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W e Care Spa is an oasis of green cradled in a desert valley, the lo y vision of Mt. San Jacinto rising behind. Wending path- ways lead past guest villas, manicured desert ora, a sauna, hot tub, cozy seating and art installations to the heart of the spa eco- system—the Southwest-inspired pool and central hub that was once the family home of founder Susana Belen. e spa specializes in multi-day to multi-week holistic detoxi ca- tions from the pressures and poisons of modern life, whereas I had just a day, so I wasted no time. First o , I joined a walking meditation and yoga class led by Patricia. We wandered a labyrinth-like path in the desert, creosote-scented wind awakening our skin, before transitioning to gentle hatha yoga. Juice fasting and colonics are central to the We Care philos- ophy, and how refreshing it felt a er movement to choose from hot teas, chilled juices and mint-infused water. ai massage master Andres then led me to a garden gazebo. Push- ing, stretching and melding with his healer's hands, Andre gave me the best massage of my life; pressures, tensions and energy blocks fell away, my heart cracked open. More water and juice, and massage therapist Shari handed me herbal tea before bringing me to her peaceful room to soak up a system recovery wrap and neck-and-foot massage as I lay on an amethyst- lled, infrared heating pad. Shari had me take a shower and made me an almond milk smoothie to drink before I joined found- er Susana's class on detoxi cation. As the daughter of a scientist, I was heartened to hear how collaborations with researchers have proven the physical and mental health bene ts of juice fasting, colonics, massage and yoga. Finally it was time for the colonic hydrotherapy I had been half dreading, having never experienced it before. But cer- ti ed practitioner Denae had 18 years of experience; we laughed, I learned and the process was never uncomfortable. A er it was over I felt deeply cleansed. I drove away from We Care feeling back to myself, in the present and ready for whatever my job, toddler or husband might present next. " e people who come here are on a spiritual journey," Andres had said. " ey don't just get their body cleansed, they get their soul cleansed." True that. —Katie Sandberg ~18000 Long Canyon Rd., Desert Hot Springs, 92241, 800.888.2523, www. wecarespa.com T ikkun Holistic Spa's name is de- rived from a Hebrew phrase—tik- kun olam, to repair the world. eir goal? "To heal our guests on the spiritual, emotional and physical level." It's a worthy aspiration and tall order, but in this chal- lenging and o en frightening world, every healed drop of a person counts and hope- fully ripples out. I was careful, when I arrived, to lag behind two women new to the small yet inviting, spotless spa to see if the sta would be as friendly to them as to this reviewer. ey were. ey couldn't have been more attentive or friendly. Healing starts with kindness, a er all. Tikkun's services are many: Restoration by means of therapeutic massage, from accupressure to sports. Relaxation through familiar meth- ods, such as re exology; and surprising ones, such as the Bamboo Mas- sage. Renewal by wet treatments such as scrubs, body wraps and exotic facials. A pleased client waxed eloquent (no pun intended) about the Ko- rean Body Scrub and her now baby-like skin. Tikkun healing is where west most de nitely meets east. I admit to some skepticism when Pair Bio- magnetic erapy with intuitive healer Mari- ana Ito was suggested, but from the moment I met Mariana, I felt in empathic hands. A native of Chile, she quickly picked up the le - over sadness in my body. I didn't understand the placement of the positive and negative magnets used to put me more in balance and harmonize my pH, but when I le , I did feel more "repaired." But I save the most fun for last. When the Tikkun signature hormone-balancing V-Steam was suggested, I was curious, stimulated and needlessly scared. ink Sex and the City friends sitting in a pretty outhouse (if alone, you are given privacy). is ancient Korean ritual of vaginal steaming purports to "soothe while strengthening the nervous system, aid in restarting regular men- strual cycles, and help ght infections and correct digestive disorders." A veritable panacea, it also is said to enhance reproductive health and promote detox, soothe hemorrhoids and reduce lactic acid. All I can say is it felt good and has been the best conversation piece in years. —Lynn Lobban ~1460 4th St., Santa Monica 90401, 310.319.1111, www.tikkunspa.com Tikkun Holistic Spa, Santa Monica We Care Spa, Desert Hot Springs west most de nitely meets east. I admit to some skepticism when Pair Bio- magnetic erapy with intuitive healer Mari- ana Ito was suggested, but from the moment I met Mariana, I felt in empathic hands. A native of Chile, she quickly picked up the le - over sadness in my body. I didn't understand the placement of the positive and negative magnets used to put me more in balance and harmonize my pH, but when I le , I did feel more "repaired." But I save the most fun for last. When the Tikkun signature hormone-balancing V-Steam was suggested, I was curious, stimulated and needlessly scared. ink friends sitting in a pretty outhouse (if alone, you are given privacy). is ancient Korean ritual of vaginal steaming purports to "soothe while strengthening the nervous system, aid in restarting regular men- strual cycles, and help ght infections and correct digestive disorders." A veritable panacea, it also is said to enhance reproductive health and and the process was never uncomfortable. A er it was over I felt deeply cleansed. photos: Elyse Glickman june/july 2014 29 WLT-JUN-JULY-26.indd 29 5/26/14 2:10 PM