Let’s face it: life is busy. With never-ending to do lists and daily dilemmas, it’s hard to find time to get everything done, much less be able to unwind. That’s where the Saltana Cave comes in. Based in Ridgefield, CT, the Saltana Cave offers pure relaxation—and respite—for people looking for ways to breathe deeply and connect with themselves.
Upon entering the waiting room at Saltana Cave, you can already start to feel your worries fading away. The air is clean and fresh, and the waiting area is immaculate. The energy feels balanced and aligned, and if you were bringing any leftover stress into the Cave, the calm and tranquil environment will remind you to leave your worries at the door—literally. You’re given booties to cover your shoes (and to keep the salt pure).
Once you enter the cave, you can immediately notice the difference in the quality of the air. It feels lighter, cleaner, and truly pure. But when you enter the actual Saltana Cave, it’s a completely different experience. The air in the waiting room doesn’t do justice to how the cave smells. It just smells so completely clean. Interestingly enough, we often associate chemical smells (such as bleach) with cleanliness, but that’s not how the cave smells. It just smells pure, and all you want to do is just breathe deeply.
As for the cave itself, well, it’s gorgeous. It glows with tons of Himalayan salt rocks, which are just the prettiest shades of pink. There are celestial images on the ceiling, and there are parts of the cave where light silently seeps through. It’s peaceful and almost like a religious experience. The floor of the cave is covered with salt rocks, but they actually feel soothing to your tootsies, and not painful like you might think.
Each treatment is composed of a 45-minute session. After taking a seat in the zero gravity chairs (which aid in relaxation), you’re encouraged to take a white blanket to cover yourself during the experience. The reason: as you relax, your body temperature may begin to drop, so having the blanket on will keep you toasty and cozy. Anna takes a crystal bowl and speaks in a very calm voice, asking you to find your word of intention. Without thinking, the word “happiness” came to mind.
Once Anna leaves the room, the treatment really begins. A voiceover narrative explains where the salt rocks come from, and more importantly, their health benefits. The delicious air in the cave has natural mineral elements such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, bromine, copper, selenium, iron, and more. In addition to all those elements, the salt itself is antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral. Through a ventilation system and control of humidity, the salt actually cleanses itself. Hearing how healthy it is for you instinctively makes you want to breathe it in even more.
It doesn’t take very long for the relaxation part to kick in. Almost immediately, you’ll feel yourself slowly starting to sink into your chair. At one point, I went to move my blanket, and my arm felt so heavy that I told myself that I’d just move it later. There were moments that I felt myself floating; the music is super relaxing. It’s hard to describe the feeling. Some people relax, some people even sleep, but I wound up crying, that’s how purifying the experience is.
Now, 45 minutes will fly by, and you’ll find that the session is over far sooner than you’d like. Since the waiting area is equally calm and quiet, the transition from the cave to almost outdoors isn’t as startling as it could be. But once you put your shoes back on and/or remove your booties and step outside, you’ll literally feel the heaviness—and the dirtiness—of the air that we breathe.
The curious thing is the Saltana Cave stays with you even after you’ve left. Whether it’s reminding yourself to slow down and savor life, breathe deeply, or even simply feeling more relaxed and in touch with your life, you won’t be quite the same afterwards. And that is a good thing indeed.