At the Chopra Center & Spa at the Dream Hotel in mid-town Manhattan, guests have the opportunity to sample an unusual Ayurvedic treatment ‘the Gandharva Harmonizing Facial.’
The Sanskrit term gandharva refers to sweet-smelling, fairy-like celestial musicians who feed on the scents of flowers and herbs. The eighty-minute spa ritual begins in the Chopra Tea Room, an exquisitely decorated space reminiscent of an Indian palace with jewel-toned pillows and rosewood filigree. There you fill out a questionnaire to determine your dosha, or mind-body constitution. The facial will begin with the esthetician placing warm stones on your heart and solar plexus to stimulate the third and fourth chakras. She then will instruct you to breathe deeply using a dosha-specific mantra. For example, people with earthy kapha bodies might be told to imagine their inhalations as being fiery red and invigorating and their exhalations as brown releases of stagnant energy. The facial utilizes Ayurvedic products and includes a cleansing, exfoliation, and extractions, interspersed with soothing neck, shoulder, and arm massages. As the various creams and serums sink into your skin, the esthetician will play the Tibetan crystal singing bowl, inducing a profoundly deep sense of relaxation. In addition to treatments, the spa offers classes in the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga (a gentle Hatha yoga program that incorporates Chopra’s renowned Seven Spiritual Laws of Success philosophy), guided group meditation, and holistic workshops designed to detoxify both the mind and body. For more information visit www.chopracenterny.com
