The Spa

"The Spa"

"Social bathing was an important cultural process practiced by Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Minoans, Greeks, and Romans whenever they sought health and relief from their pain and diseases" (Register 2005). Post-millennium men and women visit spas for fitness, stress management, peace of mind, pampering and pleasure. Today's spas are present in many incarnations, such as: day spas offering single treatments, destination spas with stays for a week or more, and medical spas designed to treat cosmetic and chronic health problems (Register 2005). Currently representing a 6 billion dollar plus U.S. industry, spas are everywhere (Firman-Pitt 2005). An interesting combination of tradition and technological advances, the heart of the modern spa, just as the ancient spa, remains a reflection on mind, body and spirit.

"The Asklepian dream spas of ancient Greece, where people would go for stays of several months, were concerned with the health of the whole culture as revealed through the individual" (Firman-Pitt 2005). Ideal tenets of the Greek Polis demanded that individuals look after themselves as part of their civic duty. Many of the services that are now associated with spas might well still be in place, but modern presentation and purpose differ dramatically. Ancient treatments were designed to encourage self-sufficiency and good character, whereas today's focus tends to fall more towards escape and pampering. Treatments were ritualistic, administered in a set sequence: cleaning, heating, treatment, and rest (Register 2005). Modern men and women, obsessed with individuality and control, design spa regiments based on personal preference and comfort.

The ancient Greeks are also known as history's first cosmetic chemists, credited with the creation of both soap and lotion, along with beauty products made of native Greek ingredients. Favorite ingredients included honey,