Creating the Asian spa experience at home

The essence of Asian spa is tranquility, therapy and spirituality packaged in a tropical setting. To lay back amid lush vegetation, perhaps cooled by an ocean breeze, is to let life’s stress evaporate slowly from every pore.

A home spa day is something you can enjoy alone or with friends. To recreate the spa experience, a home spa day should include exercise, healthy food, a pampering spa treatment, rest, and time to get inspired. Here are some ideas to help you create a home spa day that helps you restore your spirit.

• Make a Plan For Your Home Spa Day. Think about what you want from your home spa day -- just like you were going to a real spa. Do you need time by yourself to rest, relax and renew? Think about waking up naturally and focusing on quieter forms of exercise and soothing spa treatments.

If you want to get energized during your home spa day, create a more vigorous schedule. Maybe it's time to take on that five-mile hike. You can invite a friend and do it together.

• Get Organized For Your Home Spa Day. Pull together some of the things that say "spa" -- your robe and slippers, spa CDs, candles,clean sheets and towels, exercise clothing, your favorite exercise DVDs, a body scrub, your facial products, and things to get yourself a manicure and pedicure. This will help inspire you as you plan your home spa day.

• Plan your meals.Create your home spa menus around healthy food that will help you eat for energy -- an egg-white omelette with vegetables for breakfast, stir-fired chicken breast and vegetables for lunch, lentil soup and salad for dinner. You can cook ahead or make that part of the fun or your home spa day, especially if you're with a friend.

• Get Some Exercise During Your Home Spa Day. You can take a walk around your neighborhood, bike ride, go to the local gym, take a yoga class, watch an exercise DVD -- whatever works for you and where you live. You can get up early, eat a piece of fruit and some almonds before you go for a walk, then do something else later in the day. How much and what kind of exercise you want to do depends on your current fitness level.

• Give Yourself A Spa Treatment During Your Home Spa Day.One of the easiest home spa treatments is a body scrub and hot bath. This would be a good thing to do in the afternoon. Take time to rest afterwards. You can also give yourself a home facial, or do your nails.

• Give Yourself Some Quiet Time. You don't have to get on a cushion and "try" to meditate. Just sit quietly for a few minutes and notice what is going on inside you and around you.

• Get Inspired During Your Home Spa Day. Spas usually have lectures on health and wellness, so you might want to take a little time to read something inspiring. Books I especially love include "First You Row A Little Boat" and "Gifts of the Sea".

• Feel The Love. Your home spa day is about extending love and kindness to yourself -- and others. If someone is joining you at the end of the day, make sure they feel the love.