December 12 marked Mandarin Oriental Group’s third annual Silent Night wellness event. Created as part of the brand’s Digital Wellness initiative, the event was created to provide mindfulness and a sense of calm during the busy holiday season. As part of the event, Mandarin Oriental spas around the world went silent after 5 pm (in their respective time zones). No talking, no music, just quiet to instill a sense of peace and allow for individuals to experience a quiet time of contemplation and mindfulness during their spa treatment.
“A lot of the value of a spa experience comes from simply disconnecting from technology and experiencing time for yourself in silence,” said Jeremy McCarthy, group spa director for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. “During this stressful time of the year, we want to create a space where people can press the pause button and have some time to think, meditate, or just take a break from being inundated with noise.”
Each Mandarin Oriental spa offered its normal treatment menus after 5 pm that day, but there was no noise allowed during or after each session, just a small bit of communication that took place in a brief consultation at the beginning of the spa experience, just before guests changed into their robes. Guests were encouraged to come alone or bring a loved one with whom they wanted to share an experience of silent connection with.
For guests who want to immerse themselves more fully in a digital detox, Mandarin Oriental properties offer a Digital Wellness Escape. The one hour and 20-minute experience focuses on grounding both body and mind through the power of human touch, and is designed to provide a calming and peaceful respite from the outside world and the stress of repetitive movement.
The event, presented through the Group’s Digital Wellness Initiative, was designed to provide a night of wellness in an increasingly hectic and urbanized world, where silence is slowly becoming a precious commodity. The Digital Wellness Initiative provides guests with access to a range of wellness advice and activities designed to help them disconnect from technology, as well as a number of tips and guidelines that can help establish boundaries regarding the use of technology, clear mental chatter, and establish a healthy, digitally balanced lifestyle.
The event and initiative both hope to call attention to the wellness concept and provide tools to access silence as a daily practice.
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