The path to enlightenment - or at least bliss - starts with a trip to Freestone

Cancel your spa trip to Italy, bella.

Osmosis Zen GardenPeace and tranquility are waiting patiently for you in Freestone, California at Osmosis. Michael Stusser, founder and owner, understands that the faster we connect, the more we need his special brand of stress relief.

I couldn't agree more.

Zen gardens define Osmosis, dialing down distractionMeditation Entrance as soon as you pass through the gates. Cobblestone paths wind through pockets of flowers, outcroppings and meditation areas, mirroring an inner path to quietude.

Surprisingly, the property was once an abandoned junkyard. Michael left an old jalopy covered in vines as a reminder, which I think is fabulous in a Zen sort of way.

Cedar Enzyme BathThe real reason to visit, though, is the cedar enzyme baths, which are big sandboxes filled with hot, moist cedar, rice bran and enzymes imported from Japan. The baths are heated, but the ingredients cook and ferment on their own, reaching temperatures as high as 140F. Because of FDA regulations, Michael can't make health claims, but a short 20-minute "soak" can help release toxins, improve circulation and, not surprisingly, ease tension.

The full treatment takes close to 3 hours and begins with an enzyme tea in one of the meditation rooms. My girlfriend and I shared a bath, suddenly seeing more of each other than we'd ever anticipated - you have to climb into the bath naked.

After being buried up to our chins, I immediately felt Cedar Enzyme Bathcaged in, trapped. It took concentration to settle, but within minutes I lost myself to the rhythm of my own heartbeat, becoming part of the living, pulsating enzymes I'd been buried in.

After climbing out of the bath, brushing off and showering, we were kneaded and rubbed during a 75-minute Thai massage. Afterwards we floated to a quiet room to rest. I'd like to say I fell into a deeply meditative state, but my girlfriend said all I did was snore.

In all honesty, I haven't felt this scrubbed clean of all my cares and worries since I was 12.

Freestone is a very small town with one main street and a definite hippie vibe. If you're enjoying your state of bliss, check out the home-style bakery and quaint B&B.

Treatments

Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary
209 Bohemian Hwy.
Freestone, CA 95472
Phone: 707-823-8231

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