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16 DAYSPA | MAY 2016 TREND WATCH TREND WATCH In Big Sur, California, the spa at Post Ranch Inn (postranchinn.com) offers a Vibrational Resonance treatment (60 min./$165, or $250 with 30-min. massage) to balance clients' chakras and meridians. Tuning forks are applied "anywhere the guest needs a little boost," explains spa director Monika Jalovec, while Tibetan bowls are played above the chakras. "They're musical notes but they're also tuned to our bodies," she adds. The same tools are employed in the Resonance Ritual (120 min./$345), which Jalovec recommends for a more intense experience. The service begins with a burning-sage ritual, followed by an aromatherapy massage incorporating locally sourced jade stones. Couples often enjoy these treatments in the privacy of their hotel room, where "they become almost like a concert, with the two practitioners playing different tunes," says Jalovec. The treatment, which debuted in 2001, has become increasingly popular in recent years as awareness of these types of service grows. A Vibro-Acoustic Sound Table takes center stage during the Sound Massage Therapy treatment (50 min./$175 or 80 min./ $260) at the spa at the Carillon Hotel (carillonhotel.com) in Miami Beach. Sound vibration is believed to foster deep relaxation because the body is made up of about 70% water, and sound travels much more efficiently through water than through air. For the service, the client receives a full- body massage while wearing headphones emitting soothing, nature-inspired music as sound waves are transmitted through the table. "It's like a massage on steroids," says Mindy Terry, the hotel's vice president of spa and wellness. "It functions on a subconscious level to affect the brain by encouraging it to work internally and move into a state of deep relaxation." Marketing efforts, including listing the benefits of sound therapy—reduced stress, improved sleep and pain relief—on the spa's menu, have helped boost bookings further. Anna Ferraraccio, owner of Pipestem Spa and Event Center (pipestemspa.com) in Pipestem, West Virginia, describes the facility's Kundalini Back Massage (80 min./$160) as "an inner journey." The service uses products by Ila Spa, whose London outpost hosted Ferraraccio for training in the protocol. The client lies on a heated massage table and is covered with a blanket. As Sanskrit and chanting music play, the therapist delivers a pressure-point facial using neroli, jasmine, cardamom and rose essential oils. Next comes a hot-stone foot massage incorporating Himalayan pink salts and coconut oil, then a deep-tissue back and a choreographed chakra massage performed in tune to the music. Ferraraccio reports that the vibrational-therapy service is particularly effective for people with anxiety. "It's a very specific massage that targets and opens up the chakras," she says. Many guests hear about the treatment through word of mouth, and one fan even makes a four-hour round trip on a regular basis. These spas are fully attuned to their clients' needs. By Kristine Hansen Good Vibrations © GETTY IMAGES