This Traditional Mexican Massage Took My Body Out of Fight or Flight for the First Time Since High School

When I was 18 years old, I was diagnosed with a panic disorder, and in the years that have followed—despite the life-changing aid of medication and therapy—I’ve felt that, even at my most calm, my body has never really left its primal fight-or-flight state. You’ve probably seen those videos online joking about your body not knowing the difference between daily stresses and being hunted for sport, but in a real way, that has been my reality for almost a decade.

As a beauty editor, I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to try out my fair share of massages and stress-relieving spa treatments, but I have always found myself unable to truly get out of my head and relax into the experience. So, when I was invited to try out the award-winning SE Spa at Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, which promised a restorative, whole-body experience rooted in Mexican traditions, I was intrigued. I feel the tears of relief pricking my eyes all over again as I write this, but after experiencing the spa and its ancient traditions, I felt my body reset to a state of peace for the first time in recent memory.

- Advertisement -

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit’s SE Spa: An Oasis for Reconnecting With Yourself

While the massage itself was truly life-changing, I credit a large portion of the next-level relaxation at the SE Spa to the pre-massage Grand Velas Water Ceremony, which we editors were treated to before our chosen treatments. Hosted in the communal space, the water ritual features a sauna session, several hydrotherapy pools at varying temperatures and even a “seasonal shower” that changes temperatures and uses light therapy to restore your body to homeostasis before setting off on the rest of your spa journey. Having those 30 minutes to decompress and listen to spa experts talk to us about the healing and transformative power of water before my treatment put me in a completely different head space going into the massage that made a world of difference.

For my treatment at the SE Spa, I opted for the Grand Velas Massage—a light to medium-pressure massage that uses “warm manipulations with a soft pillow through your muscles, releasing accumulated stress and thus guiding you to comfort and relaxation”—but the massage was so much more than physical. Before beginning my massage, my masseuse sat me in a chair with heated slippers on, and I smelled and picked different regional herbs that resonated with me to make the aromatherapy aspect of the massage unique and individual. She then walked me through the other natural elements that would be incorporated into the massage environment, explaining their importance in grounding me in the experience. Before we began, she handed me a paper butterfly (hand-made at the resort) and told me to cup it in my hands and envision my deepest desires, allowing me to surrender to the spirit of transformation symbolized by the butterfly.

The massage itself was also hands-down the best massage I’d ever received. The balance of light and medium pressure was equal parts relaxing and restorative as physically relieving. During the treatment, I wasn’t thinking about anything other than the pressure on my muscles and the energy rooted in ancient traditions surrounding me—it was truly like nothing I’d ever experienced, so it’s no surprise that Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit’s SE Spa is one of only nine spas in the country to receive five stars for Forbes‘ Travel Guide. With over 20 treatment rooms, over 30 spa treatments, a high-performance gym and exercise room, a spa boutique and a beauty salon, the SE Spa is the ultimate destination for anyone looking to reset, reconnect and find peace.