From Here to Serenity at Mii amo Spa

The result, in 2001, was Mii amo - which means "Journey" in Native American - a spa that is so sybaritic, and so successful in its mission, that it attracts celebrities such as Mariah Carey and scores of non-famous people as well. In 2007 it was named the World's Best Destination Spa by the readers of Travel + Leisure.

We Will, We Will Rock You I just completed four days at the spa, starting with a brief orientation that followed with a hot stone massage. I don't know about you, but after several hours on a plane, followed by a two-hour car ride, I needed a masterful massage to relax me. I had a hot-stone massage that didn't just make me jelly - afterward, I was officially Smucker's. In fact, I was so laid back after my treatment that I couldn't even utter my masseuse's name - never mind write it down in my notebook.

Later I relaxed in my private casita; there are only 16 guest rooms on property, assuring stellar, attentive service for a maximum of 32 guests. Entire groups of people come for milestone birthdays, as do women who plan their own college or sorority reunions. The first night, all guests receive a complimentary journal, and the gifts get better and better with every repeat visit, including a suede jacket on the second visit and carry-on luggage on the fourth. What I loved about Mii amo, is that, unlike spas that hold huge numbers of guests, where you may be disappointed in the availability of your favorite spa treatments, here you're never overwhelmed. I spent just minutes figuring out what treatments I wanted, and was easily accommodated. "Some guests change their travel plans if their favorite therapist isn't available," says Annika Jackson, Vice President and Managing Director of Enchantment Resort and Mii amo. I put on my blue robe - which all destination guests get to keep - and decided that it was going to be my complete wardrobe for my entire stay. My goal? To simply relax, just be in the moment, and accept where I am at every point in my life, wherever that is.

Day Two The next morning, I had a fantastic breakfast in my room: fresh fruit plate with a dollop of creamy blueberry yogurt (159 calories); a carrot muffin (156 calories); bowl of puffed rice and berries (100) and skim milk (80 calories). During breakfast, I read over the list of intentions for the day, which was brought to my room the previous night. I decide today to live by these words, "Miracles happen. I now acknowledge the miracles in my life daily." I later walked by the Crystal Grotto - the nerve center of Mii amo - where meditations take place in the morning and evening. It's based on a Native-American kiva, a place of ceremony and transformation. Outside it, there's a small "worry box" into which guests have placed problems that they have written down on paper, to be burned later by one of the massage therapists. I decide to give up my fear of being fat, and to live today by this intention: "Life unfolds before me, easily and effortlessly." And it does! I next have a Rosemary Scrub in which I am buffed, sloughed, rubbed and scrubbed with a six-jet Vichy spray - just like a 2009 Lexus. Afterwards, I retire to my room and promptly fall asleep for two hours.

Then it was time for lunch. Hard to believe it, but yes, I was starving, I tried the vegetarian chili (264 calories), mushroom quiche (206 calories), carrot juice (about 100 calories), and an irresistible chocolate banana-bread pudding that the spa is famous for (180 calories and worth every bite).

"Are you Mii-amo-ed yet" asked Chris Bird, General Manager. "Getting there," I replied. Between appointments, I curled up in a comfy, well-appointed nook, where I observed a gorgeous blonde model completing a photo shoot for Town and Country. She was wearing lots of makeup, and had every hair in place. In real life, my hair was wet, I wasn't wearing a lick of foundation and I needed a facial. "Quick!" I thought to myself. "Somebody please get me some moisturizer!"

My day ended with a Stone Crop Facial. Using the ancient healing properties of the succulent Stone Crop plant to calm and restore balance, this treatment lightens natural pigments and fills in lines and wrinkles. Your skin will be lifted and lightened, giving you a more youthful glow.

Next was another delicious meal: parcels of mushrooms (200 calories), salad (100 calories), wild salmon (411 calories) and brown rice pudding (135 calories). My golden slumber was all the more gilded, thanks to the most delightful bed I've ever experienced - a dream-inducing down featherbed covered with Italian linens and soft pillows. It was so comfortable, it was hard to move out of it in the morning. But the next day, I had the spa's celebrated "color reading" to look forward to.

Color My World Bhakta, my color therapist, was my guide to the incredible "Aura-Soma" color reading that I experienced. First, we visited the boutique where I picked four colorful bottles from the numerous ones on the shelf. The therapy was invented in 1984 by a British pharmacist, Vicky Wall, who created 94 balance oils contained in clear, crystal bottles. Each bottle contains two liquids; the bottom layer is water-based and the top is oil-based. When shaken, the two mix, creating an emulsion whose energizing strength is absorbed by the skin.

I first picked an all-purple bottle; second, one that was one-half rose on the top and pink on the bottom; third, a bottle with a green top and fuchsia bottom; and last, one with a purple top and pink bottom. Bhakta explained that the order in which you pick your colors is much like a sentence, in that the meaning can change if you move the colored bottles around. The violet, she explained, is the healer, and the deep longing in my heart to bring healing and kindness to others. "It's the fastest color vibration and the fastest lightwave," she said. "You have a fast-moving mind and energy and you long to be of service to others," she said. The second bottle, half rose and half pink, showed that I needed to express unconditional love to myself, as pink is the color of unconditional love, Bhakta said. "You also do things with a lot of care and perfectionism," she said, "and you have a longing to make things better, and a longing to bring healing and perfection into the world." The third bottle, green on the top and fuchsia on the bottom, "is the here and now," she said, "and you need to accept and love yourself for being good enough." I took a deep breath -- "Wow," I said, "you have nailed my goals for myself." She pointed out that the red color that permeated all four bottles is frustration (always one of my big problems) and that if I simply let go of my need for perfection, the frustration would disappear. Now she really had my attention. The fourth bottle, the light pastels, signify consciousness and clarity, she said, and that I needed to be kinder to myself, and "to express my sweet personality to myself."

I'd say she hit the proverbial nail on the head. Was it life-changing? Absolutely. Was I Mii-amo-ed yet? You bet.

Three-, four- and seven-night packages are available, starting at $2,178 for a three-night package in a spa casita, including six treatments per person, all meals, accommodations, choice of five "Journeys," including Healthy Lifestyle, De-stress, Spiritual Exploration, Ayurvedic Balance and Rejuvenation. Special themed retreats focus on Mother-Daughter and Creativity, among others.

For more information, visit www.miiamo.com; (888) 749-2137.