GROUND WELLBEING: Rituals with purpose

Rituals with purpose

We ask Peigin Crowley, founder of holistic lifestyle brand Ground Wellbeing, about the new wellness dimension it has brought to the Waldorf Astoria Spa

What makes Ground Wellbeing a unique spa partner?

Our mission is to make therapists fall back in love with massage. We all know it is such a large part of our business. We at Ground are therapists ourselves, and we have designed and developed treatment rituals that are as enjoyable to deliver as they are to receive.

We have evolved each ritual to include breathwork, lymphatic drainage, acupressure and energy work so as to encourage the thinking therapist – equipping them with moves to adapt to bring balance to those struggling with sleep, menopause, anxiety and burnout.

How did you work with the Waldorf Astoria Spa team on their new menu?

When Claire Doering was looking for a new wellness brand, it was of paramount importance that it would work for her team, that it would excite them and give them a 360-degree understanding of sincere wellbeing and selfcare.

Claire saw through lockdown how her guests were needing more. She realised that the words burnout, anxiety, insomnia and menopause were rarely used or seen in a typical spa, and she felt the time was right for this to change.

The team embraced our brand so energetically and really understand now how much more capable they are for holding space and giving purposeful treatments to those who need it most.

How is wellness evolving in spas and what opportunities does it present?

I think we have all recognised the shift from spas historically being seen as an indulgence – an exclusive sanctuary to be pampered and preened in – to a more purposeful response to real-life stress and anxiety. It has become apparent that minding ourselves is not intuitive and we must re-learn it and wish it for others.

Spas are becoming more educational, offering workshops, wellbeing lectures and retreats, and becoming more inclusive and community-based. For example, there is nothing more cathartic than joining a menopause retreat and meeting other women going through the same life stage with experts guiding us on the specific self-care required in this transition.