I am currently in Europe, taking some time to rejuvenate myself. For hundreds of years in Poland, as well as many other European countries, people have healed by attending healing Spa’s that are built around natural spring waters. These types of Spa’s have very little to none in common with the Spa’s, as we know them in North America.

Typically one is advised to stay at this type of healing Spa for no less than two weeks, however after hospitalizations it increases to 3 weeks. Allowing your body and mind to truly rest and receive the proper treatments, which are done by professional physiotherapists and are assigned by medical doctors, who see you at the very beginning and determine the choice of treatments you will require.

There is water gymnastics before breakfast and main treatments between breakfast and dinner. There are a huge variety of treatments – I happen to take those, which apply to the whole system, since there is nothing in particular I have to focus on. They are: peat (black mud) bath, oxygen therapy, full body massage etc.

The point is not what I or someone else’ takes, but how it affects your psyche and your physicality. Being away from your environment, surrounded by people who, as you, care for their health. Long walks by the sea (in my case, since I am at Baltic Sea), attending many types of entertainments appropriate for the healing process and of course lots of sleep. The treatments, although are very pleasurable, can also be quite tiring, so we are advised to lye down and rest after a set of morning sessions.

I am sorry that we do not have this type of healing in North America, since our Spa’s focus mostly on beauty and are quite expensive, hence not available to everyone. We need to remember that this type of healing is preventable in its nature. In fact, in final counting it is cheaper for the government to support this type of Spa’s, then pay for hospitalization, medical treatments and all sorts of medicines. People are happier, since they look after their health in advance, children learn healthier way of living and – of course – the importance of prevention.

I hope that with time we will begin to build in North America a base for this type of healing. That we will all have a chance to experience the amazing effects of mineral waters, salt waters, peats of different trees, salt caves etc. That it will be offered to us in the same place without traveling from place to place for different treatments. And – that it will be covered fully or mostly by government, so everyone will afford to get it.

I also hope that it will happen not because the western medicine will fail, but because it will grow to the point of becoming truly holistic. Just a dream…