We were recently invited to the Spa at the Cape Grace Hotel to experience their NeoQi Energy Cocoon (the “Cocoon”). The Cocoon is an incredibly advanced piece of equipment and is designed to be a complete system for detoxing, energising and relaxing the body. The name derives from ancient Chinese philosophy which believes that Qi is the invisible life energy that should flow freely through a healthy body, but is often blocked or inhibited as a result of stress, anxiety, lack of sleep or an unhealthy lifestyle. A session in the Cocoon can help replenish and free the circulation of Qi, boosting both health and energy levels. I’ve been feeling incredibly run down and tired recently (probably on account of not having taken a holiday this year) so restoring the flow of life energy through my body sounded like just the ticket.
The Cocoon looks like something out of a sci-fi movie – it’s essentially a hydrotherapy bath, vibrating massage bed and a sauna rolled into one. I tried to take pictures of it on my phone but it really didn’t do it justice, so the Cape Grace have allowed me to use their image instead:
My treatment started with a nice abrasive body scrub (the scrubbier the better, as far as I’m concerned), followed by the application of a warm mud mask. Once I was covered in this gritty, muddy mix, my therapist, Jenna, pulled the top of the Cocoon capsule down around me and locked everything in place – only my head and shoulders were poking out. I am not a claustrophobic person, but even if I was, I can’t imagine that this would have been an issue – it’s very roomy in the Cocoon and, as you will see from the picture below (also courtesy of the Cape Grace), it’s not suffocating in the slightest.
Jenna then flicked a few switches and the Cocoon stared vibrating gently underneath me, and warm air slowly encapsulated my body. The air temperature then fluctuated from warm to cool several times, which was soothing and rejuvenating at the same time. As I lay there, Jenna gave me an amazing scalp massage which left me so relaxed I almost drifted off to sleep.
The second phase of the treatment was the Vichy water massage, which was a completely new experience for me! The water shot out from the roof of the Cocoon at varying speeds and at varying temperatures (mostly warm). It was interesting and, at times, bracing (cold water I hate you), but for the most part, I found it calming.
Once that part of the treatment was over, I hopped into the shower to rinse off the last remnants of the scrub and mud, and lay back down on the freshly clean and dry Cocoon. Jenna then proceeded to slather my baby-soft skin with the Spalicious Fig & Pomegranate Body Butter, which smelled absolutely delicious. I left the treatment room in somewhat of a daze, and plonked myself on one of the squishy couches in the relaxation area and tried not to fall asleep.
So, does it work? I think it’s always difficult to tell with these things when you lead a busy lifestyle and have a demanding job – you’re never going to feel truly relaxed for more than a few hours, are you? But for me, I know the Cocoon boosted my health because I had two mouth ulcers developing last week, and usually by now they would be mutant, rending me unable to eat or speak properly. But instead…they are gone (unprecedented), and I believe that’s all down to the healing powers of this magical machine!
So if you are feeling a bit run down, a bit under the weather, or just feel like experiencing a really unique treatment, I can highly recommend the Cocoon. There are a number of different options available which you can read about here.