By Kristen Julewicz
Photos courtesy of the Burke Williams spa

As much as I love my usual aromatherapy and hot stone massages, there’s always room for a new addition to my beauty repertoire. Ever since reading Eat, Pray, Love, I’ve been on the hunt for something that beautifies my “inner being” along with my outer self. Meditation put me to sleep before it even began and the only thing beautiful about me after a bikram yoga session was the flowery design on my mat.

Thankfully, there’s the Harmony Massage from Burke Williams. With several locations across California, they’ve revolutionized your typical rub down with this signature treatment.

I had the pleasure of experiencing the Harmony Massage last week in their West Hollywood location. The creativity lies in acutonics, the ancient healing art of vibration therapy. As my skin was exfoliated using special herbs and aromatic oils, the use of a tuning fork was applied to specific points on the body where sound waves travel deeply into the body and stimulate tissues and Qi (energy flow), in order to promote inner healing and harmony.

Hot and Cold Stones awakened my circulation and the “blooming flower tea” sharpened my senses and provided a welcome change from my daily Java fix.

After a cross country flight and long day, I didn’t think anything could “renew, revive and realign” my inner being unless it was served in a cocktail glass and poured over ice (I kid!). However, I left their West Hollywood location with a spring in my step and a feeling of calm unlike I’ve ever experienced.

Don’t live in California? I asked as many questions as possible in hopes of recreating the experience at home. My esthetician, while knowledgeable and talented, could only tell me the herbs were “Chinese” in origin. There goes my hope of an Oregano and Rosemary recreation in my kitchen! Perhaps some of the best things in life should remain a mystery. I’m leaving Harmony up to the experts at Burke.