• by Fern Siegel , April 4, 2007

Health is on everyone's mind. And by everyone, I mean everyone else. Advertisers. Magazines. Washington, D.C. Last week, several politicians decried childhood obesity. (Strangely, they don't object to pork-barrel gluttony.) Yes, I go to the gym. And if I can read The New York Times without falling off the treadmill, I call it a success. Lift weights? OK. But when my muscles start to ache, I put them down. I can't afford the strain on my health plan.

So, with some trepidation, I picked up the premiere issue of Organic Spa. The cut lines are solid: "Live Green. Slow Down. Breathe Better. Eat Well." So far, I've accomplished Live. I'm also hip to the tag: "Spirit. Sustainability. Soul." In addition to life-affirming, it's a nifty alliteration. And the graphics help, starting with the calming cover.

For me, like many of my profession, that's usually the province of a G&T. The ice, the juniper berry -- there's your nature. Want to go green? Order Tanqueray. Not to sound snarky, but is there a diff between spas and organic spas? I've been in swanky ones from Moscow to Mexico. They all play New Age music, serve lemons in Evian and, in the guise of deep-tissue massage, beat you to a pulp. But just to make sure, I consulted the expert, i.e., the editor-in-chief's welcome letter.

After the laundry list of aromatherapies and Pilates, she adds, "It's about being mindful. It's about walking your talk." (As opposed to my specialty, talking while you walk.) Organic Spa is committed to that ethos -- incorporating spa wisdom into your life. Now, caring for the environment is everybody's business, and going green makes sense on a geopolitical level. But whatever sustainability the organic spa lifestyle can produce, it doesn't extend to a smile.

The editor's picture -- think a young Mrs. Danvers just before setting Manderley ablaze -- is grim. Honey, lighten up! I bet you get to visit super spas and sample treatments. Starting, let's hope, with the Oceania massage at the Pure Fiji Spa. It begins with a prayer and energy work "meant to cleanse the unbalanced and negative energies from the recipient." How long do you think it would take to remove the toxins from Ann Coulter? I'm guessing a year from next Shavous.

Luckily for her, Organic Spa can point the way.

It offers news and reviews of the industry, from spa profiles to interviews with architects to at-home scrubs. The "Sites We Like" listed three terrific resources, including sustainabletable.org, while "Decoding Organic Beauty" was an eye-opener, providing a helpful guide to facts, labeling and the need for better regulation. What you put on your body is as important as what you put in it.

For a debut issue, Organic Spa had done a terrific job of achieving its editorial mission. It divides the feature well into four parts: At Home, At Work, At Play, At Rest. Almost all the stories are informative, interesting and uplifting -- and the spas from Aqua Spa on the Italian Riviera to the Armonia Spa in Cabo San Lucas mimic heaven on earth. And heaven doesn't come cheap. True, a few of the suggestions sounded goofy -- like the harmonic facial soundlift using tuning forks accompanied by Tarot card readings -- but most sounded wonderful.

I did get a kick out of the At Work desk, handcrafted from Indian rosewood, sans nails. It's gorgeous in that au natural kind of way, but where, in its three slabs of carefully honed forest, are the drawers? Where do you deep-six the important papers you're too afraid to read? Similarly, the At Play interview with Lawrence Biscontini, an international fitness consultant, seemed a tad too cheerful, like Barney on uppers. He suggests we dance with our soul at work -- he's obviously never been in a newsroom on deadline -- and "hug a tree to stay grounded." Not me, I bruise easily.

Still OS's goal -- to soothe stressed spirits and enhance well-being -- is laudable. And if I should happen to stumble upon the "simple and satisfying restfulness" promised at the Sea Island Resort, it couldn't hurt.

MAG STATS

Published by: Oceans Publishing Co.
Frequency: Quarterly
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