During my stay, my entire body felt whole and relaxed. The air was fresh in the mornings, which was great for hikes into the desert mountains and the afternoons were warm. Perfect for lounging by the pool. I never felt rushed or pressured. Having digital-free areas throughout the resort made me put my phone away and focus on the people I was with and enjoy my surroundings. Especially those magnificent sunsets where the colours of pink, orange and yellow danced across the mountains as the sun slowly slipped away. Highlights for me were:
a) The delicious and fresh meals prepared every day especially the smoothies, but my most memorable meal was the ‘Just Cook for Me’ workshop. It was an incredible experience. The chef guided us through the whole process. Including every ingredient he used and where it was sourced. Everything was made fresh in front of us while we asked questions about what he was making to general inquiries about food and cooking. I picked up some really great tips. The meal included an amuse bouche followed by a four-course meal. My favourite dish was the Humboldt Fog goat cheese, blistered strawberries drizzled in Miraval honey. Mmmm I can still remember the flavours.
b) The spa. Everything about it oozed Zen from the quiet rooms overlooking the desert mountains to the treatments themselves. I indulged in the Intuitive Massage, which is inspired by Native American spirituality and Peruvian shamanism. I set my own intention for the practice and then I let my therapist intuitively massage the areas of discomfort, while addressing underlying emotional and mental barriers to healing. Trust me it was an incredible experience and answered a lot of questions about my current wellbeing.
c) The wellbeing workshops. Every workshop I attended I learned something new and picked up tools that could easily be applied to my every day life, which I did and have seen very positive results. I won’t lie. It is something I have be mindful of in order to apply the tools, but when you know better you do better. Examples of workshops included ‘Thriving in the Chaos,’ ‘The Power of Self-Compassion,’ ‘Mindful Stress Mastery’ and ‘Making Malas.’
d) And the experiences: Every three months, Miraval changes up their activities. This keeps it fresh and current to the seasons. So, there is a plethora of activities to choose from including nutrition and culinary classes, outdoor adventure, equestrian workshops, yoga and fitness. You can customize your stay by making it as busy or as relaxed as you wish. For myself, I did a balance of both and loved every moment of it. By giving me the control to manage my own schedule, I was responsible for my own choices and being aware of my own personal limits. Something I tend to forget. My favourite experience was riding on horseback in the early morning through the desert. The entire experience was meditative. I loved every moment of it and have decided to continue trail riding back home.
There is still so much I have not covered that makes this resort so wonderful and the perfect place to visit when you need to work on your mind, body and soul. Everyone has their own reasons for visiting Miraval, but most of us are looking for a way to balance our lives and my experience at Miraval certainly transformed my life for the better.
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