Spa treatments don’t have to be all aromatherapy, essential oils and a partially tickleish, partially painful massage techniques. As we discovered when we were invited to try Remède Spa’s Himalayan Sound Therapy, sometimes all you need for complete and utter relaxation is some candles and a few singing bowls.
The treatment isn’t totally unlike being tucked up for bed. You’re given a set of linen pyjama-like clothes and shown into a cosy, candle-lit room, where you lie down on a comfy bed, are covered with a fleecy blanket, and have a mask placed over your eyes.
The therapy uses the vibrations from traditional Himalayan singing bowls to soothe the body and mind. It’s perfect, we are told, for those suffering from depression, insomnia and chronic stress. It stems from the belief that people have a number of different energy frequencies in their body, and the sounds and vibrations that emanate from the bowls connect with and re-balance these natural frequencies. It’s a practice traditionally used to facilitate meditation, which gives you an idea of what you can expect from this therapy.
The sound from the bowls totally engulfs the room, and you can physically feel the vibrations in the air. Bowls are also placed on the body so that the vibrations give you a gentle “massage” of sorts.
Drifting off to sleep during one of these treatments is totally normal, the therapist tells us, and by the end we should feel a deep sense of calm and wellbeing. Ater trying it, we don’t disagree (and a few of our snores may have contributed to the sound vibrations at one point).
It may seem like an unusual way to de-stress, but if you’re looking for ultimate relaxation without all the fuss of a regular massage, this could be the treatment for you.
QR480 (30 minutes, three bowls), QR780 (60 minutes, five bowls), QR980 (90 minutes, seven bowls). The St. Regis Doha, West Bay Lagoon (4446 0300).
