Everyone can relate to wanting more balance in life. The popularity of juicing, of yoga, of meditation and the spin-lightening chain SoulCycle? Just the latest evidence that many of us continue to seek a certain equilibrium. <\/p>\n
Earlier this year, I was one of those people in need of a serious reboot, but getting on a plane seemed counterintuitive. So I opted for Mii amo spa in Sedona, Ariz., a 7 1\/2-hour drive from Los Angeles that felt far enough away to qualify as an escape. <\/p>\n
Mii amo is on the grounds of Enchantment, a 70-acre resort five miles northwest of Sedona and surrounded by wilderness and the majestic red rocks of Boynton Canyon. The area was originally inhabited by the Yavapai, who consider it their place of origin. (\"Mii amo\" is a Native American term signifying passage or journey.) <\/p>\n
The treatments, activities and cuisine, available to guests of the 218-room Enchantment resort as well as those who choose to stay in one of the 16 Mii amo all-inclusive spa rooms, were designed to promote healing of mind, body and spirit. But virtue isn't the only item on the menu; there are cocktails on offer as well. <\/p>\n
I left L.A. before sunrise so I could beat the traffic and settle into the idea of relaxing. I passed Palm Springs and Blythe, then eased across the California state line into Arizona by midmorning. Bypassing Phoenix on State Route 303 and heading north on Interstate 17, I began to ascend the Mogollon Plateau, where saguaro cactus gave way to pine trees. Once I took the exit for Cottonwood, turning onto Route 179 North, I caught a glimpse of crimson, a hint of the scenery to come. <\/p>\n
Arriving in Sedona at about 2:30 p.m., the towering buttes and cliffs looked like a scrim painted with every possible shade of rouge and ocher. No wonder so many Hollywood directors came here to film westerns. You don't need the road sign to know you have entered red-rock country. <\/p>\n
The red-ribboned canyon enveloping Enchantment, a former tennis academy that opened as a resort in 1987, is guarded by two spires known as Kachina Woman and Warrior Man, which sit on one of Sedona's so-called energy vortexes and are accessible from the area's many hiking trails. Scattered throughout the property, the resort's rooms and casitas are nestled into the landscape, with western-style furnishings, spectacular views and thoughtful amenities delivered to your door, such as fresh orange juice every morning and a card printed with a Native American blessing at turn-down. <\/p>\n
The 24,000-square-foot spa complex, opened in 2001, was designed by Gluckman Mayner Architects, the same firm responsible for the Dia Center for the Arts in New York City and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe. Set into the slope of the canyon, the building is low, modern and environmentally appropriate, with peaceful spaces that flow into one another, and lots of red adobe brick, natural light and water elements. <\/p>\n
I found myself in a tranquil cairn garden in the complex's central atrium, which set the mood for ahhhh. A cairn is a mound of stacked stones built as a landmark or memorial, and guests can choose from the piles of stones to create their own. Nearby, a kiva-like space called the Crystal Grotto invites quiet contemplation and is the site of the morning \"ritual,\" a brief, mind-clearing moment of calm guided by a staff member. <\/p>\n
If you are a doer, there's a lot to do. In fact, Mii amo and Enchantment almost feel like a summer camp for adults, with more than 100 activities offered weekly, including cooking demonstrations, yoga classes, juicing 101, chanting, vortex lectures, stargazing, tennis, golf and mountain bike excursions. <\/p>\n
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Mii amo spa and Sedona offer heavenly peace for a spiritual reboot<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Everyone can relate to wanting more balance in life. Continue reading