Guests begin their spa journey with a consultation by one of The Peninsula Spa by ESPA’s highly skilled therapists, each of whom has been trained to work on the body’s chakras– energy centres – to harness the life force inherent within everyone and allow for gentle, deeply relaxing healing to take place.  According to Sharon Codner, Regional Spa Director,  Asia, at The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, the simple healing power of Reiki is an ideal complement to a range of Spa treatments. “Our therapists have been expertly trained to allow the automatic flow of healing energy. This is a very subtle, unobtrusive process and guests often do not even realise that their therapist is performing Reiki on them – although many remark how deeply relaxed and serene they feel afterwards.” Feelings of inner warmth and vibrations through the therapist’s hands are not uncommon in Reiki, as they are guided to areas of stress and tension. At the end of each session, the therapist may share any
sensations they experienced while working on the guest; in turn advising them of emotions which may surface for the guest following treatment. “Although a one-off treatment is perfectly fine, we recommend a course of Reiki-based therapies to ensure that energies are fully restored,” adds Codner. 
A non-invasive form of self-aware healing, Reiki was developed originally by the Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui in the early 1900s to activate the natural healing process of the body, restoring physical and emotional well-being. The complete system of practice in the Reiki tradition is composed of three elements that hold the same importance. These are the Gasho meditation, the Reiji-ho summoning of energy and Chiryo, Reiki treatment with the hands.  These three pillars form the basic method of Reiki. As Reiki practitioners, Peninsula Spa therapists are taught to abide by the five core Reiki ethical precepts, known as Gokai.
Said in Japanese, Gokai may be spoken out loud with the hands placed over the heart or recited in one’s head with a positive intent. The Reiki Gokai translates as: “Just for today: do not worry; do not get angry; be grateful; work hard; and be kind to others”. This enables the therapists to gain a greater understanding of the world around them, facilitating calm and compassionate behaviour towards others. Therapists trained in First Degree Reiki are able to heal themselves and others,
while those taught Second Degree Reiki use specialised symbols to harness positive energy in order to heal remotely. While all Peninsula Spa therapists have been trained in First Degree Reiki, some have also received Second Degree Reiki tutelage, which directly precedes becoming a Third Degree Shinpiden, or Reiki Master / Teacher. 
“The high level of work-life balance-related stress that many of our guests experience today manifests itself in ways beyond mere physical knots, aches and pains,” says Codner. “Reiki addresses the emotional imbalances that are often the by-product of our stressed, on-the-go lives, where many of us have very little time to reflect on – let alone address – the root causes of our individual ailments. Reiki healing holistically targets these deep-rooted issues by re-aligning the energy within us in order to achieve a greater sense of emotional balance and well-being, deeply complementing the properties of each spa treatment.” 
Guests are encouraged to arrive at The Spa 60 minutes prior to their treatment in order to make use of all The Spa facilities, including The Asian Tea Lounge, the Thermal Suite with Crystal Steam Room, the Sauna with harbour views and the Relaxation Areas.
As part of The Peninsula Hong Kong’s three floors dedicated to health and fitness, the 12,000-square-foot (1,116-square-metre) Spa offers sweeping views of Victoria Harbour and 14 state-ofthe-art treatment rooms, creating an oasis of calm in the city for guests to renew themselves in mind,body and spirit.
The Peninsula Hotels has combined with leading international spa consultancy ESPA, headed by renowned spa authority Susan Harmsworth, to develop the ultimate in spa concepts. ESPA has created exclusive treatments and products tailored for Peninsula guests, and ESPA-branded products are the sole product line carried in The Peninsula Spa. The treatments draw on both Eastern and Western wellness and relaxation philosophies, emphasising a back-to-basics approach with
authentic treatments delivered by highly-trained therapists.

City.Mobi

Also in Asia today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Hong Kong.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

HongKong.city.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.