Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/759264
mild red chile sauce, and grilled salmon with vegetable galette and lemon butter. Don't miss lunch dishes such as the incred- ibly fresh Ojo Farm mixed green salad with dried apricots, candied walnuts and blue cheese vinaigrette, the roasted veg- etable tamale, or the vegetable fajitas. Desserts such as the rich our-less chocolate decadence with creme anglaise are worth every calorie. e menu changes seasonally, but each dish is foodie-perfect. Puppies & Chickens To burn o some of those calories, join the exuberant pup- pies in the All About Assistance Dogs program. ese sweet pups are assistance dogs in training, selected for temperament to be of service. e nationally renowned Assistance Dogs of the West runs the program, working with dogs trained to care for individuals with a disability such as diabetes or PTSD. Supervised playful visits help train the dogs and guests are rewarded with fun. So is interacting with the resort's Silkie chickens. Inside a large chicken coop, guests can hold these so u y chickens which actually purr when contented. You can feed them, learn their habits, and collect eggs. ese sweet birds make calming companions. Exploring the Medicine Wheel and Take-Home Resources One morning began with a lovely, peaceful dance-oriented yoga class, another with a restful meditation; both were followed by breakfast served in the sunny Sages building, which also houses the yoga studio, gallery, and puppy studio. A er break- fast, we attended a program that is at the heart of everything the resort o ers. "Finding Your Place on the Medicine Wheel" is both a discussion group and a transcendent experience. Lo- cated physically and spiritually in the very center of the resort, the wheel is divided into east, west, north, and south quadrants which represent di erent times, spiritual interests, and stages in each guest's life. e rings of the wheel correspond to the activi- ties guests would like to invite into their lives, the traits, and the understandings. e program was a wonderfully insightful 90 minutes, movingly led, and one which can be repeated daily. Resort marketing manager Wendi Gelfound says the proper- ty was a former retreat center for 25 years. e owners of Ojo Caliente Mineral Resort took over Sunrise Springs in 2013, and spent years carefully cra ing it into a space which is "visually appealing, with a conscious e ort to bring the outdoors indoors, and create a beautiful, holistic space." According to Gelfound, the beds and lamps in the rooms are designed and created by a Taos-based artist, while shampoos, soaps, and oils in the rooms and spa use locally harvested herbs and plants. A new spa apothecary line just launched, featuring massage oils and other products for guests to take home. " e idea here is to hit the pause button. A Japanese study recently noted that ve minutes in nature can calm you down," Gelfound relates. "We are passionate about expanding on that, and on showing people things here that they can incorporate into their lives at home." Along with using insightful spiritual tools learned at the medicine wheel, the resort o ers programs from gardening to cooking, providing guests with seeds to take home, cooking techniques that support well-being, draw- ing skills, and the ability to make soaps and tea. "We've moved from a clinical health approach to one of inclusive spiritual health," she explains. "All our experience leaders are licensed counselors, and have helped us design our program and our physical area." Along with overnight, weekend, and longer stays, the resort o ers a day program that includes spa services as well. Santa Fe Celebrations and Shopping Sunrise Springs makes a wonderfully zen spot to welcome in the New Year, but Santa Fe itself o ers a variety of stellar hol- iday experiences. At the charming, historic Inn of the Gover- nors just a few blocks from the plaza, you'll nd spacious, vi- brant, Southwest-style rooms with porches and kiva-style wood burning replaces. e hotel makes a great headquarters from which to ex- plore the wealth of shops and galleries that makes Santa Fe not only an ex- citing, world-class art destination, but the perfect spot for nding holi- day gi s or a new look for the New Year. Check out the Native Amer- ican jewelry, art, and collectibles at the Shiprock Gallery, or the Georgia O'Kee e Museum's books, cards, and cra s. e galleries and quaint shops lin- ing Canyon Road, a comfortable walk from the hotel, will keep you busy all day. Cutting-edge New York–style galleries are also easily accessible in the Railroad District. Photo: Canyon Road Merchants Association 30 wholelifetimes.com