making sense

If there’s one thing that can lure me out of my lair it’s a trip to the spa, which at Rosewood Mayakoba is tucked into the jungle on its own private island. I’m getting a taste of what’s to come in celebration of the end of the Mayan calendar – or what someÂ pessimisticÂ folks are callingÂ theÂ Mayan Apocalypse. EmmanuelÂ Arroyo,Â Spa Director atÂ Sense, A Rosewood Spa, is one of the optimists, however. “The end of the calendar on December 21st isn’t the end of the world but the end of a cycle,” he tells me while showing off the unobtrusively expansive facilities. “A new cycle is beginning; and with that comes the promise of renewal.” All of which sounds like the perfect excuse to be a pampered guinea pig for the 2 1/2 hour Mayan Equinox Ritual, whichÂ begins with a blessing of copal, the ceremonial incense used by Mayan warriors before going into battle. Afterwards comes a full-body jadeÂ exfoliation, a gold-infusedÂ wrap and maskÂ to nourish and protect the skin, and a 90-minute mineralizing massage thatÂ incorporates silver. AÂ wordÂ to the wise: they might want to think about rechristening the treatment -Â somethingÂ more akin to Mayan Warrior, perhaps? – because far from feeling like I need to scraped off the table at the end, I feel revitalized, armed, and ready to conquer. Maybe the time has come for me to seize the beach.