Mandarin Oriental rolling out wellness music programming in spas worldwide
– Jeremy McCarthy
Spas operated by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (MOHG) will harness the healing power of music following the upcoming launch of a new Wellness Music Programme.
Debuting across the group on Global Wellness Day (10 June 2023), the new music collection is designed to enhance MOHG’s signature spa treatments based on Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The programme consists of five playlists inspired by the Chinese Five Phases Music Therapy: Awaken – Spring, Bloom – Summer, Flourish – Indian Summer, Release – Autumn and Reflect – Winter.
Following the Five Elements found within MOHG’s signature spa treatments, the playlists are also personalised based on the specific needs of each guest and their element profile:
• Awaken: Jue relates to Wood and is traditionally associated with the liver and gallbladder, representing the season of Spring and the energy of youth and growth. This series of music is composed of ancient vertical and bamboo flute. The Jue sound is clear, melodious and deep to provide a gentle energy boost and profound sense of renewal.
• Bloom: Zhi relates to Fire and is linked with the heart and small intestine, representing the season of Summer and providing warmth and the capacity of love which enables us to mature and blossom. This series of music uses the guqin instrument in combination with other silk‐string instruments. The Zhi sound is distinct, flowing, soothing and melodious designed to relax and revitalise the body and open the heart.• Flourish: Gong relates to Earth and is associated with the stomach and spleen, representing late summer season providing us the ability to nurture ourselves and others. This series of music is composed of the Gong combined with xun and sheng. The Gong sound is equivalent to ‘1’ in Chinese musical notation designed to stabilise emotions, release stress and recenter the body and mind.
• Release: Shang relates to Metal and the lung and large intestine, representing the Autumn season providing us with our capacity to look at what lies beyond ourselves and the power to let go. This series of music is composed of metal instruments such as chimes and singing bowls. The Shang sound is deep, sonorous, bright and powerful, providing a deep exhalation to let go and restore harmony in the body and mind.• Reflect: Yu relates to water and is associated with the kidney and bladder, representing the Winter season providing us with adaptability and willpower. This series of music is composed of a combination of struck instruments and free reed pipes. The Yu sound is graceful, quiet, soft and gentle but warm, like the slight waves of water designed to provide a time to pause and gather inner strength.
Drawing on global musicians, musical specialists and themes from historical philosophical texts, the playlists will be enjoyed in relaxation areas and provided to guests for them to enjoy after their spa visit.
“Caring for mind, body and spirit is the cornerstone of our spa and wellness philosophy,” explained Jeremy McCarthy, MOHG group director of spa and wellness, "and we know that music has not only the power to soothe, but also to uplift.
“Our Global Wellness Music Programme is designed to create the right healing atmosphere for our holistic spa and wellness services and fans of the brand will be able to experience this programme firsthand on Global Wellness Day.
“To mark the event, our teams across the globe have also created a series of distinctive activities each designed to harness the healing power of music.”
McCarthy is now a contributing editor at Spa Business and recently authored a piece dedicated to lessons in leadership in the spa industry – read the latest issue here.
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