By Shelby Jones, ISPA

Some spa treatments are a bit harder to explain than others. For most people Reiki would fall into the “I don’t know what that is, so I’m going to avoid it” category. We’d like to take this opportunity to change your mind (we’ve always loved a challenge). (more…)

Okay, pet people. We are not the aficionados on doggy spas, or Reiki for pets, kitty glamour, or anything of the sort. We specialize in spa deals and news and wellness for humans, and there’s plenty to go around. But I do love animals, and only feel slightly left out by your #1 question about Reiki upon my arrival at Vada Spa to unleash my inner universe just for you: “What about Fido?”

If you watched Angela perform Reiki on Live Spa TV earlier today, you learned about the 7 main Chakras and what Reiki can do for people. For the rest of you, here’s what you really wanted to know all along, courtesy of the Pet Health Advisor.

What is reiki for animals?

Reiki translates as universal life energy and is an amazing energy healing method that originated in Japan. While it has mainly been used for healing people, in more recent years, those who have learned reiki have realized how beneficial this healing system could be to their own pets and other animals.

What are the benefits of reiki for pets?

- Because reiki is healing energy, it will never harm you or your pet.
- It can be given to any type of animal.
- If your pet has emotional problems due to a traumatic situation such as abuse, neglect, or being hit by a car, reiki can help release and heal those emotions.
- For behavioral issues such as nervousness or hyperactivity, reiki can help your pet relax and reduce their stress and anxiety.
- If your pet is sick or injured, reiki can help your pet heal more quickly. If your pet is facing a serious illness, reiki can help bring comfort and be a great compliment to conventional treatment.
- If your beloved pet is dying, reiki for animals can help bring peace and comfort to you and your pet during this difficult time. It really seems to help them relax so they are not afraid and struggling to stay a part of our lives.

Read more here, learn the step-by-step on how to perform pet reiki HERE, and grab your pooch for some enlightening video footage. Literally.

It’s all about the universe.

If you’re like me and believe things like “everything happens for a reason,” you’ll probably be interested in learning more about Reiki and energy healing, some of the lesser-known gems of the wellness lifestyle. I’ve never experienced it myself, but I have two very good friends whose mothers are Reiki masters, so I’ve been curiously attuned to it.

Speaking of attuning, I had a brief conversation yesterday with my Reiki Master Angela, who I’m meeting today. She explained that in order to access the Reiki (Universal Life Force) energy, one must be trained in the Reiki attunement process, which involves a “ceremony of spirit.”

Angela practices her healing at Vada Spa in New York City’s West Village, where I’ll be having my Reiki session today. According to her personal website, IsisLight.com, she describes Reiki as a Japanese healing technique that utilizes deep relaxation to calm the mind, reduce stress, relax the mind and ease the spirit. The “divine life-force” energy is brought to you through light touch over your clothes.

Reiki works by “channeling the appropriate frequency into the body to bring the damaged area(s) back to a harmonious state of being.” Angela prefaced she’d be asking me questions about my goals, concerns, my emotional and physical fatigue, any life crises I’m going through or decisions I need to make.

CRASH COURSE: Learn about your body’s 7 chakras

But let me say no more for now; tune in (attune in?) here to watch the live-recorded Reiki treatment on Live Spa TV:

Vada Spa & Laser Center

387 6th Avenue
New York, NY 10014
212.206.1572

Massages, facials, body scrubs… you can’t get enough! And that’s great. But did you know you’re barely scraping the spa surface? New technology, reinvented techniques and pop culture all shape the way we spa today. Here, Spa Week officially announces the definitive list of the latest in emerging spa treatment trends, from holistic to glamorous.

Treat yourself to a wellness and beauty adventure this Spa Week®, $50 spa treatments September 13-19 for the West Coast and Chicago, October 11-17 for the rest of the country. The Fall spa directory launches August 16 for the West Coast, September 13 for the rest of the country, when you’ll be able to see which spas are offering which services. Try one, try all— Spa Week is the time to indulge and experiment. All these treatments will be available for just $50!

1)      Fighting Allergies

Sinus massages, breathe-easy facials and cold & flu bath salts are just a few of the spa services you’ll be seeing this upcoming Spa Week, just in time to soothe your seasonal allergies. Treat your immune system and clear your sinuses in the spa with new treatments using Eucaplyptus, humidifiers and Lymph drainage movements , to name just few of the techniques being used to assist in allergy relief.

2)      Bikini Glamour

Vajazzling made its sparkly splash last Spa Week, when bedazzling your bikini became the hot new standard in girly glamour. Other treatments are quickly emerging in its footsteps to pamper your private parts: Bikini/Bum Facials are being offered to give the same attention down there as a esthetician would to your face: toner, extractions and masks included. Also, post-Brazilian waxing rituals such as Airbrush painting and Vattooing are now the latest in vaginal adornment.

3)      Sleeping and Dreaming

Insomniac? A good night’s slumber with proper REM cycles can be just as rejuvenating as a spa treatment, so one of the hottest trends emerging in the industry is a dream-worthy mix of the two to promote better sleeping patterns. Scents such as Rosewood, Palmarosa and Vanilla are used to guide you off to never-never land while massage techniques make for a complete relaxation experience.

4)      Lash Extensions

Eyelash length, thickness, volume and darkness have gone way up on the beauty priority lists of women now more than ever. While new drugstore and professional lash volumizers continue to crowd the lash-enhancing market, the Fall Spa Week event is poised to give women more professional lash-extending options than ever before.

5)      Instant Inch Loss

Remember that magical, completely safe instant weight-loss pill you always dreamed of? We’re not saying it’s been invented (sorry), but the spa is becoming a go-to place to get instant, (almost) magic-like results in addition to providing long term benefits. Colon Hydrotherapy is becoming more popular as a quick, easy cleanse, and hot new med-spa services like the 7E Treatment and Ionithermie give immediate results by targeting muscles with waveform technology.

6)      Reiki and Energy Work

Turn your trip to the spa into a journey for the soul. Reiki, energy work and holistic healing deliver health benefits ranging from injury recovery to spiritual growth. By engaging the flow of your “life force energy,” practitioners are turning spa-goers into active believers. Look for treatments with an energy component this coming Spa Week, and may the force be with you.

7)      Acupuncture

This ancient holistic healing technique is no newbie to the spa scene, but the granddaddy of healing is suddenly making a resurgence. The World Health Organization advocates the use of acupuncture to treat over 40 conditions, from anxiety and other stress syndromes to musculoskeletal pain and injury, and the Fall Spa Week event will encourage more spa-goers to forget their fears of needles and reap the benefits of this treatment—for their face, body and both.

8)      Botox on-the-go

Pick up dry cleaning, get Botox, grab lunch… what? Yes, the age-defying treatment has become so mainstream that spas are now offering it hassle-free, and even appointment-free. Add the $50 Spa Week price tag, and suddenly “to-tox-or-not-to tox?” is one of the easiest decisions to make.

9)      Hot AND Cold Stone Massages

Spa Week’s favorite sweetheart treatment has always been the Hot Stone Massage, but the newest twist is cooler than past seasons. Instead of using all hot stones, this treatment includes the application of cold stones as well, adding multi-dimensional stimulation. Alternating the hot and cool stones helps every cell in the body receive more oxygen and nutrients and encourages a more effective removal of toxins.

10)   Champissage

Also known as Indian head massage, Champissage has been practiced for more than 1000 years in India and has now been interpreted as a custom ritual at many spas. Traditionally, it began as a system of family grooming, with mothers massaging their daughters’ hair with oils to encourage long, lustrous locks. Over time, it began to incorporate massage of the face neck and shoulders, specifically yours this upcoming Spa Week.

11)   Everything Seaweed

You’d like to be… under the sea? Why? Just go to the spa. Seawater and seaweed have similar mineral contents with approximately the same percentage as the human body. Because of this, seaweed wraps help detoxify the body, eliminate excess fluids, increase blood circulation and regulate hormonal levels. More treatments than ever are incorporating Seaweed this Spa Week. Go for a dive.

12)   Simply… Oxygen

Human beings’ star life-sustaining molecule is getting more and more play inside the spa. One of the new treatments is Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy, which dissolves oxygen in the blood plasma and all body cells, tissues and fluids at up to 10 times normal concentration—high enough to sustain life with no blood at all. Oxygenating facials are also increasing in popularity, as oxygen continues to secure its reputation as the #1 skincare essential.

Experiment with these treatments and experience the true spa lifestyle for just $50 a piece during Spa Week. Make sure you’re signed up!