The Deep Exhale at Dewa Spa

It never ceases to fascinate me – the phenomenon that once something enters your orbit, you notice it everywhere. This latest “happenstance” popped up in June. I was invited to write a story about the Dewa Spa at Menla, and almost instantly, a downstate pal called me to rave about her incredible weekend there, telling me, “Wait, you’re going??? This place is so special. I can’t wait to hear what you think!” I was pretty excited; as a long-time local, I had been to Menla for events but had never checked into the Spa.

​Dewa – part of the offerings at the private 330-acre nature preserve in Shandaken’s Woodland Valley – is tucked away amid hiking trails, yoga and movement spaces, meeting and retreat facilities, and full accommodations including in-house chefs who prepare exquisite health-centric cuisine. It was almost shocking that I hadn’t been, I admitted to myself, as I listened to a friend tell me about her incredible weekend on property.

​So you can imagine my delight when INSIDE+OUT Upstate NY asked me if I was interested in spending half a day at Dewa, touring the Spa and dipping into a few of the services meant to relax and recharge even the most militant desk warrior like me.

​I arrived at Dewa on a picture-perfect afternoon. The drive to Menla, even from my nearby home in Mount Tremper, is beyond lovely even by Catskills standards, as the turn onto Woodland Valley Road takes you over one of the prettiest stretches of the Esopus Creek, before leading you up a winding, wildflower-strewn road to the property. The Spa is located on a stretch of land below the main retreat center, surrounded by mountain views, gardens, and sweeping lawns. You literally exhale as you park your car.

​Once I filled out the intake paperwork (which included an assessment as to what kind of person I was with regard to the Five Elements in Chinese medicine – was I Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, or Water? – along with corresponding questions about lifestyle, emotional responses, sensory symptoms, and the related organ associations with these elements), I changed into my robe and headed to meet my masseur. I had been set up to experience Dewa’s signature KuNye Massage, which is offered in 90- or 120-minute sessions. Also known as Tibetan oil massage, this ancient holistic practice involves applying herbal-infused oils to the body, along with deep-pressure work, to stimulate specific points. Benefits include a reduction in stress, naturally, as well as correction of muscle tension, imbalances, and digestive issues…the list goes on.

​In Tibetan Kunye massage, red threads are often tied around the client’s ring fingers and fourth toes to protect the body’s subtle energy, because, in Tibetan medicine and spiritual traditions, this practice shields that energy from being lost or disrupted by negative outside influences. Sarite, my massage therapist, gently explained the practice to me as she attended to my fingers and toes. After this, she offered me an assortment of house-made oils to choose from – did I prefer cooling or heating? Then it was time to settle into the massage bed.

​I wish I could tell you more about what went through my mind as I was blissfully attended to by Sarite’s strong hands, but my mind was almost instantly as empty as a cup. I followed her instructions to inhale or exhale on command as she worked to release pressure or elongate my stretch, but if I’m being entirely honest with you, I fell asleep several times, lulled into a deep tranquility I’ve rarely experienced in a massage setting. Sarite was both masterful and extremely gentle. I knew this was an exceptional treatment when it was time for me to turn over onto my back. When I’ve had other massages, that “flip” is often accompanied by some groaning on my part, as my fifty-something lower back doesn’t love that move. This time? I basically floated from one position to the other.

​After my massage was complete, I moved to an adjacent room to enjoy a Tibetan 5 Nectars Bath, a 30-minute (suggested time) soak, followed by a lounge session on an amethyst biomat, a therapeutic mat that is suggested to reduce pain and inflammation, increase blood circulation, and promote more deep muscle relaxation. A girl could get used to this!

​The bath was truly marvelous. The water temperature was perfect and looked and felt like I was steeping in a giant cup of herbal tea. Infused with rhododendron, ephedra, mugwort, horsetail, juniper greens, and juniper berries, with floating daisies and clover flowers, time once again just…disappeared. Full disclosure: I’m generally not someone who enjoys a bath, and since a half-hour had been suggested to me as the minimum amount of time that I should soak, I set the sand timer next to the tub in motion, thinking I’d be itching to get out of the water once the last grains fell. What a surprise it was to want to luxuriate even longer in the water! Combined with the incredible massage I had just enjoyed, I could’ve floated in the bath until I was waterlogged. After toweling off, the biomat added another layer to my bliss. I half-snoozed for another twenty minutes or so before reluctantly realizing it was probably time to get back to my desk and the rest of my day.

​Spa clients with more time on their hands can of course enjoy Dewa’s saunas, steam rooms, meditation lounge and wander through the medicinal garden, as well as enjoy a spell by the gorgeous (seasonal) outdoor swimming pool; I’d be lying if I I said I was not slightly jealous, noting the lounging visitors relaxing in both the sun and shade on the wraparound decking that overlooked the mountains and fields.

​Pro tip: visitors and locals alike can purchase day passes to Dewa spa and enjoy the sauna, steam, pool, and hiking trails, so while I entered Menla as a newbie, I’m fairly sure I’ll become a spa regular.

Namaste, INSIDE+OUT, for letting me combine work and absolute pleasure in this invitation to exhale mountainside at Dewa. I felt lighter and more relaxed, yet with a heightened sense of being present in my mind and body. As I drove through Menla’s gates, I was already plotting my return…

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Photos courtesy of Menla Retreat & Dewa Spa + Abbe Aronson

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