Maui — Just Breathe

Photo courtesy of The Westin Maui Resort & Spa

I firmly believe you get what you need at exactly the moment you need it. Well, most of the time. This was proven to me during my recent visit to Maui.

Photo courtesy of The Westin Maui Resort & Spa

I was due to meet my friend Sumithra Balraj at The Westin Maui Resort & Spa to check out Heavenly Spa by Westin’s Hawaiian Meditation treatment. Sadly, the person who was to lead the treatment was called away due to a sick child. No worries. Sumithra and I headed to Tropica’s martini bar to catch up. I dubbed the drinks we’re holding here Orange Meteorites due to their cayenne pepper kick.

I would like to blame the humidity on what my eyebrow is doing in this photo. Alas…

Nancy D. Brown joined us for dinner at Tropica, where the three of us watched the sunset.

Photo courtesy of The Westin Maui Resort & Spa

Photo courtesy of The Westin Maui Resort & Spa

Capping off the perfect evening — Sumithra telling me I was scheduled for a different treatment at Heavenly Spa the next day. Hello lomilomi!

Enter Thursday. In record time, I was ensconced on a massage table. Using Hawaiian massage techniques, my therapist, Richelle, lulled me into a stupor.

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa

Feeling particularly chatty, I asked Richelle what had brought her to Maui. I love hearing about mainlanders who heed the island’s siren song. Richelle mentioned that her journey had begun through meditation. I was immediately intrigued. Seemed I was going to get a schooling in meditation from Heavenly Spa after all.

Richelle and I both agreed that when we pay attention, we get a lot of answers to our questions, or even suggestions, compliments of the universe, ether or whomever and wherever you receive daily taps on the shoulder. After all, hadn’t I just recently headed to Ireland and was now on Maui due to keeping my ears alert?

I, of course, was chomping at the bit to experience the CD Richelle used when meditating. Those capable hands that had unlocked my knotted muscles were waiting outside the treatment room holding this for me.

I had visions of meditating at sunrise the next day to the voice of Edie Van Hoose. Flash forward to an hour later…

Back at my hotel, while waiting for lunch, I was struck by an asthma attack. Lunch was suddenly to go, as I headed  to my suite post-haste to find my inhaler. It was then I realized — um, I’d left my rescue inhaler back in LA to save packing space. After all, I’d only used it twice in my lifetime. I wouldn’t need it.

The voices of numerous doctors echoed in my head, “Always carry your rescue inhaler.” “Whether you feel like you have asthma or not, you do. Stay on your regime.” These messages hadn’t been whispered or suggested, they’d been firmly delivered. I, however, had chosen to ignore them. After all, what’s sexy about the universe reminding you to use your inhaler?

Panic rising as I hoped my regular inhaler would do the trick, it occurred to me that a bit of meditation might come in handy about now. I popped Edie Van Hoose’s Hawaiian Meditations To Expand Your Inner Journeys into my computer. Darned if there weren’t breathing exercises on the CD along with meditation. Thank you Sumithra and The Westin Maui Resort & Spa for putting me in the right place at the right time! Thank you Richelle, for making the CD available! Bless you, Edie, for recording it! In no time, I was feeling back to normal as my stress was alleviated and the inhaler kicked in.

The message from Maui — pay attention to all those little signals you get. Even the ones staring your right in the face –

Yes, this one has been hanging above my desk for years. Message received!

To learn more about Edie Van Hoose visit her website at http://www.ediesmassagemaui.com

To learn more about Heavenly Spa by Westin and The Westin Maui Resort & Spa visit http://www.westinmaui.com/.

Tagged as: Edie Van Hoose, Hawaii, Heavenly Spa by Westin, Maui, meditation, The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Tropica Martini Bar, Tropica Restaurant