A Luxurious Flower Bath & Spa Day In Ubud, Bali
The most extra bath in the world…
Good Morning, Bali
I woke up to see sunlight peeking through my window, revealing lush green palms and a volcano in the distance. I had arrived the evening prior during a rainstorm; this was my first real look at Bali.
Beautiful, stunning Bali. It was just as breathtaking as I thought it would be.
A knock at my door meant Setia (seh-sha), one of my hosts, had come to make my breakfast. I let her in and stumbled off to the shower as she made her way to the balcony’s kitchen.
Banana pancakes, black rice pudding, and fresh fruit were waiting for me after I got out of the shower. I sat down to eat when Made (mah-day) knocked on my door and told me it was time to head off to the spa. I scarfed down some food and hopped into the car.
Living My Best Life
Karsa Spa is just off a one-lane road in the middle of some rice paddies. As I made my way through the palms down the paved path, bright orange flowers and running water lead the way to reception. I was given fresh lime water as I filled out a form, detailing what type of pressure I liked and areas on my body that needed attention.
I handed in the form, and Toto (my masseuse) appeared and lead me to a private outdoor room with a massage table and bathtub. For the next hour, I had an amazing full body massage. The sound of running water and a bowl of fresh flowers positioned directly underneath the headrest made for a nice touch to the experience.
After the massage, Toto started the bath water and added floral essential oils and two pounds of fresh flower petals. He stepped out and I jumped into the most instagrammable bath of my life. The water was hot, fragrant, and I legit felt like royalty.
More lime water and fresh fruit on a stick were stationed near the bathtub, just in case I got hungry for a snack. (Note: I did.)
30 minutes had passed when a gentle knock on my door let me know that it was time to get out. I made my way over to the rainfall shower (my body covered in petals) and rinsed off, using their shampoo, conditioner, and body wash…which all smelled amazing.
I was lead to a small open-air gazebo where I had an hour long foot reflexology massage. The belief is that different parts of your feet connect to different organ functions. The massage was uncomfortable at times, but my feet felt amazing when it was finished.
Oh, Reiki You’re So Fine
While I was in the reception area, I noticed a treatment called “Reiki” and asked one of the spa attendants about it. Karsa’s website explains that Reiki is not a massage, but “an energy technique that reduces stress, promotes a sense of deep relaxation, and encourages healing on many levels. Reiki involves the transfer of divine source energy through the practitioner to the client, enhancing the body's natural ability to heal itself.”
During a Reiki treatment, a certified practitioner will lightly place their hands on different areas of your body, distributing energy and healing to you. If you tell them specific areas to focus on, they will devote more time to those areas. They will also use their fancy Reiki knowledge to give more attention to areas they sense need it as well.
This sounded a little goofy to me, but I was intrigued as I’m trying to bring more calmness and good energy into my life. Every New Year’s Eve, I choose a word that will be my guiding force for the year ahead. For 2019, I selected “calm.” Since January 1, I’ve been meditating, practicing yoga, and just generally trying not to be my typical anxious self. And one of the reasons I chose Bali for this trip was because I knew there was a lot of meditation, yoga, and good vibes…which brings me back to this crazy lil’ thing called Reiki. My new, calm self was v down to try it, so off I went with Dian, certified Reiki Tummo practitioner.
Again, I was lead to a private outdoor room, with running water and soft music in the background. I hopped on the massage table and Dian put a thin blanket over me. Starting with the top of my head, she placed her hands on my scalp and the treatment began.
I’m not going to lie, this whole concept seemed bogus. I signed up for this ONLY because I was trying to embody the new calm me…but the minute she put her hands on my head, I started feeling strange things. My head started to feel very warm, which was odd because she was barely touching me. Then I started to feel dizzy and a buildup of pressure inside my head. Was I going insane or was divine energy healing my body? As she moved her hands around my body, nothing super crazy happened. However, it’s worth noting that I felt a similar sensation when she had her hands on my stomach (I’ve had mysterious bouts of nausea since coming back from Ethiopia).
After the treatment was completed, I sipped spicy lemongrass ginger tea before leaving. I can’t tell if what I experienced was placebo or not; but hey, if it works…I don’t think it really matters.
