In honor of International Self-Care Day, July 24, join Spa Terra, Meritage Resort, and Spa as they explore holistic wellness practices and self-care programs from around the world. From the Norwegian practice of Friluftsliv to the Japanese tea ceremony called Chanoyu, embracing these simple moments allow people around the world to slow down and truly appreciate the good things in life.
Learn more about international rituals and practices that will allow you to slow down and focus on yourself. This one weekend can change your life.
For more information visit The Meritage Resort & Spa, or call 707-251-3000
Friday, July 22nd, 2022:
3:00 PM Norway: Friluftsliv | Vineyard Hike
Originating in Norway, friluftsliv (pronounced free-loofts-leev), which literally translates to “open-air living”, is the Norwegian concept of getting outdoors — and fans of the popular lifestyle philosophy say that it supplies both emotional and physical health benefits. And while stepping outside every day, regardless of the weather, might not seem like a big deal, friluftsliv can offer a connection to nature and its calming, anxiety-quelling effects.
4:00 PM-5:30 PM Check-in, get settled and enjoy a flow of Champagne and Appetizers.
5:30 PM Welcoming Ceremony
6:30 PM-7:30 PM Japan: Crystal Sound Healing
Your guide will use their voice, crystal bowls, Japanese chimes, and other gentle instruments to help restore balance to both your body and mind. These instruments operate on a mental, psychological, and energetic level to promote states of deep relaxation and holistic well-being. Many participants describe the sound healing experience as being in a trance-like state with the ability to release past trauma, cleanse unwanted emotions, and to find solutions to emotional issues. Sound healing has also been found to relieve physical ailments muscular pain and symptoms of disease. Think of it as a tonic for your health. Come with an open mind and enjoy a novel experience. Feel free to bring anything which will make you comfortable while laying down. Consider bringing blankets, cushioning for your head and the backs of your knees, warm layers, and even eye pillows.
7:30 PM Dinner on your own
Saturday, July 23rd, 2022:
8:00 AM India: Yoga
Yoga’s origins can be traced to northern India over 5,000 years ago. The word yoga was first mentioned in ancient sacred texts called the Rig Veda. The Vedas are a set of four ancient sacred texts written in Sanskrit.
Pick your style of yoga:
- Morning Flow Yoga | Vineyard Deck
- Restorative Yoga | Estate Cave
- Vinyasa Yoga | West Lawn
9:00 AM International Breakfast | Traditional Japanese
10:00 AM Japan: Shinrin Yoku or Forest Bathing
Forest Bathing amongst the vines – Jenny (Vineyard) The practice of forest bathing or shinrin-yoku originated in Japan. Shinrin in Japanese means “forest,” and yoku means “bath.” So shinrin-yoku means bathing in the forest atmosphere or taking in the forest through our senses.
11:00 AM Japan: Chanoyu or Tea Ceremony
Ritual tea-drinking, which originated in China, was first practiced in Japan during the Kamakura period (1192–1333) by Zen monks, who drank tea to keep awake during long sessions of meditation. It later became an active part of the Zen ritual honoring the first patriarch, Bodhidharma. Chanoyu is a ritualized, secular practice in which tea is consumed in a specialized space with codified procedures.
11:30 AM Self-Care Skincare Tutorial
Eminence Hungarian Skincare, starter kit
Educate the guests on how to go through their skincare regimen with a take-home skincare starter kit. Learn more about the history of Hungarian skincare. The event is paired with a unique offering of Hungarian iced tea with aroma cold towels.
12:00 PM International Lunch | Indian Curry Bowls
Ayurveda, a natural system of medicine, originated in India more than 3,000 years ago. The term Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words Ayur (life) and Veda (science or knowledge). Thus, Ayurveda translates to knowledge of life.
Ayurvedic practice and education during lunch and offering foods that address the doshas, they could take a dosha test and then choose their nutritional needs. Ayurvedic practice education component.
2:00 PM Aromatherapy Wellness Education
Learn more about the origins and benefits of aromatherapy. The therapeutic use of aromatic plants seems to be as old as human civilization itself. Plants such as fennel, coriander seeds, cumin, and many others have been found at the sites of ancient burial grounds. Many texts from Asia to Ancient Egypt, and much of the Mediterranean area, describe the various procedures and rituals involved in the making of healing ointments, medicated oils, poultices, and healing perfumes. The practice of using essential oils has been found in the greatest civilizations throughout history. References in some old texts to ‘magical perfumes’ that enhance personal attraction and promise happiness are numerous. Spiritual perfumes for religious ceremonies have also been used in history, particularly in Ancient Egypt and Tudor England.
In this class learn what essential oils are and how to use them for beauty, balance, and well-being. Essential oils are not just a pretty scent. They are extracted from botanicals and have plant chemistry that has effects on the body, mind, and emotions. Come learn about some of the most popular essential oils and how to use them for everyday health concerns such as sleep, balance, energy, muscle relief, and many more.
3:00 PM Drum Circle with Intentions
Drumming has had a place in every ancient culture. While the oldest known drum dates to 5500 B.C in China it is widely understood that the greatest explosion of drum knowledge and drum rhythms came from Africa.
4:00 PM Japan: Inemuri
Rest on your own (Japan: Inemuri or Power Naps) Take a Power Nap Session with free Spiritune Ap Usage – The Japanese word for nap (“inemuri”) is often translated as “sleeping while present”.
5:00 PM Egypt: Raqs Baladi or Belly Dancing
Raqs Baladi translated: Dance of the Country or Folk Dance, is a dance that has its origins in Egypt. It features movements of the hips and torso. Belly dancing might look easy but moving your torso on beats is a complex task. Practicing belly dance for 30 minutes every day can help you burn 300 calories. This dance form can help to tone your back, hips, and abs. Belly dance is a low-impact dance form but is quite effective.
6:00 PM India: Kirtan Ceremony
Kirtan sometimes referred to as sankirtana (literally, “collective performance”), is a call-and-response style of singing, chanting or musical conversation, a genre of religious performance arts that developed during India’s bhakti devotional traditions. A Kirtan is led by a singer, typically accompanied by instruments, who introduces a chant or mantra at a low tempo. Participants respond back.
7:30 PM Five-Course International Wine Dinner | French-inspired with wine pairings
For more information visit The Meritage Resort & Spa, or call 707-251-3000
Wellness Around the World Guides
Shane Davis
While enjoying a career in cardiac technology and studies in classical piano, Shane was introduced to yoga at the age of 30. While he was about to sit for his stock broker’s exam, Shane found that the Tantric yoga philosophy embodied many of his deeply held beliefs. He followed his intuition, left the stock market behind, and immersed himself in the practices that lead to yoga. Shane brings years of musical and harmonium meditative experience to teaching a harmony-filled, bhakti-based flow. While teaching classes overflowing with vinyasa flow, meditation, and kirtan, Shane offers classes devoted to revealing your own inner truth, joy, and love.
Deacon Carpenter
At the age of 16, chronic illness and obesity led Deacon Carpenter to a local Ayurvedic doctor, which created a seismic shift in his perception of nutrition, health, and physical balance. Heeding the advice of his doctor, Deacon modified his diet, started to practice yoga, and shed over 140 pounds, which led him to pursue Ayurvedic studies at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa. In 2009, after a successful 16-year career in global advertising and branding, Deacon obtained his certification as a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist, eventually moving to Sonoma, California, and establishing his practice in 2010. He continues to teach his practical approach to Ayurveda & yoga at Maharishi University of Management, where he has been a guest faculty member, adjunct professor, and co-creator of MUMs MS in Maharishi Ayurveda & integrative medicine.
Vinita Laroia
Vinita’s yoga and meditation practice began in 1998 while she was a student and ski bum in Colorado. Since then, she has made long-term homes in Wyoming, Japan, and California. Influenced by the natural world and the many places she has traveled; her personal practice is based on a sense of deep ecology and global philosophy. She practices and teaches various movement modalities, including vinyasa, yin, and barre sport, as well as Buddhist and guided meditation.
Charlotte Keane
Charlotte is an Ordained Priestess in the Order of the Rose, Sisterhood of the Magdalene. Her Shamanic ancestry began in central and South America and comes from a tribal matriarchal lineage. She shares this gift through drum healing, oracle work, ceremony, and plant medicine. Charlotte is led to heal the Divine Feminine in all of us, bringing us back into alignment and healing.
