By: Babs Harrison
Sometimes we need a peaceful refuge, a place to slow down and escape from the daily grind in order to return to our true selves. Castle Hot Springs is that place, one of the unique getaways in Arizona that combines solitude with outdoor adventure, wellness activities, and five-course farm-to-table cuisine.
Blissfully secluded in the Bradshaw Mountains at the edge of the Sonoran Desert, this wellness sanctuary feels light years away. In reality itʻs less than an hour’s drive from Phoenix, or a 15-minute helicopter ride from Scottsdale.
Nature is often the cure for feeling stressed or burned out, and at Castle Hot Springs, guests are immersed in 1100 acres of native flora, rock formations, hiking trails, Via Ferrata courses, and natural hot springs that bubble up from one of the most mineralized mountain ranges in the world. The Bradshaw Mountains that once attracted miners searching for gold, silver and copper are now a magnet for those seeking wellness in the mineral-rich Arizona hot springs.
Time seems abundant in this oasis of calm as guests intuitively cut back on screen time, sharpening their senses to the beauty all around. Savor these moments to deeply relax in the geothermal springs, or your bungalow’s private outdoor soaking tub. Sink into contemplation as you gaze up at the Arizona sky.
The wellness and spa programming at Castle Hot Springs enables guests to cultivate a deeper connection with nature, thereby improving their mood, reducing stress, and boosting creativity. Many of the activities are designed to promote intentional wellness, helping guests to become more self-aware and present. Here are a few activities that turn restless, distracted minds towards the ever-present moment.
Daily Yoga
Yoga awakens the body so that you feel energized. Regardless of your level of proficiency, practicing yoga regularly will make you feel better from head to toe.
Castle Hot Springs offers 55-minute yoga classes every day, alternating between the slow movements of gentle, therapeutic yoga and the more active flow yoga. Open to all fitness levels, these classes combine stretching, breathing and toning to warm up the muscles and get the blood flowing.
For a private experience, consider booking a personalized yoga session with an instructor. This is a great opportunity to master the fine points of a pose, take your practice to the next level, or explore a new type of yoga.
A variety of private classes are offered including: Intro to Yoga, tailored for beginners or as a refresher course; Custom Yoga, adapted to your unique needs; Vinyasa, an invigorating session; Hatha, a soothing practice combining classical poses with conscious breathwork; Zen, calmly blending Hatha with Qigong; Yin Yoga releases tension with gentle, long-held poses; and Restorative Yoga which uses props to support poses that rejuvenate the body.
Paddleboard Yoga
If you’ve never attempted SUP yoga, Castle Hot Springs is the place to try it. A one-hour, instructor-led class takes you through a series of basic yoga poses designed to work on balance.
Doing yoga in Arizona on a floating paddleboard in the hot springs requires present moment awareness, and it’s also fun. The unstable surface of the paddleboard in the water makes you work harder at maintaining balance and coordination, which gives you a full-body workout. Falling off the board is part of the learning process, and just might be the best part as you splash into the rejuvenating hot spring.
Paddleboarding can be a way to introduce a new challenge to your existing yoga practice, as it engages different muscles. You may be able to do downward dog in your sleep, but during paddleboard yoga, you’ll definitely need to pay attention. SUP yoga also heightens body awareness and balance as you learn to feel and respond to the subtle movement of the water.
Meditation Practice
Meditation is a state of being focused on the present moment, where you can observe your thoughts without getting carried away by them. Cultivating this state through regular practice can bring you to your true self, unlocking creative potential. Learn how at Castle Hot Springs’ daily guided meditations, focused on concentration and breathwork. There are also mindfulness activities like creating a mandala, which you can take home and use as a visual tool when meditating.
Go even deeper with a private meditation session and let an instructor guide you to a state of inner steadiness. You’ll learn how to build a practice, and take home personalized biohacking techniques to enhance the amount of mental and emotional tranquility in your life.
Another guided meditation taught at Caste Hot Springs is Yoga Nidra. This technique induces deep relaxation. While it involves a state similar to sleep, you remain conscious and aware throughout. Yoga Nidra is known to be even more effective than sleep. Once you establish a regular routine, you’ll be able to tap into a tireless source of energy and inspiration.
A Sanctuary for Wellbeing
Castle Hot Springs is an escape that promotes intentional living, with wellness activities designed to reclaim your calm. Follow in the footsteps of Arizona’s indigenous people who traveled to the mineral springs for medicinal purposes, and the generations of influential families thereafter who made an annual pilgrimage to the resort for health and recreation.
When you take the time to slow down and be present in this landscape dotted with the hot springs that have been here forever, you not only revel in the desert’s beauty but you leave with a profound sense of wholeness.