The Miraval Experience

I am pretty obsessed with everything wellness, so when I heard about Miraval , I knew I had to go. Talking my husband into coming along with me was going to be the challenging part! Thankfully, one of Jonathan’s clients had been and essentially did my job for me! Shortly after their conversation, he agreed and we quickly booked tickets to Austin.

If you’re not familiar with Miraval, the first property opened in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2003. Their dream was to build a spiritual oasis for curious, health-seeking people and businesses. Nestled in the heart of Texas Hill Country, Miraval’s second destination is a life-enhancing sanctuary dedicated to using imagination and mindfulness to empower you to discover your best self. Their thoughtfully curated classes, experiences, and menu is top-notch.

Prior to arriving, we spent some time on the phone with the experiences team at Miraval who helped us book some of the classes, spa services and activities ahead of time. You can check out the daily schedule here. Once you arrive, you can always move things around, but I’d recommend booking the things you really want to do in advance. Jonathan also used this time to ask about the difference in the location of the hotel room buildings. After describing that we like to be away from the hustle and bustle and a bit more private, they suggested buildings 8, 9, or 10. After staying at Miraval, I do believe that these buildings are in a great area as they are near the spa, spa pool, restaurant, and coffee shop, but are far enough removed that people aren’t walking by. Regardless, you can’t really go wrong. All of the rooms are absolutely stunning and the property is beautiful!

Once you land at the Austin Airport, the Miraval shuttle will pick you up and drive you 30-40 minutes into Hill Country. The feeling of calm will quickly come over you as you step onto the property here, it’s extremely serene. They welcomed us with Antioxident Mocktails (don’t worry, unlike Canyon Ranch, you can drink alcohol and coffee here!) and a quick golf cart ride to show us where everything was located. They will also give you a cell phone sleeping bag, as a digital detox is highly encouraged and you’ll see little signs around the property to reminding you to unplug.

We decided to do 3 full days at Miraval, arriving early on Thursday morning and leaving on Sunday evening. I could have easily stayed longer, but I also felt like I had enough time to rest, relax, and regroup and was ready to take all of my learnings back home. When planning, we left our first and last day pretty open so we’d have time to add in anything we missed. Overall, I think we did a really nice amount of classes. There were certainly some classes that I didn’t get to which I was bummed about (like Arial Silk Yoga!), but it allowed me to be more present in the classes that I was in. I saw some women running around from class to class and leaving classes early to make others, and I just didn’t feel like that was the purpose of being there. You can get overwhelmed in the amount of options in a day, so don’t go too crazy! We left chunks of time in between for meals, spa, journaling, reading, and pool time.

CLASSES WE TOOK:

(K) = classes I took, (J) = classes Jonathan took, and (K+J) = classes we took together.

Common Ground (K+J): Understanding Barriers to Connection Identify your communication challenges and strengths by moving a horse around the pen without touching or speaking to it.  Be guided by the wisdom of our four-hooved friends.  Horses can help us see more clearly, live more mindfully, identify personal blocks to communication, and develop new paths to self-awareness. This was the best class we took all week long. We were so lucky as we were the only two in the class, so it was essentially a private class for us. The women who runs this course, Paula, is absolutely incredible. She gave us so much joy and learning through this process. We left feeling a sense of real connection and overcoming true life obstacles.

Blend ‘n’ Balance Smoothie (K): Learn which ingredients can provide the most balanced nutrient absorption and health benefits. The instructor for this class was really energetic and fun. Although I knew a lot about the nutrition piece, it’s always a good reminder and she gave us a handful of really fun and unique smoothie recipes to take home which I’m excited to try!

Pilates Fusion (K): Your typical standard Pilates class, I thought this was a challenging workout. Nothing groundbreaking!

Cypress Creek Farm Visit (K+J): Join Miraval’s farmers for an educational tour that delves into sustainable, organic farming practices. Meet the hens that provide our farm-to-table restaurant with fresh eggs and then wander the farm, tasting fresh crops straight from the field. This was really interesting and we really enjoyed the farm tour. Although, if you take the Minding Mushrooms or Honeybees class, you will be down at the farm, so I it would be a bit redundant.

Yoga Essentials (K+J): Your typical yoga class, although experiencing this in the Yoga Barn is truly magical. I love every single class I took in the Yoga Barn. The surroundings provide for an incredible vibe.

Cardio Drumming (K): High-energy cardio workout that combines traditional aerobic movements with the powerful beat and rhythm of the drums. This is a super, super fun class. You will have a smile on your face pretty much the entire time. It’s unlike any other workout I’ve done — very unique!

Flower to Root Cooking (K): This interactive experience will introduce you to plant based cooking, while discovering ways to creating sustaining and satisfying plant based dishes. Sammi taught our group how to make a really delicious plant-based meal that I will no doubt be recreating at home!

Hill Country Challenge Course (K+J): Our trained guides take you through a series of obstacles and adventures to help you set goals, forge bonds, and tell your own story of triumph. This is a ton of fun! If you’re afraid of heights, this challenge will certainly push you to your limits. We had a blast!

Floating Meditation (K): Experience the calming benefits of induced meditation while you are gently elevated above the floor in a silk hammock and rocked to the soothing vibrations of crystal bowls. Release your mind’s stress, tension, or worry while you “float” weightlessly in the air. This was an extremely serene experience. I was placed in the purple silks hanging from the Yoga barn with a blanket, eye mask, and essential oils and was told to chill out for an hour. The meditation wasn’t guided, which was a bit of a bummer for me. I find it hard to meditate on my own, so that’s my only criticism. I wish I would have done the Aerial Silks Yoga instead!

Discover Your Soul’s Purpose (K): Through a series of simple but elegant intuitive journeys, you’ll cut through the stress of the demands of a busy life, find the peaceful place that lies within all of us, and gain a calm clarity about what you are here to do in this lifetime. I really, really enjoyed this class and learned a lot. This was the first class I took when I arrived at Miraval and it really set my intentions for the weekend.

The Way of the Archer (K+J): A great practice of meditation and breath work, archery gives us an opportunity to test our skills of mindfulness. This class was a LOT of fun, I felt like Katniss Everdeen!

Just Cook for Me Chef (K+J): While others dine in the restaurant during regular dinner service, delight in our most intimate dining experience in the Miraval kitchen and taste creations by our talented chefs. This experience is designed for the adventurous foodie! We really enjoyed this experience. The Miraval Chef will cook 5 courses for you, talking you through how they source the products. Each course is paired with a full glass of wine as well. Great experience!

Pasta a Mano (J): Hands-on experience to nourish your mind, body, and soul. Together, we will experience the ancient art of handmade pasta as we explore fresh ingredients and flours that help our dough, dish, and hearts flourish. Jonathan really enjoyed this class!

Five Habits for Effective Stress Management (J): Learn tools and tips to help manage common stressors that arise in your day to day life. This lecture will help you recognize how stress affects your mind, body, spirit as well as provide effective methods for managing stress. I essentially forced Jonathan to take this class and I’m so glad he went because he learned a lot of great takeaways!

CLASSES WE MISSED:

Minding Mushrooms, Hatchet Throwing, Cypress Creek Equine Meditation, Honeybees: The Growing World, Restoring Bone Broth, Restorative Aerial Silks Yoga, & Healthy Gut, Healthy You

THE SPA:

Last but certainly not least, the Spa! If you book a trip here, you will receive $175 dollars a day towards a spa treatment or you can put that money towards some of the classes that require additional $$. The Spa is incredible — pool, hot tubs, sauna, steam room, resting area, etc. It’s great!

If you’re looking for a digital detox, a wellness reset, or a spiritual awakening — this is the vacation for you!