There are probably 20 yoga studios within 15 minutes’ drive of my house, but I hardly ever make a class. No time. My desire to to work through my to-do list usually trumps my desire to improve my tree pose. But ask me on any given day what I really need, and it’s balance. And so I sought it at Parrot Cay.
I would benefit from workouts, savor healthy meals and immerse myself in a glorious environment. The setting – a 1,000-acre private-island oasis 45 minutes by boat from the Turks and Caicos’ tourist hub, Providenciales – is a longtime favored roost for celebrities. The resort also delivers nurturing to mere mortals, who come seeking rest and renewal on its secluded acreage and mile-long flour-sand beach.
By 5 p.m. on my first day, I was transfixed by the view outside the yoga pavilion. The sun had started to set, bathing the landscape in a golden glow. Andrea Scarborough, the resident yoga instructor – who had just put me through a one-hour private yoga session featuring an absurd number of sun salutations – was preparing for the hour-long mediation class; she directed me to a cushion. We began with pranayama – a series of breathing exercises – drawing the mind’s focus to the breath and then, in stages, dropping into deeper wells of calmness. My tired body let go of the physical world as I latched onto this spiritual journey. I was ready for whatever Parrot Cay could give me.
The heart of the resort, the COMO Shambhala Retreat, is a sprawling sanctuary overlooking a wetland preserve. There, a popular wellness program is offered year-round; it begins with a consultation with Dr. Saraswati Dwarakanath, a doctor of ayurveda, the ancient Indian healing tradition. Dr. Swati, as she is known, realizes that most guests are eager for some stress-reduction therapy, and her programs may include spiritual healing, with sessions of reiki or other therapeutic agents. Once the consultation is complete – and the team of fitness instructors, spa therapists and the doctor convene – clients are prescribed a customized program of diet, exercise and body treatments designed to restore body, mind and spirit to their naturally balanced states.
My treatment, self-prescribed, was a bit more piecemeal. I chose to be slathered in silky aromatic oils applied with the long, kneading strokes of the Shambhala signature massage, which instantly relieved my aching muscles and stress. Another day, I found myself under the tutelage of Pilates instructor Lynda Lippin as I worked on the Reformer – a contraption with springs, belts and pulleys, on which arms and feet work the straps in a circus of directions to strengthen the core and to lengthen muscles.
I could have signed up for a six-day regimen of group classes or taken an intensive yoga program with a star yogi such as Rodney Yee. I might have indulged in rituals like the Javanese Royal Lulur Bath, which renews the skin and calms the mind, shiatsu to relax tense muscles or acupuncture to open up the body’s chi, boosting the immune system. But there were so many things to do, I soon forgot that “achieve balance” was on my to-do list.
With the sand only steps away from anywhere, I took lazy walks along the coastline, followed by ocean dips that were at once invigorating and calming. Following a rigorous routine of late-afternoon naps, I drifted off to the symphony of waves and awoke to a chorus of birds. At night, breezes were sweet with jasmine and constellations twinkled in the indigo sky, creating the perfect setting to reflect and reclaim a joyful mind.
I hadn’t found balance. But somehow it had found me.
Rooms at Parrot Cay start at $696 in low season ($938 high). Wellness programs, including spa treatments and meals, begin at $3,140 for three nights. 877-754-0726; parrotcay.como.bz
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Editor's Picks
Three more places to find balance...
Laluna, Grenada
This chic hideaway offers Pilates classes in a beachside pavilion. The Well-Being Packagte includes yoga in the hatha, vinyasa and kundalini traditions, along with meditation. The seven-night program also includes breakfast and dinner, a rainforest hike and three massages per person. From $5,365 in low season ($8,165 high) per couple.
866-452-5862; laluna.com
Jackie’s on the Reef, Negril, Jamaica
As well as offering unique workshops, this rustic five-room guesthouse and spa on Negril’s cliffs uses recycled rainwater, has organic gardens and serves healthful meals cooked over wood fires. Get acquainted with African spiritual traditions with shaman Malidoma Patrice Somé (Jan. 14 to 17, 2011; $1,500), or try playing Himalayan singing bowls in a sound-healing workshop (Jan. 20 to 24, 2011; $1,080). Rates incude breakfast and dinner.
718-469-2785; jackiesonthereef.com
Thalasso Center at Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
Most treatments at this resort and spa incorporate salt water and seaweed. The Slimming and Anti-Cellulite Cure combines Thalasso therapy treatments, massages, yoga and an aqua-gym exercise program. A seven-day all-inclusive package is $3,900.
888-496-3879; zoetryresorts.com
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