Take the Stress out of Mom's Day

A spa break is just the ticket for relaxation. Stress-busting has become the imperative of a work-obsessed culture looking for a release, and Baby Boomers - who have the resources to indulge themselves - have turned going to the spa into a routine pamperfest. But today, their overworked, high-performance children are just as likely to need a break from the daily grind. That said, mother-daughter spa retreats are part of a growing trend that many spas are witnessing. With Mother's Day less than two weeks away, the industry is getting ready to pamper, spoil and transport clients to a new level of bliss.

"People who come here are looking for a spiritual experience," says Linda Quinn, owner and director of the Ananda Yoga Spa. "They want to change their lifestyle." It may only be a 90-minute drive east of Toronto, but the Ananda (which means "bliss" in Indian) Yoga Spa in Codrington, is about as close as you can get to the ancient healing techniques of South India without leaving Canada. The spa, which accommodates up to 11 guests, specializes in ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old healing system based on Indian sanskrit texts. It's the original source of knowledge on yoga, meditation, astrology, healing herbs and gemstones. Wether it's releasing emotional blocks through the Chakra Balance and Aromatherapy Bath, relieving tension headaches and fatigue through Shirobhyanga, a head massage with warm oils, or achieving deep calm through Shirodhara, which involes flowing warm milk onto the forehead, the yoga spa has something for whatever ails you.

Mother's Day is a particularly busy time, and to accommodate guests, Quinn offers a range of day and overnight/two-night packages ranging from $150 per person to $700, depending on the number of treatments and the type of accommodation you choose. Once there, you have access to luxurious accomodations, two lounges with fireplaces, a gift shop, and services such as body and beauty treatments, organic vegetarian meals, hatha and classical yoga classes, meditation classes, and holistic books, movies and workshops. You can consult with the satff healer, trained in India, about lifestyle, diet and herbology. The spa's 30 acres of green countryside in the Northumberland Hills with 5 km of hiking trails, mountain biking and swimming pool all complete the experience. "They come frazzled, and with meditation they look within," Quinn says."There's no TV or phones - it's a refuge. They don't want to talk about the outside world. It's a totally peaceful, environment."

Creating a peaceful, relaxing environment is something Andrea Olsen-Black knows all about. "We try and cater to stress relief, and to create an environment that detoxifies," says Olsen-Black, director of Holtz Health and Beauty Spa in Ottawa. Olsen-Black and her team of European - trained practitioners are preparing for their own Mother's Day onslaught. Their customized package includes a tandem massage, a tandem facial, a light snack and then a tandem manicure, and costs $350 (total, for two). Holtz offers its own brand of popular European and Asian-inspired spa treatments. The more adventurous can go for the Swiss Goat Butter Cream Wrap, a moisturizing body mask of pure goat's butter, wheat germ and olive oil. Or if it's your tired feet you want to pamper, try the Hot Toe Voodoo, a specialized foot therapy which combines reflexology with hot stone massage.

The full-service spa also feature esthetic services, a hair salon and Sante restaurant, which serves Asian fusion cuisine. It also has partnerships with two nearby hotels, the Fairmont Chateau Laurier and the Westin Hotel. "People who come have here difficult lives," Olsen-Black says. "These treatments are a form of alternative medicine."

If you've got a little more to spend , and the idea of native Indian and East Indian-inspired healing techniques in a serene natural retreat is more flavour, you'll want to check out the High Fields Country Inn & Spa in Zephyr, Ont. Savour the stimulating Full Body Massage with Hot Stones, a native healing therapy in which heated balsat stones and cooled marble are applied or rested over particular areas of the body. "People say it's like going back into the womb. You just float away," says owner and innkeeper Norma Daniel of the experience. Or, why not balance your tridoshas - your body constitutions which are made up of the five elements: Earth, metal, fire, water and wood - with the Himalayan Body Treatment? This ayurvedic treatment uses herbs and essential oils to repair your body and put your mind at ease. For a small extra cost, you can get the full healing experience by having, your treatments performed in a full-sized, authentic native teepee.

This cosy spa is situated on 1,225 acres and has sprawling hiking trails, outdoor pool and tennis court, and golf at the nearby Mill Run. Accommodations are in the Gate House Suite , a restored, century-old farmhouse. Dining, which features fresh local produce and organic foods, takes place in a coverted century-barn with a walk-in stone fireplace and solarium. High Field's Mother & Daughter package includes two nights accommodation in a room with twin beds, ensuite bath and whirpool tub, five meals, and tandem facials and massages. The cost during the week per pair is $880 and $980 on the weekend.

"I want them to relax their body, mind and spirit, and feel rejuvenated, like a new person," Daniel says. "You focus on relaxation and going within yourself."