Reconnecting in Ojai
Find your relationship center and get pampered too at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa.
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As a couple, it’s challenging to keep the Venn diagram circles of your relationship in that perfect state of intersection, balanced between the “me” and the “we” – not to mention juggling those same figurative spheres between work, family and life in general. It’s no surprise that, often, those circles tend to drift just like helium balloons with no hand to tether them.
No, this is not a thinly veiled pitch for couples’ therapy, but for something much more enjoyable: a visit to the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa. Less than half a tank of gas, but a world away, the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa is a beautiful oasis for the mind, body and spirit, and the perfect place to reconnect with your significant other – and yourself.
Although my husband is one of the more enlightened men I know, he was a bit dubious when I revealed that we would spend the first two hours of our “just you and me” weekend with someone else: the resort’s Artist in Residence, Renate Collins, who would lead us through a Personal Mandala session.
After a promise of relaxing post-Mandala cocktails, he somewhat begrudgingly trudged with me over to the resort’s Artist’s Cottage and Apothecary, where Collins warmly ushered us into a private studio lit with candles and smelling of lavender. She seated us at an old farm table laden with paper, pastels and pencils and explained the process of creating a Personal Mandala, which in Sanskrit means “center” or “circle.”
We first drew a circle (there’s that Venn diagram reference again), which we divided into quadrants representing childhood, young adulthood, the present, and the future. Inside each quadrant, we were to sketch symbols, insert colors or words that were meaningful to us. What at first felt awkward and a bit “Summer of Love” soon became a relaxing, reflective exercise. Once we finished, Collins took us separately into the Apothecary for our private Mandala readings, which revealed some interesting insights. We left the session feeling connected, centered and totally cleared of all of the world-weariness we’d brought with us to the resort.
Now, we were primed to fully enjoy the rejuvenation and pampering that the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa is famous for, starting with a visit to Spa Ojai. Just ranked the number-one spa in the world by TripAdvisor.com, Spa Ojai pairs stunning Spanish Colonial architecture with spa treatments that will relax you from head (aromatherapy facials) to toe (reflexology) and everywhere in between.
In the spirit of our reconnect weekend, we opted for an indulgent Couples’ Shangri-La Massage in a private suite with a crackling fireplace – a truly decadent experience. Later that evening, we strolled to a delicious dinner served under a canopy of ancient oaks at the resort’s Oak Café, then retired to the Cocktail Lounge at Maravilla to sip festive dessert martinis to the accompaniment of live music.
While many of our fellow resort guests opted for golf on the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa’s legendary championship course (we’re saving that sport for retirement – in the fourth Mandala quadrant), we chose to spend most of our weekend at the Spa’s private adult pool, with nary a child or float toy in sight! We took breaks from lounging poolside for more “centering” workouts, this time forgoing the Artist’s Cottage for the Fitness Center and yoga and Pilates classes (the resort also offers indoor cycling classes and a state-of-the-art gym).
On the last night of our stay, we splurged on a meal at Maravilla, the resort’s award-winning signature restaurant, which highlights fresh foods and wines from the Central Coast. Seated on the terrace overlooking the Ojai Valley, as the big tangerine orb of the sun set over the hills, we could almost feel those Venn diagram circles shift, settling into a peaceful balance that will no doubt need to be restored with another stay at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in the not-too-distant future.
For more information or to make reservations, visit ojairesort.com or call (888) 697-8780.
