Our specially trained therapists will place and guide the heat of the stones across your body for complete relaxation. The warmth of the basalt stones penetrate the muscles to loosen them for the gentle tissue manipulation that follows. Feel your body release tension as the heat of the stones penetrates your muscles. One of the most relaxing massages you'll ever experience.

Me waiting in the "Quiet Room" waiting for my massage! Take a look at the view!

Looking forward to our next trip at Miraval in the future!

We arrived in Arizona...beautiful!

My favorite thing about our room. A bathtub that opens up and is visible to the rest of the room.

Our Room

The grasshoppers are HUGE in Arizona!

Joe building our family zen garden.

Our family zen garden. The four stacks of rocks represent Joe, me, Tanner & Emma.

Catalina Mountains

Another view from the "Quiet Room" at the spa.

Joe riding his horse, Cherokee.

One of the better pics I took from the photography class. This is a close up of a cactus.

The Equine Experience

More of the Equine Experience. We had to direct the horse without speaking or touching the horse. Everyone in our group was able to do it. The battery ran out on the camera so you won't get to see me doing this :(

Thank you, Bailey, for being a calm and patient horse!