In mid October I was finally getting over the sleepless nights and tired days that plagued me since returning from my honeymoon in Bali (thanks jetlag!) So what was the logical thing to do next? Fly back to Asia of course!
In all seriousness, Macau has been on my calendar for months now and I was really excited to visit another destination on the other side of the world. The weird thing, however, is that I adjusted to the time zone super fast this time and even after returning back to JFK I was fine. I bet my body was so confused it just gave up trying to figure out what time it was.
Anyway, this leads me to my next point: Balance. I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of balance and have written about it on more than one occasion. As a kid I researched the basics: I’m a Scorpio born in the year of the Tiger. I even bought a book in elementary school that gave a breakdown of one’s traits for every day of the year depending on when you were born.
Upon arriving to the 5-star Sheraton Macao, I learned that my spa appointment later that day might be heavily determined by my “element.” I was so intrigued before, during and after the process that I took screenshots of the iPad app that determines your Major and Minor elements. For a full breakdown of the Element-themed treatments, click here.
The first question was pretty easy. I entered my birthday and “Tiger” popped up. I already knew this but I loved seeing it laid out on a screen. I’d later learn that this first question primarily determines your Major element and that your Minor element is your emotional state at that very moment.
This was a tough one because I love all colors, even black (everyone wears black in New York). I ultimately went with Blue. What would you have chosen?
This one was another easy one. I chose Autumn. Not only does my birthday occur in Autumn but I think it’s the prettiest of the seasons. The leaves are all shades of the rainbow and there’s no humidity left to cause bad hair days.
My favorite season has definitely changed since I was a child though. I used to prefer summer best, probably because I was off from school. Then I went through a Spring stage until I discovered I had horrendous allergies and I even liked Winter a lot because it meant two weeks off from school. Are you sensing a pattern here?
This one I had to think about for a few seconds but the answer for me is 9am-1pm. I’ve always been a morning person and even now, I tend to get either tired or distracted for a few hours in the afternoon and then go back to work in the evening. My second choice would have been the option at the top because 7-9am and 7-9pm are other times of the day when I’m very focused.
I’m guessing that this question plays a large role in the Minor element category because it’s the most direct question in terms of emotion. On this day I felt Calm. I also felt excited but that wasn’t an option.
This was the toughest question to answer. I think I stayed on this screen for a good minute or two. I do have a sweet tooth but I think in general, I like sour foods…or at least drinks (margaritas, anyone?!) I ultimately went with Sour but I could have easily chosen Sweet, Salty or even Spicy. Also worth noting is that I was really hungry at the time of this spa visit and craving a ton of different foods.
Before you scroll down, let’s make things interesting. See if you can guess my Major and Minor elements. If you answered these questions the exact same way I did, then your Minor element is most likely the same as my result. Remember that the results are based on the Five Element Theory of Feng Shui.
My Major Element is Wood and my Minor Element is Water. I wasn’t too familiar with Feng Shui so I had to research a bit more about the wood element means. Water, however, I’m more familiar with, as Scorpio is generally considered to be a Water sign.
According to a few websites, it seems that Wood and Water are very harmonious. The energy one gets from Water serves as nourishment for Wood. On the flip side, the energy of Wood is strong, even against Water. The same can’t be said for Wood with Fire. Oh and in case you’re wondering, the five elements according to feng shui goes something like this: Water –> Wood –> Fire –> Earth –> Metal –> (Water) and each nourishes the other in that same order.
Ultimately, I chose to go with their Signature massage, which I know is a bit anti-climactic, but for me the real fun was taking the quiz and finding out my elements. For those of you who are curious about the treatments that correspond to these two elements, wood incorporated bamboo into the treatment and water involved a series of different showers.
In all honesty, I very rarely write about spa treatments because while I absolutely do enjoy getting pampered, it’s not necessarily what Bohemian Trails is all about. That being said, I was so impressed by the concept behind the Shine Spa that there was no way I couldn’t write about it. This was the first spa experience I’ve had where the local culture and traditions were directly tied into the process. For one thing, I learned about the Five Element Theory of Feng Shui, something I was familiar with beforehand but hardly knew any specifics.
About Shine Spa: Shine Spa for Sheraton is located on the third floor of the hotel and spans 15 treatment rooms, including five couples rooms, designating it the largest Shine Spa in Asia Pacific. Fusing Eastern and Western traditions and inspired by the five elements of Feng Shui—wood, fire, earth, metal and water—their spa menu rejuvenates the mind, body and spirit with signature Macau treatments. Expert therapists are on hand to help customize treatments. Choose between massage therapies and beauty/skincare treatments or opt for a pre or post treatment in the Relaxation Lounge.
This trip was hosted by Sheraton Macao and Glodow Nead. All opinions are my own. Photos are via their iPad app and their photo database for media use.
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