Nestled in the Sonoma County’s coastal hills, Osmosis, the enzyme bath spa, is a day retreat offering a form of heat therapy found nowhere else in this country.
Nestled in the Sonoma County’s coastal hills, Osmosis, the enzyme bath spa, is a day retreat offering a form of heat therapy found nowhere else in this country.
Osmosis: 1) The chief means by which nutrients dissolved in fluids pass in and out of plant and animal cells; 2) A gradual, often unconsicous, absorbing or understanding of facts, theories or ideas.
Nestled in the Sonoma County’s coastal hills, Osmosis, the enzyme bath spa, is a day retreat offering a form of heat therapy found nowhere else in this country. Instead of hot mud or steaming mineral water, Osmosis offers a redwood tub full of finely ground fragrant evergreen bark and rice bran mixed with more than 600 active enzymes.
“At the heart of the enzyme bath,” says founder Michael Stusser, “is the mystery of fermentation.” The natural fermentation process of the enzymes produces up to 140 degrees of heat and acts to soothe aches and pains, improve mobility and boost metabolism. Indoor tubs look out on a traditional Japanese garden, allowing guests to gaze upon a sea of swept gravel edged by manicured evergreens and bordered by a sculpted wooden fence. Occasionally, a cow grazing on the neighboring land enters your focus as part of the horizon, a reminder that you are in rural California.
This may sound like a New Age ritual conjured up by a young entrepreneur with a undergraduate degree in biology. But the practice is firmly rooted in rural Japan where enzyme baths (kosoburo ) have been used for centuries to soothe and heal. Cedar, a primary component of the ground mulch, was used by aboriginal people in the Americas and Asia because of its high content of enzyme-rich oils, a natural balm that was known to strengthen and cleanse the body. The oils exude a fragrance that penetrates the nasal pathways, invigorating and refreshing the senses; the heat from fermentation opens pores, allowing a healing osmosis between the external mix of enzymes and the body’s own cellular storehouse of life-promoting molecules.
Stusser had been studying Zen Buddhism and the art of landscape gardening in Japan, when he developed a case of sciatica. Sitting in meditation became impossible, until he found relief for his chronic pain from the enzyme baths. The effect was so powerful that he began to envision a way to share this rejuvenating treatment, along with his understanding of Zen Buddhism, with other Westerners. He returned to California and, in 1985, he started Osmosis.
Knowing how Japanese gardens encourage tranquility and mindfulness, he designed his three-acre compound with viewing and meditation gardens. The ponds, waterfalls and foliage offer visitors a chance to unwind in a safe, contained, and exquisitely beautiful setting. Within this environment, he offers enzyme baths (solo or with partner) and massage to promote detoxification and relaxation. Osmosis is the perfect antidote for the stress of a high- tech world and is only an hour and a half north of San Francisco.
Visit the website: www.osmosis.com. For reservations call (707) 823-8231.