The Himalayan Tsangpo Ritual starts with a potently cleansing Himalayan salt scrub which takes place on a warmed stone plinth. The salts used are gathered by nomads from the ancient Tethys Sea, found at 15,000 feet high in Tibet, where they are believed to be 250 million years old. It is the purest salt of its kind available, infused with trace minerals and elements, and combined with aromatic herbs such as spikenard, a high-altitude Himalayan herb known to dispel stress and calm the senses. The salt has a detoxifying effect is said to reduce acidity in the body.

After a vigorous exfoliation, the body is treated to the application of Himalayan red mountain mud mixed with silagit, a rare mineral extract from the Himalayas and coveted by maharajas as a rejuvenator. The skin releases toxins while absorbing the minerals through osmosis. After simple, gentle cleansing with warm water, skin is left soft and supple, circulation is improved and vitality is restored.

This is followed by a soak in the Blue Moon Spring Bath — a stone bath with subdued lapis blue light, the healing color of cleansing rivers of the Himalayan plateau. Bathing in the warm bath imparts a sense of serenity. On emerging from the bath, one can lean up against a cooling rock wall to heighten the senses with a rush of contrasting sensation.

The experience is completed with a soothing Himalayan Head and Shoulder massage amidst the primal sound of singing bowls, known to put one in touch with soothing vibrational energy and for cleansing the mind. The 90-minute ritual is an ideal precursor to a full body massage or facial.

For more information, visit Shangri-la.com

SpaFinder.com recently issued its 5th Annual Spa Trends Report titled “10 Spa Trends to Watch in 2008.” Of the top ten spa trends two of the hottest for 2008 include “Wellness” and “Detoxification.

Wellness

SpaFinder reported, “The wellness wave is being brought on by scientific breakthroughs, the realization that the medical industry has a sickness model (and is unlikely to embrace prevention anytime soon), and consumers’ desires to be healthier, more vital, and youthful in appearance.”

Detoxification

SpaFinder went on to report that many spas, “are beginning to treat weight loss and detox less as punishments and more as celebrations. After all, if you can get the same results with high thread count sheets, lovely rooms, spa treatments and a nurturing environment, why not live a little while you’re trying to improve your life?”

For more information, visit futureperfect.com