Relaxing in A Sea of Salt
Beach chairs are scattered about, along with brightly colored toy buckets and shovels. The sound of waves crashing ashore fills the air, which carries the slight tang of salt. Everyone walking around or reclining looks relaxed and peaceful. But they’re not spending a day at the beach; they’re spending 45 minutes in Galos Caves.
Galos Caves is one of just three salt rooms in America, all of which happen to be in the Chicago area. Popular in Eastern Europe, namely Poland, spending time in a salt room is believed to be not only relaxing, but also a cure for a wide variety of ills such as hypertension, stress, allergies, asthma, and skin conditions.
“A 45-minute session is like spending three days at the sea,” says Kasia Michon, a Galos employee. “The air clears your respiratory tract, and its iodine content is especially healthy for pregnant women and kids, because they have high needs for iodine.”
Owner Ewa Chwala was inspired to build Galos Caves in her banquet hall complex after seeing a salt cave during a trip to Poland a few years ago. Crafted from 20 tons of Baltic Sea salt crystallized in natural conditions, the salt is released into the air through radiant heat in the floor and air conditioning in the walls.
About a dozen customers can use the salt room at a time, with separate sessions designated for adults, who are encouraged to be quiet, and children, who are allowed to play in the salt nuggets on the floor just as they would in a sandbox.
Over at Megi’s Spa in nearby Park Ridge, the atmosphere around the salt room is a bit more serene, thanks to its spa surroundings. Customers can pop for a 30-minute session similar to that at Galos, or book a private massage right in the salt room.
“Before I worked here, I didn’t sleep well,” said Megi’s employee Mariya Buchor. “But once I started, the problem went away.”
To book a session at Galos Caves, call 773-283-7701. To book a session at Megi’s Spa, call 847-298-4406.
–Melanie Radzicki McManus, RED Travel Writer
May 08, 2008 6:26 am by Traci
WHAT DO CHICAGO, MIAMI, TORONTO, and RUTLAND HAVE IN COMMON?
Rutland, VT.: And the answer is . . . SALT CAVES! This week, a brand new salt cave opened in Toronto, becoming the fourth public salt cave to open in North America. The Pyramid’s in Rutland, was the first!
While most of the other salt caves are brightly lit and have a “social” atmosphere (a different focus than ours here in Rutland) they are all still an excellent way to get exposure to the salt. In addition, our very own Pyramid Salt Cave is still the ONLY salt cave to use Himalayan Salt, which is the purest on the planet and has 84 essential minerals to be absorbed via breathing them in and through our skin.
As we move into allergy season, please note that many researchers around the world are studying a connection between the properties of the salt and reducing the effects of allergies.
So if you have not yet been in to try the cave, now is a great time to do so.
Also, please bring layered clothing…as we transition the cave to the warmer weather, the cave is kept at a slightly lower temperature, and as you relax, your body temperature will naturally decrease. Although we do have blankets in the cave, some people find they are more comfortable with clothing in layers.
HOW DOES THE SALT CAVE SCHEDULE WORK?
The below-listed times are public times; for $10, the public can experience a one hour session in the Salt Cave. The Salt Cave can accommodate up to 8 people at once and during peak times, the Salt Cave will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please arrive before the hour and be ready for the Salt Cave session at the scheduled time. Late arrivals & entry will not be allowed.
Mondays-Thursdays - 9:30 AM, 2:30 PM, 7:00 PM
Fridays - 9:30 AM, 2:30 PM
Saturdays & Sundays - 11:30 AM, 5 PM
The Salt Cave will also be available on a limited basis during other times, when scheduled in advance. Clients can have a private session in the Salt Cave for $40/hour. We can also move your massage or other wellness service appointment into the Salt Cave for an additional $40.00.
The Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center is a group of wellness experts who have come together from a professional and peaceful place to help people develop their physical, emotional and spiritual lives. It is the Pyramid’s mission to respectfully help each person who comes through its’ doors to leave feeling better than when they walked in.
The Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center is open 7 days a week: Monday-Saturday, 9 am to 8 pm and Sundays from 9 am to 6 pm. Offerings are, a Wellness Marketplace with art, gifts, books, music and healthy snacks & beverages & more, drop-in daily classes, mental health counseling, alternative healing modalities from Reiki to massage to Biocleanse ionic foot baths & Biofeedback to LightBox Therapy and everything in between, plus personal/private trainings.
For more information, call the Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center at (802) 775-8080 or stop by 116 West Street, Rutland during open hours, and also visit our website at: www.pyramidvt.com.