Mental spring cleaning: How bathing can be used to cleanse your mind

Spring cleaning season is here – but what if we extended this annual ritual beyond the cupboards and kitchen to include the mind?

In te ao Māori, kōanga (spring) is known as the time to ‘dig the soil’. As we physically turn over the soils of winter and clear weeds to make way for new growth, it’s a time to also mentally clear space for fresh ideas and positivity.

Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa’s Wai Whakaora (Restorative Journey) draws on this idea of dual renewal, with each step having been purposefully designed to nurture and support both the taha tinana (physical wellbeing) and taha hinengaro (mental wellbeing).

Through differing temperatures, smells, lighting and spaces, the Restorative Journey takes manuhiri (guests) on a two-hour transformative journey aimed at achieving total mind and body rejuvenation.

So, if you’re looking for ways to perform a mental spring clean, then look no further than the Restorative Journey. Here’s how each step of the experience can help declutter and cleanse the mind:

1.     Te Hihiri – The Blessing Stone

Setting the tone of your Restorative Journey is Te Hihiri, where all manuhiri are offered a karakia (prayer). This sacred moment invites you to release stressful thoughts and worries and leave them with the stone.

2.     Te Iringa – Waterfall Showers

Here, soft streams of hot and cold water fall from above. Acting as a physical and spiritual cleanse, the waterfalls help to purify the mind and leave any last distractions behind in preparation for your journey.

3.     Te Tukinga – Tongariro Fire & Ice Caves

A series of contrasting hot and cold, wet and dry experiences that transform the mind, body and spirit. Feel invigorated as cold plunges cleanse your lingering winter blues and the sauna’s warmth melts away stress and built-up tension.

4.     Te Taiwhanga Matua – Lake View Bathing Pools

Relax your mind further with a soak in the five pools overlooking Lake Rotorua. Scenic views help lower cortisol levels and release feel-good chemicals in the brain, leaving you feeling less stressed.

5.     Te Pae Paru – Geothermal Mud Lounge

Māori warriors traditionally applied mud to their battle wounds as part of the healing process. Today, we harness the same restorative powers to nourish and rejuvenate your skin. The ritual of applying the mud also serves as a reminder to heal any emotional wounds you may carry.

6.     Kohu Wai Ariki – Steam Room

Stepping into our unique steam cave, you’ll be enveloped by natural geothermal steam. Historically used for internal and external cleansing, steam detoxifies the body while clearing airways and sinuses. As you breathe deep, it’s a chance to release any lingering negativity on each exhale.

7.     Te Ngao – Blessing Stone

At the closing blessing stone, Te Ngao, you’ll be able to relish in the feeling of a clear mind, having fully restored your spirit and completed the journey towards overall wellness and inner peace.

Whether it’s a treat for reorganising your closet or part of a dedicated mental cleanse, consider a Restorative Journey as part of your spring cleaning this season. Book your experience today: https://www.wai-ariki.co.nz/bathing/restorative-journey/