About Malwina Gudowska
Well-versed in all sartorial matters, Calgary City Editor Malwina Gudowska is forever fighting the good fight in abolishing that awful moniker (starts with cow and ends with town) that has undeservingly been bestowed on her city. With timely tips, insider info and the latest scoops, she’ll take you into the heart of the cool new West.
Fit to Be Zen
cool & collected in calgary: one wellness Calgary, canada
(Jan.25.12)
"The Bodymind." That was the one word that resonated with me long after my trip out to Canmore to check out One Wellness, a new spa and health facility at the Solara Resort. A long time in the making, the spa officially opened earlier this month and I was invited last week to have a look, and listen to a panel discussion with industry experts. The idea behind the wellness centre is that the spa experience is no longer just a luxury, but should be an every-day necessity for life balance.
The panel discussed topics such as what energy and wellness means to them, and talked about some of the trends in the spa industry, and the movement toward "the wellness-centric spa approach." In addition to traditional spa treatments such as manis, pedis and massages, One Wellness focuses on what they call the "Pathways to Engagement." Clients choose a pathway that best represents what they need: Sleep, Release, Clearing, Transition or Joy. Then, they are lead throughout a process that includes a needs assessment, aromatherapy, breath work, guided imagery, massage and bodywork.
At first, this sounded a little intense for me but what I like about this philosophy is that it's really about what you need and want, and although ideally, you would go through all of these steps, in the end, it's really about how much you want to take with you. I love the idea of learning what products I can use to make my face glow after a facial, or what an expert recommends for stress-management between massages. The centre also offers physiotherapy, wellness coaching, fitness and nutrition programs (coming soon).
While there, I tried out a few treatments including Fit Sitting where we were taught how to work our core while we work at the desk. (That's me rolling around on one of those cylinders in the middle. Feels so good for the back.) The Fitness TRX Syspension Training was a pretty cool way to get a mini workout. And of course, who could go to a "spa" without getting a mani (sorry, no photo, I was too busy). The manicures and pedicures are done in a gorgeous room with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the snowy Rocky Mountains. And it that doesn't scream zen, I don't know what does.
One Wellness, 187 Kananaskis Way, Canmore, Alberta. www.onewellnessandspa.com, 1-855-590-4900.
Photos by Jessica Harcombe Fleming and Alex Kingott