European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 2, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A woman gives the toe test to a mud Bath in bad Purmont Germany taking the cure pampering yourself in full service style by Andy edelste1n new Day outside it s 12 degrees the wind is lashing the Trees and the Snow is accumulating rapidly adding to the foot already on the ground. Less than five feet away behind a Thermal pane window i m submerged Buck naked in a 99-degree Jacuzzi watching the storm. And i m aware that i m not reacting typically. Normally i hate Snow and my panicked mind would be racing just How the hell am i going to get Back to new York but now instead of imagining a three car pileup on the Taconic i take several deep breaths and Ponder vaguely Mckuen esque thoughts on the beauties of nature. That was the moment when i knew my stay at Canyon ranch was paying off. What brought me to this renowned spa in Lenox mass., was stress a jagged nerves Middle of the night cold sweat kind of stress. I m in reasonably Good shape but recently i had been experiencing Chest pains. A couple of expensive medical tests ruled out heart trouble stress was the most Likely culprit. This would be a Fine excuse to make a x first time visit to a spa in my fantasies a joint where you d be pampered pummelled and purified into transcendence. I knew spas had Long since shed their. Image As Quot fat farms Quot but the notion of them As places that attracted a predominantly female clientele still lingered. Not that i would have minded being a single Guy adrift in a sea of women. But frankly i wanted to go for me. I was jealous after hearing the fab soul spa tales my women friends had told me Over the years. Why deny myself that kind of experience the spa i chose for my initial foray was a bold move not unlike buying a Mercedes Benz As your first car. Canyon ranch was pricey but it delivered top of the line service. For five Days i was massaged muddied stretched stress managed Stair mastered tread milled and Yog aed into the kind of Blissful state i be previously associated Only with zen masters or certain residents of Marin county Calif. And to my Relief i found it a place that was quite hospitable to men. I d say tree ratio of men to women during my stay was an acceptable 40 to 60. In fact Canyon ranch recently created a men s health package. There Are few. Wasted moments at Canyon ranch As i discovered the Day i arrived 24 hours ahead of a monster snowstorm last december. Immediately after i checked in i met with a registered nurse to Check out my medical condition and with one of the spa s program coordinators who customized a program for me. Canyon ranch recommends to All guests that they balance their activities among aerobics strength relaxation and education. Since i was heavily stressed it was suggested that i take yoga breathing and meditation classes it amps pay an additional $90 for a Quot stress management consultation a mud treatment facial and Massage could t Hurt either. And hey Why not throw in a fitness consultation to determine precisely what exercise program might Best help me lose those to stubborn pounds the exercise classes were my least favorite part that s because of a combination of bad memories from High school gym and the misguided perhaps priggish notion on my part that these classes were of Manly for women. Fortunately Canyon ranch has several classes geared to men including Quot men s a a step Quot the Guy s version of the aerobic exercise now the rage among women a workout enthusiasts.-1 the educational and relaxation sessions were a lot More fulfilling. Most of the time i discovered t held my breath a resulting in shallow breathing which increases stress. That would be corrected in the Quot breathing Quot class. As new age music played in the darkened room the teacher Cliff a baby faced redhead with a voice As Mellow As a late night pm djs eased one _ woman and me through the Drill. Quot breathe through the Chest Quot the sternum the stomach be aware of your breath. Take in an Ocean of breath. You can t be uptight if you re taking deep  it worked by the end of the class i Felt Light headed and focused. Good advice to keep in mind next time a typical bad office moment arises. I d keep those suggestions in mind for the future but what i really wanted Here was instant gratification and that s exactly what i got from the pampering services i signed up for i had my first facial administered by a continued on a amp be 14